August 21, 2011 at 5:45 am
hi all
i have an interview for a sql programmer Analyst role coming up soon and i would appreciate some advice! 😉
it would be a dream role for me in a top company where i am sure i could learn so much - i have already gotten past the tele interview and now basically they are looking for someone with 2 years experience and be able to do the following
-Assist lead developer in database schema design.
-Work with lead developer to constantly seek new and innovative ways to improve practices and procedures.
-Solve problems and fix bugs in existing product versions.
-Translate market data business rules into functioning SQL and stored procedures
for this past 6 years since i left uni i have been in a general IT role where i started writing sql reports, then have moved on to writing triggers, sp's and db analysis and some db design - my worry is, all of which i have taught my self (well with the help of alot of wrox books) and so maybe i am not "classically" trained in sql if there is such a thing and would hate to let myself down by not covering all bases, i know i have the capabilities as i have already solved many issues with sql programming that 3rd party "developers" could not!
can anyone advise on some questions etc that should be common knowledge for someone going for such a role?
any advice appreciated!
cheers
RM
August 22, 2011 at 4:44 am
Nope. And you'd best hope your potential future employer doesn't do searches out there to try to find out where and how you post. They'll see what could easily be misconstrued as an attempt at cheating your way into a position. You know the topics required. Study them. If you have to help with data design, make sure you know the rules of normalization, the appropriate use of clustered indexes, stuff like that. Fundamentals that are on display all over the place. Read through the Stairways series here on SSC. Don't try to get a few questions that are likely to come up and bone up on that narrow slice of knowledge. If they interviewers are even remotely competent, they'll see through that and it'll hurt you. If you don't know something, the best response is, "I don't know, but I'll go look it up in Books Online or post a question on SSC." I'd rather see how you're going to learn and solve problems.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
August 22, 2011 at 4:55 am
Hi Grant
your probably right!
obviously i have googled typical questions and to be honest i am more than fine with 95% or more of what i read, i really only ask because my roles to date have not been typical sql roles so really i have no idea what to expect - but end of the day ill either know the answers or i am not experienced enough!
end of the day i could read 1000 potential questions but not get asked one of them! i was just looking for typically what to expect
would just love the job 🙂
August 22, 2011 at 4:58 am
really didnt wanna post under my name oooops!!!!!!
is there any way to delete that ?
August 22, 2011 at 5:12 am
xxxxxxxxxxx (8/22/2011)
really didnt wanna post under my name oooops!!!!!!is there any way to delete that ?
You can change your nickname in Control Panel --> Registration Details.
August 22, 2011 at 5:35 am
cheers Dwayne !
maybe that was the sql gods telling me dont ask stupid questions !!!!
August 22, 2011 at 5:45 am
dopydb (8/22/2011)
end of the day i could read 1000 potential questions but not get asked one of them! i was just looking for typically what to expect
Depend on the interviewer.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
August 22, 2011 at 6:15 am
If you do a little searching, I posted the questions I used to ask on phone interviews, if you think that will help. But the in person interview... I guarantee, you can get almost anyone to the point where they're saying "I don't know" or they start BSing. The measure is, how long does that take.
----------------------------------------------------The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood... Theodore RooseveltThe Scary DBAAuthor of: SQL Server 2017 Query Performance Tuning, 5th Edition and SQL Server Execution Plans, 3rd EditionProduct Evangelist for Red Gate Software
August 22, 2011 at 6:23 am
Grant Fritchey (8/22/2011)
If you do a little searching, I posted the questions I used to ask on phone interviews, if you think that will help. But the in person interview... I guarantee, you can get almost anyone to the point where they're saying "I don't know" or they start BSing. The measure is, how long does that take.
I smell a few nice stories in there... if you can take 5 to share a few ;-).
August 22, 2011 at 6:32 am
I've got several where the candidate tried BS. It's sad.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
August 22, 2011 at 6:49 am
Grant Fritchey (8/22/2011)
If you do a little searching, I posted the questions I used to ask on phone interviews, if you think that will help. But the in person interview... I guarantee, you can get almost anyone to the point where they're saying "I don't know" or they start BSing. The measure is, how long does that take.
Awesome list and even better discussion!
http://www.scarydba.com/2009/04/30/database-screening-questions/
August 22, 2011 at 7:08 am
well if i got asked them questions i would be over the moon..
but i think the best message i can take from this is 'NO BS!' 😉
August 22, 2011 at 7:13 am
dopydb (8/22/2011)
well if i got asked them questions i would be over the moon..but i think the best message i can take from this is 'NO BS!' 😉
That's pre-screening to get to face to face.
Then the real questions begin! 😀
August 22, 2011 at 7:17 am
yip thats the real fun!
ill post back on how successful i am !!
August 22, 2011 at 7:18 am
dopydb (8/22/2011)
but i think the best message i can take from this is 'NO BS!' 😉
Absolutely.
I suspect a lot of candidates that I used to interview thought that I didn't know the answers to the questions I was asking (maybe they thought I was from HR). The problem was, I did know the answers, so when they made crap up it was worse for them than if they'd just admitted they didn't know.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
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