April 11, 2012 at 6:37 pm
Hi,
I've been meaning to write this post for a while so figured today is the day!
I've been scanning job sites for DBA roles now for a couple of months and always seem to be hitting the same issue when reading job specs - never having all the skills that are outlined.
I've been in SQL Server DBA roles now for 4 years and I'm a good Mid-Level DBA with experience in database admin, development, some design, SSIS, some SSRS but more server configuration rather than report design and I'm just touching on data warehousing/SSAS now.
But when reading job specs it's always the same - companies want it all - they want you to be highly experienced in DBA work, Development, Design, SSIS, SSRS, SSAS. But what do you do if you don;t have it all but want to get it all.
I'd love to get into a role that was more BI focused as there seems to be good money in that these days and its also an area that interests me - but I don't want to take a Junior BI role as I have more advanced skills in other DBA areas that I don't want to go to waste.
So I guess my questions are these and perhaps they should be aimed at anyone reading this who is involved in the hiring of DBA's and advertising roles.
If you don't have all the skills outlined in a job spec should you apply anyways?
Should you be honest in the fact that you are missing some skills or go to the interview anyways and hope you can bluff you're way through - which from past experience isn't too easy as there is nearly always an interview exam. Plus, I don't really like pretending I have experience in something I don't....but if you don't bluff some parts of your experience how will you every get the role to give you the experience you lack!
Do employers just hope for the best when making the job specs and advertise looking for DBA gods when they know it's unlikely they'll get someone who has everything they are looking for?
Anyways I'd really like to hear back from any Senior DBA's or IT Managers out there on this one! I'm sure there must be others out there who come up against the same thing....
Cheers!
JayK
April 11, 2012 at 7:40 pm
First off, never try to bluff your way through an interview.
Next, do apply even if your skills don't align perfectly with what the posting lists. They never will, and taking a job that seems at the edge of your abilities, or slightly beyond, will help you to grow professionally.
Before things even get to the interview stage, the employer has presumably seen your cv or resume and has a rough idea of the areas in which you have experience and the areas where you may be weak. A phone screen will help them fill in any blanks.
When it gets to the interview stage, always be willing to say "I don't know" when you don't know. A good interview team should follow at least one line of questioning to the "I don't know" point, just to make sure you will say it. You may even have to confess ignorance to entire portions of SQL Server (say, Analysis Services or Reporting Services). I've been through interviews like this and, while it never feels good to admit that you're missing something that could be key to the position, they might just like everything else about you enough to hire you anyway and let you learn the missing bit.
April 12, 2012 at 12:03 am
Apply. These job listings describe their ideal candidate. Which usually doesn't exists.
Most of the time it goes roughly like this:
* lots of experience in field A (actually needed for the job)
* lots of experience in field B (may need it some day, but not really prerequisite)
* lots of experience in field C (totally unrelated to field A and B. No clue why it is there)
* fluent in 3 to 4 languages (at least in my country)
* must have certain degree
* 5 years experience (this equals to "I don't want to pay you too much". Usually impossible to have only this amount of experience and have the experience in field A and B at the same time)
* team player, excellent written and verbal communication skills (because all technical people are very very social, right?)
* flexible (meaning we want you to work long hours without expecting anything in return. When you ask to work from home, we throw a tantrum. Because flexibility is a one-way street.)
* saved a kitten's life
* served at least one term as president of the USA
I checked, but Superman isn't available right now...
/*** warning: may be dramatization ***/
Point of my story is: it's ok to not have all the relevent experience. As long as you have experience in the core tasks, it's ok to apply for the job. Just show interest and explain how you would catch up in the other area's. If you already would have all that it takes for the job, it means it will be a pretty boring job for you, as there's no room to grow.
Need an answer? No, you need a question
My blog at https://sqlkover.com.
MCSE Business Intelligence - Microsoft Data Platform MVP
April 12, 2012 at 12:12 am
Ha! Made me laugh - sometimes it does feel like that! Thanks for the reply....:cool:
April 12, 2012 at 12:36 am
I'll second the 'never bluff your way through an interview' statement. Doesn't work with an interviewer who knows the field.
When I used to interview someone, I would ask one unanswerable question. Something that I would never expect someone to know. I just want to see if they'll make up garbage or admit they don't know what I'm asking. If they make stuff up, that's interview over.
At the time I worked on a bank's systems. Mission critical, massive system. If someone's going to lie in an interview, can I trust them to tell the truth in normal work?
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
April 12, 2012 at 12:41 am
When I used to interview someone, I would ask one unanswerable question
I've done it as well... "how do you detach a Log Shipped tempdb that is in Read Only mode?"
You'll laugh at the answers I got.
