February 24, 2014 at 8:14 am
Hello,
I have an interview in a few days for a SQL Developer/DBA. They say the role is 70-30 (30 for DBA), which is good because I am more of a developer.
In regards to the technical part of the interview...
I am always stumped when asked the following questions and would like some guidance. It seems that the answer to the following questions are not exactly straight forward, but I am sure there are simple guidelines to handling these situations. It would also be cool to know on my end how to deal with crisis situations as a DBA.
Thanks in advance!
1) How to handle slow moving database, (when your boss comes over to your desk and asks you to find out why production is moving slowly).
2) How to deal with database locking.
February 24, 2014 at 8:52 am
DaveDB (2/24/2014)
1) How to handle slow moving database, (when your boss comes over to your desk and asks you to find out why production is moving slowly).
Catch it before it goes too far away. A database should not move. If it's moving slowly, you can walk, if not, you'd better run.
2) How to deal with database locking.
Accept that it's part of the way relalional databases work. You might worry about excessive blocking and deadlocks.
Seriously speaking, you can find a lot of information in books and articles, but this is usually knowledge you gain by experience and not by reading about it a few days before an interview.
February 24, 2014 at 8:53 am
You might also want to check out this book. There is a free download but the paper version is well worth the money spent.
http://www.red-gate.com/community/books/accidental-dba
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February 24, 2014 at 9:38 am
Seems to me if you don't know, you don't know.
There's really no point in cramming for an interview trying to fill in simple quick answers to concepts you're not good with. If you manage to trick them, they'll just expect you to be able to do what you pretended to know. And when you can't, both you and your new employer are kind of screwed.
No harm in admitting there are things you are not practiced in or have not had to do. No harm in saying what you would try or where you would look for the information.
February 24, 2014 at 11:16 am
Thanks for your response. I agree with you that transparency is paramount, but I want to make sure that I do not sound too limited. I never try to be something that I am not in an interview, but you do have to sell yourself.
February 24, 2014 at 11:36 am
DaveDB (2/24/2014)
Thanks for your response. I agree with you that transparency is paramount, but I want to make sure that I do not sound too limited. I never try to be something that I am not in an interview, but you do have to sell yourself.
I'd agree, but no one in this industry can know everything... well, very few anyway. The skillset you want to show for earlier interviews in your career is not knowledge of everything, but that you can research just about anything, and know when to ask questions of more experienced staff vs. working with just the research.
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
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February 24, 2014 at 12:39 pm
In addition to all the sound advice that every one else has given you already, I'd like to add that before you go for the interview, you decide for certain that this position will be in line with your intended career path. As you current stated, the ratio of DBA/Developer responsibilities may be 30/70 to start, however in time that we easily switch the other way. As your databases grow, your DBA responsibilities will grow to compensate and you could easily find yourself doing more DBA work than anything else (hence the main reason the "accidental DBA" was written in the first place :-))
If you wouldn't mind becoming a DBA, then embrace it and be passionate about it during the interview process, being very honest about what you don't know, how resourceful you can be to find the answers for things you don't, and while expressing how eager you are to have the opportunity to do so. While knowledge is vitally important in a lot of cases, willingness and desire to learn can be very important to an employer as well.
That's my $.02
______________________________________________________________________________Never argue with an idiot; Theyll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience
February 24, 2014 at 1:12 pm
Book recommended by Sean is a Good one to start with ..
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SQLBuddy
February 25, 2014 at 4:47 am
Those type of questions are intentionally asked by good interviewers to test the depths of your knowledge. The first question is one of my favorites. I want to know what you know, so I guarantee, if you give me some canned answer that you memorize in a book, I'll spot it and will follow up with other questions to determine if you really understand what you just said. So, in short, I wouldn't suggest you spend time learning that. Go in with what you know. If it's at all a decent interview they'll get past any canned answers quickly.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
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SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
February 26, 2014 at 1:05 am
Also answers such as "I'd get on the SQL Server central website and see what others who have faced similar problems recommend examining" show a readiness to learn new techniques and that you know where to look for answers. Much better than "I haven't a clue where to start".
February 26, 2014 at 4:26 am
P Jones (2/26/2014)
Also answers such as "I'd get on the SQL Server central website and see what others who have faced similar problems recommend examining" show a readiness to learn new techniques and that you know where to look for answers. Much better than "I haven't a clue where to start".
One of my favorite questions when interviewing was "Where do you go when you get stuck." Google was one possible answer, but not complete. I wanted to see if people were using forums too.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
- Theodore Roosevelt
Author of:
SQL Server Execution Plans
SQL Server Query Performance Tuning
February 26, 2014 at 5:19 am
A couple of recent interviews have asked about how I learn and where I go for help.
So User Group's, SQL Bits, PASS, SSC, webanairs, SQL Relay, etc. Handy for one job as they were the venue for the local User group!
It was nice to hear as a question.
Rodders...
February 26, 2014 at 6:05 am
To echo what MyDoggieJessie said, if you do decide to move toward the DBA arena for your long-term path, remember your roots as a developer. I find that approaching DBA tasks with the heart of a developer leads to things becoming automated, which saves so much time in the end. It's a bit more work to write it properly up front (okay, sometimes a lot more work) but seems to always be worth it in the end.
And any technical interviewer who knows what they're doing will spot memorized, canned answers. This will lead to probing questions and trick questions that will eventually trip you up. My advice would be to emphasize what you know well and admit what you don't. As Grant said, show that you know where to go for help. You'd be surprised how many people don't know about this "new" invention called Books Online. 😉
February 26, 2014 at 9:12 am
I was a biology major but just became a DBA last year. I am going to be honest with you, people love it when you are upfront and honest. I know its about selling yourself but I am working full time with no degree in computer. I was asked question which are already mentioned here but I was able to answer it with honesty. I had no experience but they ended up hiring me. I wasn't bullshitting anybody, I just told them what I knew "I am independent, learned a lot about sql server by downloading free version, playing with it, reading books, watching you tube videos, joining different blogs which helped me understand about some of the common problems DBA's face. Just a story of my life. Good luck with your interview!
"He who learns for the sake of haughtiness, dies ignorant. He who learns only to talk, rather than to act, dies a hyprocite. He who learns for the mere sake of debating, dies irreligious. He who learns only to accumulate wealth, dies an atheist. And he who learns for the sake of action, dies a mystic."[/i]
February 27, 2014 at 10:26 am
Regarding question number 1, you might look at this link, http://thomaslarock.com/2013/11/sql-server-troubleshooting-useful-links/ . I can't say I'm knowledgeable enough to say if these are the BEST answers, but at least it will give you an idea of the general areas of concern in troubleshooting. It seems to me that you want to show you have a general approach to the issue in answering this type of question, not necessarilly all the specifice details that you would\will learn with more experience in that field.
Good Luck,
Paul Ray
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