February 18, 2016 at 3:04 pm
Grant Fritchey (2/18/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/18/2016)
No need to pile on (in fact, please don't) but the post below reminds me of the interviews that I've conducted over the last decade. The problem is, it's actually getting worse. It's really getting to be a much more prevalent and totally disgusting fact of life and I refuse to "give in" to it on interviews.http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1761876-3077-1.aspx
It's scary to hear that things are getting worse. I haven't had to conduct an interview for five years now. But five years ago, the overwhelming majority of the people I interviewed were not qualified to the level that they thought they were. It's creepy how people can get 6-9 months of experience and then multiply that out to 5 years and think they actually have 5 years of experience.
Oh yeah, things are getting worse.
I am seeing people claim to be an MCM for some of these interviews. I know full well they aren't an MCM. I have also been hearing that there is a whole horde (more than 20) of MCMs living in my region. I know for a fact there are only 3 of us in the state.
It goes both ways too. There are those interviewers that are just out there to play stump the chump. Did one of those for a new client recently and they just wanted to play stump the chump. I ended up telling them we weren't interested in their business. Then I sent them repro scripts to prove them wrong. These are the types of folks that absolutely insist Clustered Indexes are terrible for performance (and they can prove it - so they say). But then they have horrendous performance (probably due to forwarded records).
In short, it really goes both ways with how terrible interviews have gotten of late.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
February 18, 2016 at 4:03 pm
SQLRNNR (2/18/2016)
Grant Fritchey (2/18/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/18/2016)
No need to pile on (in fact, please don't) but the post below reminds me of the interviews that I've conducted over the last decade. The problem is, it's actually getting worse. It's really getting to be a much more prevalent and totally disgusting fact of life and I refuse to "give in" to it on interviews.http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1761876-3077-1.aspx
It's scary to hear that things are getting worse. I haven't had to conduct an interview for five years now. But five years ago, the overwhelming majority of the people I interviewed were not qualified to the level that they thought they were. It's creepy how people can get 6-9 months of experience and then multiply that out to 5 years and think they actually have 5 years of experience.
Oh yeah, things are getting worse.
I am seeing people claim to be an MCM for some of these interviews. I know full well they aren't an MCM. I have also been hearing that there is a whole horde (more than 20) of MCMs living in my region. I know for a fact there are only 3 of us in the state.
It goes both ways too. There are those interviewers that are just out there to play stump the chump. Did one of those for a new client recently and they just wanted to play stump the chump. I ended up telling them we weren't interested in their business. Then I sent them repro scripts to prove them wrong. These are the types of folks that absolutely insist Clustered Indexes are terrible for performance (and they can prove it - so they say). But then they have horrendous performance (probably due to forwarded records).
In short, it really goes both ways with how terrible interviews have gotten of late.
Most of the really good people I run across are actually usually humble about their skills.
Those that are rather arrogant about them usually are lacking.
HR used to work with us and let us do a quick phone interview before bringing in anyone for a face to face, and this worked pretty well.
Stump the Chump is a rather poor technique.
If the chump proves the interviewer wrong, they likely won't get the best candidate for the job.
Either they won't want to hire someone sharper than them, or the chump decides it may not be a good environment for them.
February 19, 2016 at 1:22 am
SQLRNNR (2/18/2016)
Grant Fritchey (2/18/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/18/2016)
No need to pile on (in fact, please don't) but the post below reminds me of the interviews that I've conducted over the last decade. The problem is, it's actually getting worse. It's really getting to be a much more prevalent and totally disgusting fact of life and I refuse to "give in" to it on interviews.http://www.sqlservercentral.com/Forums/Topic1761876-3077-1.aspx
It's scary to hear that things are getting worse. I haven't had to conduct an interview for five years now. But five years ago, the overwhelming majority of the people I interviewed were not qualified to the level that they thought they were. It's creepy how people can get 6-9 months of experience and then multiply that out to 5 years and think they actually have 5 years of experience.
Oh yeah, things are getting worse.
I am seeing people claim to be an MCM for some of these interviews. I know full well they aren't an MCM. I have also been hearing that there is a whole horde (more than 20) of MCMs living in my region. I know for a fact there are only 3 of us in the state.
It goes both ways too. There are those interviewers that are just out there to play stump the chump. Did one of those for a new client recently and they just wanted to play stump the chump. I ended up telling them we weren't interested in their business. Then I sent them repro scripts to prove them wrong. These are the types of folks that absolutely insist Clustered Indexes are terrible for performance (and they can prove it - so they say). But then they have horrendous performance (probably due to forwarded records).
In short, it really goes both ways with how terrible interviews have gotten of late.
What are people thinking claiming to be a MCM? I guess their CVs went straight into the bin.
February 19, 2016 at 2:14 am
SQLRNNR (2/18/2016)
I am seeing people claim to be an MCM for some of these interviews. I know full well they aren't an MCM. I have also been hearing that there is a whole horde (more than 20) of MCMs living in my region.
I keep hearing about someone else in Johannesburg claiming (to a couple of my clients) to be an MCM for SQL Server. I can't get a name and they're never substantiated (just "oh, we had someone offering DB services the other week who's also an MCM").
I'm the only SQL MCM on the continent!
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
February 19, 2016 at 4:44 am
what does Stump the Chump mean?
February 19, 2016 at 4:56 am
Google down? 😉
First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
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
February 19, 2016 at 6:27 am
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
February 19, 2016 at 11:41 am
BL0B_EATER (2/19/2016)
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
Yeah. They are trying to prove to somebody that they know more than the candidate. You refute their knowledge and it becomes confrontational.