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
April 12, 2012 at 12:43 am
Henrico Bekker (4/12/2012)
When I used to interview someone, I would ask one unanswerable question
I've done it as well... "how do you detach a Log Shipped tempdb that is in Read Only mode?"
You'll laugh at the answers I got.
I feel a QOTD coming on 😀
April 12, 2012 at 4:23 am
Henrico Bekker (4/12/2012)
When I used to interview someone, I would ask one unanswerable question
I've done it as well... "how do you detach a Log Shipped tempdb that is in Read Only mode?"
You'll laugh at the answers I got.
Well, other than the fact that it's TempDB...
Detaching a log shipped DB is trivial. For some fun, ask people how to reattach it... (hint, it does not reattach)
My favourite 'unanswerable' question is something along the lines of "How many ML pages would you find in a 3GB transaction log file?"
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
April 12, 2012 at 4:33 am
GilaMonster (4/12/2012)
Henrico Bekker (4/12/2012)
When I used to interview someone, I would ask one unanswerable question
I've done it as well... "how do you detach a Log Shipped tempdb that is in Read Only mode?"
You'll laugh at the answers I got.
Well, other than the fact that it's TempDB...
Detaching a log shipped DB is trivial. For some fun, ask people how to reattach it... (hint, it does not reattach)
My favourite 'unanswerable' question is something along the lines of "How many ML pages would you find in a 3GB transaction log file?"
Well, they all fail to mention that tempdb can't be read-only...
for your question on the ML pages -> Nasty....do they ever take a guess? 25, 125, 1025? do they ever mention BL mode for ML Pages? would love to hear the candidate answers...
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
April 12, 2012 at 4:38 am
Henrico Bekker (4/12/2012)
for your question on the ML pages -> Nasty....do they ever take a guess? 25, 125, 1025? do they ever mention BL mode for ML Pages? would love to hear the candidate answers...
Yes, they guess and it's not pretty. Not always ML map, maybe IAM, maybe PFS, maybe GAM. I want to see if they admit they don't know. Honestly, the chance of interviewing someone for a mid-level DBA job that even knows what an allocation pages is is pretty slim
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
April 12, 2012 at 4:40 am
Honestly, the chance of interviewing someone for a mid-level DBA job that even knows what an allocation pages is is pretty slim
Agreed. But I'd rather have honesty than "winging it".
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
April 12, 2012 at 8:19 am
I've been out of the DBA realm for a year +- now ...
Been pulled in SAP BW and it's just not for me :pinch:
Busy studying to upgrade my MCITP 2005 to MCITP 2008 then I'll be looking for Junior DBA roles I guess
SSIS, administration, installation, touched on SSRS, yet all the jobs advertised is as the OP posted above which made me worry :w00t:
Thanks for the tips and insight especially the BOGUS questions lol
MCITP: Database Administrator 2005
MCTS SQL Server 2008
MCP SQL 2012/2014
MCSA SQL Server 2012/2014
MCSE Data Management and Analytics
April 12, 2012 at 2:00 pm
GilaMonster (4/12/2012)
Henrico Bekker (4/12/2012)
for your question on the ML pages -> Nasty....do they ever take a guess? 25, 125, 1025? do they ever mention BL mode for ML Pages? would love to hear the candidate answers...Yes, they guess and it's not pretty. Not always ML map, maybe IAM, maybe PFS, maybe GAM. I want to see if they admit they don't know. Honestly, the chance of interviewing someone for a mid-level DBA job that even knows what an allocation pages is is pretty slim
Heh, I believe my answer would be : "What the devil is an ML page?"
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April 13, 2012 at 12:12 am
Feeg (4/12/2012)
I've been out of the DBA realm for a year +- now ...Been pulled in SAP BW and it's just not for me :pinch:
Busy studying to upgrade my MCITP 2005 to MCITP 2008 then I'll be looking for Junior DBA roles I guess
SSIS, administration, installation, touched on SSRS, yet all the jobs advertised is as the OP posted above which made me worry :w00t:
Thanks for the tips and insight especially the BOGUS questions lol
Usually a Junior DBA position requirements would expect you to at least know what SSRS, SSIS and SSAS does, but not necessarily be an expert. If they do expect an expert, then it's better to not sign with them...
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This thing is addressing problems that dont exist. Its solution-ism at its worst. We are dumbing down machines that are inherently superior. - Gilfoyle
April 13, 2012 at 12:47 am
Thanks Enrico, SSIS and SSRS is what I physically did and SSAS is what I have read/learned about hence I know what they can do/there for ...
So far I'm not as nervous about the switch back as expected.
Thanks again for the confidence boost. Now I must just get the upgrade exam off my plate 😀
MCITP: Database Administrator 2005
MCTS SQL Server 2008
MCP SQL 2012/2014
MCSA SQL Server 2012/2014
MCSE Data Management and Analytics
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