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5 Must-Ask IT Interview Questions + How I Saved My CCNA

Author

Michael Bowden
June 28, 2025

Sponsored by

THE_LOG_FILES#SHOW LOG

IN TODAYS EMAIL:

  • 💼 Smart Moves: Questions to Ask During Your IT Interview

  • 🛒 My Amazon Store

  • My CCNA Was About to Expire — Here’s How I Saved It

ADVICE AND TIPS:

💼 Smart Moves: Questions to Ask During Your IT Interview

Most people forget: interviews go both ways. The company wants to know if you’re a good fit. But you should also find out if they’re the right place for you.

Here’s your cheat sheet — 5 smart questions to ask in your next IT interview.

🧑‍💻 What does a typical day look like?

Don’t rely on job descriptions alone. Ask what your day-to-day responsibilities will really be like — straight from the people doing the job now.

📚 How do you support professional development?

Tech moves fast. Will they invest in you? Ask if they pay for certs (like CCNA or AWS), training, or conferences. Great companies help you level up — bad ones expect you to figure it out alone.

⚙️ What tools & tech does the team use?

Find out if they’re a “Cisco shop” or use other vendors. Knowing this helps you avoid surprises on day one and tells you if your current skills will transfer easily.

⚖️ What’s the work-life balance?

Long hours, endless on-call rotations? Or a healthy balance? Understand the schedule, on-call expectations, and how often you’ll actually unplug.

🚀 What growth opportunities exist?

Nobody wants a dead-end role. Ask about advancement paths: reviews, promotion timelines, and potential next steps beyond your initial position.

💡 Pro tip:

Don’t lead with salary questions. Focus on fit and growth first. Money talks — but timing matters.

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RESOURCE OF THE WEEK:

🛒 My Amazon Store

I put together a list of books, tools, and gear I personally recommend to help you level up your IT journey.

Note: This is an affiliate link, so I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase — it helps support the content!

RECENT EPISODE:

My CCNA Was About to Expire — Here’s How I Saved It

If you have a Cisco certification that’s about to expire, this video is for you. Most certs expire after 3 years — and trust me, that time flies.

In this episode, I break down:

• The different ways you can renew your CCNA or any Cisco cert

• How I personally renewed mine (and almost missed the deadline)

• Free tools and resources that helped me

• Tips to make your renewal stress-free

• My plan for the next 3 years after renewal (Linux + Cloud)

Whether you’re an associate, specialist, or working toward a professional-level cert — this episode is packed with practical info to help you stay certified and move forward.

🛠️ Resources I Mentioned:

• Boson Exam Sim

• Cisco U Free Courses:

• Cisco Live (for CE credits & exam access)