Recent fav was that it is not possible to deadlock a single table transaction that has just a single row.
When I run into something like that I tell the potential client I don't need their business. That is a work environment that is not conducive to progress. I followed up on one such potential of late and found that they were rather hostile to women in the environment. I am not interested in working in that type of environment either. If they are hostile to any group, confrontational, and so off base on their knowledge - I don't need that.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
February 19, 2016 at 11:57 am
SQLRNNR (2/19/2016)
BL0B_EATER (2/19/2016)
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
Yeah. They are trying to prove to somebody that they know more than the candidate. You refute their knowledge and it becomes confrontational.
Recent fav was that it is not possible to deadlock a single table transaction that has just a single row.
When I run into something like that I tell the potential client I don't need their business. That is a work environment that is not conducive to progress. I followed up on one such potential of late and found that they were rather hostile to women in the environment. I am not interested in working in that type of environment either. If they are hostile to any group, confrontational, and so off base on their knowledge - I don't need that.
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
February 19, 2016 at 12:58 pm
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
SQLRNNR (2/19/2016)
BL0B_EATER (2/19/2016)
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
Yeah. They are trying to prove to somebody that they know more than the candidate. You refute their knowledge and it becomes confrontational.
Recent fav was that it is not possible to deadlock a single table transaction that has just a single row.
When I run into something like that I tell the potential client I don't need their business. That is a work environment that is not conducive to progress. I followed up on one such potential of late and found that they were rather hostile to women in the environment. I am not interested in working in that type of environment either. If they are hostile to any group, confrontational, and so off base on their knowledge - I don't need that.
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛
You know, I've heard lemon juice is good for getting blood out of shirts, at least then you won't give off as much of a "knife wielding Santa Claus" vibe...
:hehe:
February 19, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛
Oh. I thought those blood stains were just the result of shaving before coffee.
February 19, 2016 at 1:15 pm
jasona.work (2/19/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
SQLRNNR (2/19/2016)
BL0B_EATER (2/19/2016)
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
Yeah. They are trying to prove to somebody that they know more than the candidate. You refute their knowledge and it becomes confrontational.
Recent fav was that it is not possible to deadlock a single table transaction that has just a single row.
When I run into something like that I tell the potential client I don't need their business. That is a work environment that is not conducive to progress. I followed up on one such potential of late and found that they were rather hostile to women in the environment. I am not interested in working in that type of environment either. If they are hostile to any group, confrontational, and so off base on their knowledge - I don't need that.
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛
You know, I've heard lemon juice is good for getting blood out of shirts, at least then you won't give off as much of a "knife wielding Santa Claus" vibe...
:hehe:
Ice and cold water works well too. I can't reveal how I know that.
There should be an abundance of ice and cold stuff up north for Moden Claus.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
February 19, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Hugo Kornelis (2/19/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛Oh. I thought those blood stains were just the result of shaving before coffee.
With Jeff's beard, I wonder what he shaves. I'd better not use my imagination.
February 19, 2016 at 1:40 pm
SQLRNNR (2/19/2016)
jasona.work (2/19/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
SQLRNNR (2/19/2016)
BL0B_EATER (2/19/2016)
GilaMonster (2/19/2016)
Google down? 😉First search results: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/stump-the-chump.asp
Yup I should know better! anyways yeah that would make for an awkward interview.
Yeah. They are trying to prove to somebody that they know more than the candidate. You refute their knowledge and it becomes confrontational.
Recent fav was that it is not possible to deadlock a single table transaction that has just a single row.
When I run into something like that I tell the potential client I don't need their business. That is a work environment that is not conducive to progress. I followed up on one such potential of late and found that they were rather hostile to women in the environment. I am not interested in working in that type of environment either. If they are hostile to any group, confrontational, and so off base on their knowledge - I don't need that.
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛
You know, I've heard lemon juice is good for getting blood out of shirts, at least then you won't give off as much of a "knife wielding Santa Claus" vibe...
:hehe:
Ice and cold water works well too. I can't reveal how I know that.
There should be an abundance of ice and cold stuff up north for Moden Claus.
Oh, I just soak my shirts in brine before washing them. Of course in really hot weather I can just soak my bloody short in a bowl of fresh water which magically turns into brine. But then, I'm much further south here in P del C than Jeff Claus is.
Incidentally, I think employers who want a personality test may actually be useful to threadizens :-D. First, these tests are generally so naive that someone with a 3-figure IQ (like all regular threadizens) can flannel them and have the job if they want it, so if anyone not to dim needs a job they just need to find a company that uses them for recruitment (never had to resort to that yet, but I do have one friend who once did); second, if your employer suddenly sees the dark and starts using them and tests all current employees you can make yourself look good very easily (yes, I did that once); and third, companies that use them for recruitment provide a lot of work for people who will come in and sort out the mess that appalling recruitment policy inevitably leads to, so competent developers, dbas, and engineers will always be able to make money if they need to.
Tom
February 19, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Luis Cazares (2/19/2016)
Hugo Kornelis (2/19/2016)
Jeff Moden (2/19/2016)
In that same vein, I also won't work for a company that requires you to pass an "intelligence test" or "personality test". They should automatically know that I'm an idiot from the drool coming out of my mouth and that I'd fail their personality test from the blood on my shirt. 😛Oh. I thought those blood stains were just the result of shaving before coffee.
With Jeff's beard, I wonder what he shaves. I'd better not use my imagination.
Y U say "what" when you mean "whom" ? :laugh:
I advise you not to assume that shave is a reflexive verb. 😛
If Jeff resorts to shaving when his launcher runs out of chops, let the shavee beware!
Tom
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