You have a job and realize that you're in over your head. Perhaps you misled a manager that couldn't really evaluate your technical skills, or maybe you memorized enough answers from Books Online to get through in interview. It could be that you took a test during the interview and used your cell phone to post the questions on SQLServerCentral and someone gave you the answers.
Now you have been given a project and you don't have the skills to complete it. You can't ask for training or consulting help since you should know this stuff. What do you do now? Should you continue to deceive your boss and ask for free help on the Internet? Can you muddle through it and hope that you don't do anything that causes damage to the company?
It's a tough spot. I realize that you have bills, obligations, perhaps a family to take care of. Losing your job could impact other peoples' lives. However my advice would be to be honest with your boss. Let him or her know that you need help, and move forward from this point.
No matter what your skill level, you should be making an effort to grow your skills. You should be taking advantage of any help given to you by others to learn more. If you are making an effort, learning to close the gap between your skills and your claims of knowledge, you should be fine. Your boss will be more understanding of you asking for help than he will be if your efforts fail and your deceit is uncovered. Most people are willing to give others second chances, especially when they are working to make amends.
If you're just coasting, and happy to ask others to write your queries and not improving yourself, then good luck. At some point you will be exposed, and likely fired. And you would deserve it.
Steve Jones
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