HostGator.com Systems Engineer Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 21 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at HostGator.com.
HostGator.com
Linux Systems Administrator
Entry Difficult Neutral experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Technical Coding
I applied online and was contacted by a recruiting coordinator at HostGator. She scheduled a phone interview and sent confirmation emails, including details about needing an SSH client and the topics that would be covered. They allowed using any resources like the internet or books, with no time limit, but they did consider how long it took to complete questions. The 'interview' was actually a skills test using an SSH client to log into a test server and complete tasks and answer questions, with no personal background questions asked. They likely do this because of their large applicant volume from extensive advertising. Some questions were basic and I could answer them, but others were more challenging, and I felt I might not have had the top-notch skills needed.
Confirmed questions5 questions
- How do you create a new user?
- Can you explain the purpose of a PTR DNS record?
- How would you create a blank file without using a text editor?
HostGator.com
Linux Systems Administrator
Mid Easy Neutral experience Decline offer 6 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen Take home Onsite Background check Offer
Interview formats
Technical Coding Other
First, I had a phone screen with some questions about unix, networks, and problem-solving. After that, they wanted me to fly to Austin for a 40-minute computer test with fake tickets, observed by someone. It felt a bit disorganized, especially since they had me travel and stay overnight just for that short, unobserved test. It took them a while to get a taxi back to the airport afterwards, and they didn't really offer a tour, just showed me the game room.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- How would you diagnose a failing PHP script?
- What would you do if email was broken for just one user?
HostGator.com
Linux Systems Administrator
Entry Average Positive experience No offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Phone screen
Interview formats
Technical Behavioral
The interview lasted around 35 minutes. They asked basic questions related to Linux Web Server administration. I got the sense that even though this role might not involve direct client interaction, they're looking for candidates who can provide good customer support, as there were several questions about customer support experiences.
Confirmed questions3 questions
- How would you manage processes on a Linux server?
- What's the most frustrating aspect of customer support for you?
- What do you find most rewarding about customer support?
HostGator.com Systems Engineer Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from HostGator.com interview reports.
“Using a bash for loop, how can you create 50 blank sequential files?”
Read reports →“What do linux permissions of 755 mean?”
Read reports →“Can you explain the purpose of a PTR DNS record?”
Read reports →“How would you use 'sed' to replace a word in a given text file?”
Read reports →“What's a simple method for DNS anti-spoofing?”
Read report →“How would you create a blank file without using a text editor?”
Read report →“What is run level 3?”
Read report →“How would you create a list of directories from 'a' to 'z', with each directory containing files numbered 1 through 100?”
Read report →“What is runlevel 3?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 21 HostGator.com interview reports.