The IT job market is vast, and there are thousands of organizations and businesses looking for certified computer service technicians to work with them. To become a skilled and well-informed PC service technician, it is important to pass the CompTIA A+ certification exams. Once you are CompTIA A+ certified, you can start applying for the following jobs:
- Support Specialist
- Help Desk Tier 2 Support
- Field Service Technician
- Desktop Support Analyst
Once you apply for these jobs and get short-listed thanks to your CompTIA A+ certification, you will be called in for an interview. In this article, we have compiled a list of questions that usually come up.
Some of the most common questions asked by interviewers are:
Q1- What is your experience with operating systems and which ones have you used?
This is a commonly asked question and shouldn’t be a reason to stress at all. Questions like these should be answered almost instantly.
To impress the interviewers, it is best to explain to them about all the operating systems that you have worked with. Don’t hesitate in telling them every bit of detail, because they want to make sure that you are an all-rounder and can work with any OS.
Q2- Can you name all the parts of a Personal Computer?
One of the most important and basic questions asked in the interview is whether you know all the parts of a PC. Just because it is an easy question and you think there’s no way an interviewer will throw such a basic question at you, do not ignore it.
The components of a PC include the following:
- Motherboard
- Processor (CPU)
- Memory (RAM)
- Storage (Hard drive)
- Power supply
- Mouse and keyboard
- Video card
- Network card
- Cooling fan
The interviewers can also ask you to define each of these components in detail, so be prepared.
Q3- How would you make sure that a printing quality issue is fixed or not?
An IT technician’s job is to keep all the personal computers and devices in the office running smoothly. One of the devices that are used repeatedly is a printer, and keeping it up and running is essential to everyday business chores.
If the interviewer asks you how will you check whether the printer is printing correctly or not, you may tell them that you will print blank pages to ensure that the pages come out clean.
Q4- What are the functions of Operating Systems?
Tell the interviewer the functions of an operating system that include the following:
- Prioritized applications and processes
- Secures computer data
- Manages files and folders
- Connects you to devices on your computer
- Manages RAM
- Connects to networks
- Provides a graphical interface
You may also tell the interviewer about the different operating systems including Windows XP, Vista, MAC, Linux, and Windows server.
Q5- Do you know the different OS terminologies?
Make sure you come prepared for your CompTIA A+ job interview by learning the ins and outs of all the operating system terminologies. Answer the question by telling the interviewer about Registry, virtual memory and file structure.
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Q6- What are the many ways you can install an Operating System?
Even if the company computers already have OS installed, it is important for a technician to be aware of the many installation procedures. In case you need to reinstall or update an OS, you must answer with the following:
- Automated deployment services (ADS) or remote installation service (RIS), Network installation
- Drive imaging – ghost
- Boot media alternatives – USB, floppy, or DVD
- Boot media – CD
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Q7- Are you good at communicating with end-user?
As a CompTIA A+ technician, it is important that you are capable of handling end-user queries and problems. You’re going to solve all computer and IT related problems faced by employees in an organization.
So, when the interviewer throws this question at you, the most important thing is to remain confident while answering it. Tell them you will be fixing problems with the PC, replacing faulty mouse and other components of a PC, installing and upgrading the system, fixing issues with the printer and much more. The more things you add to the list, the better.
Q8- Tell us about an issue that was brought to you and the way you handled it?
Employers want to make sure they are hiring a technician who is not only certified, but also holds practical work experience. That’s the reason you can expect them to ask about your game-plan for fixing an IT related issue you dealt with on your previous job. The trick to acing the answer to this question is to tell them all the tasks you performed on a daily basis and how many problems you solved.
Q9- What are the different types of CPU technologies?
Types of CPU technologies are cache, overclocking, microcode, throttling, multicore, and hyper-threading. It’s a plus to be able to work with all of these.
Q10- Do you know about system files?
Some questions are plain informational, so you need to give to-the-point answers.
- SYS – used to boot windows from SCSI disk devices.
- Registry data files.
- INI – allows you to choose the OS or the OS with different boot options.
- COM – to get information about hardware run by NTLDR.
Q11- What hardware parts you will assemble to make a PC work?
Not a very difficult question, but make sure you know all the components that make up a PC including the following:
- Computer case
- Monitor
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Power cord
Some other questions asked on a CompTIA A+ job interview include the following:
Q- What is a modem?
Q- What is a graphic card/ a graphic driver?
Q- How would you define ROM and RAM?
Q- What is a modem?
Q- What is cache RAM?
Q- What is a microprocessor?
If you are looking to become CompTIA A+ certified, explore our CompTIA A+ Certification Prep Course with a 30 days free trial at QuickStart.com.