Are the posted questions getting worse?

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Are the posted questions getting worse?

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spaghettidba SSC Guru Points: 105732 More actions · Answer 1

CirquedeSQLeil (3/22/2010)
Visions of Itchy and Scratchy just ran through my head.

ROTFL! :hehe::hehe::hehe:

Jason, I don't want to be unrespectful, but, looking at the quite high number of wedding anniversaries most threadizens have, I don't think they all know Itchy and Scratchy! 😛

-- Gianluca Sartori

Stuart Davies SSCoach Points: 19505 More actions · Answer 2

Oi! do you mind - 24 years this year and I know Itchy and Scratchy

That what happens when you other half puts too much starch in your underpants 😀

-------------------------------Posting Data Etiquette - Jeff Moden [/url]Smart way to ask a question
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Paul White SSC Guru Points: 150468 More actions · Answer 3

tstaker (3/22/2010)
This was my experience as well as a manager of DBA's interviewing new candidates. I've avoided the certifications for years because of nightmare interviews with people who were certified...

I just remembered - the candidates with certifications were often very weak technically too. Odd, but true.

Paul White
All articles available on SQL.kiwi
@SQL_Kiwi

Dave Ballantyne SSC-Dedicated Points: 33667 More actions · Answer 4

Paul White NZ (3/23/2010)
I just remembered - the candidates with certifications were often very weak technically too. Odd, but true.

Not odd, ive always thought the exams are based around , can you remember obscure syntax for obscure functionality used once in a blue moon. There isnt much practical use required or needed to pass the exams. A guy i know used to work in IT recruitment and had an armful of MS exam passes, but zero knowledge of how to apply that to the real world.

Clear Sky SQL
My Blog[/url]

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 5

Dave Ballantyne (3/23/2010)
Not odd, ive always thought the exams are based around , can you remember obscure syntax for obscure functionality used once in a blue moon.

They're not. The 1st generation cert exams were, to a point, like that. The latest ones aren't.

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

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Alvin Ramard SSC-Forever Points: 41190 More actions · Answer 6

I like the timing of Steve editorial. It fits right in with our discussion. 🙂

Alvin Ramard
Memphis PASS Chapter[/url]

All my SSC forum answers come with a money back guarantee. If you didn't like the answer then I'll gladly refund what you paid for it.

For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95461 More actions · Answer 7

GilaMonster (3/23/2010)
Dave Ballantyne (3/23/2010)
Not odd, ive always thought the exams are based around , can you remember obscure syntax for obscure functionality used once in a blue moon.
They're not. The 1st generation cert exams were, to a point, like that. The latest ones aren't.

I'd have to agree with Gail. Back in 2003, when I got MCDBA/MCSA/MCSE certified, all you had to do was remember stuff. And like Dave mentioned, a bit of it was obscure stuff.

In 2008, when I got SQL 2005 certified, the test were very much different. There is now a "hands-on" simulation, which requires you to perform the steps to accomplish a given task. While there is still a bit of answers that can be memorized, you can't pass the test by that alone... you have to be able to pass the simulation section also. And if I remember correctly (which probably means that I'm wrong :-D), you have to pass each section of the test, as well as achieve a minimum score overall to pass the certification.

I feel that the certification is useful in a small handful of scenarios:

1. Person with no experience with sql server... this helps show that they are wanting to move into this area, and are investing in themselves to do so. Nothing more.

2. Person with sql server experience... this helps them to round out their sql education.

That being said, employers are still impressed by having certifications. For that reason, I feel that all the denizons of the thread would benefit from being certified... that coupled with their experience should float their resumes to the top of the pile.

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 8

WayneS (3/23/2010)
That being said, employers are still impressed by having certifications. For that reason, I feel that all the denizons of the thread would benefit from being certified... that coupled with their experience should float their resumes to the top of the pile.

The other thing that it does is introduce you to areas of the product that you may not have worked with, because they never came up. It's good to know what's there, even if you don't know much about some areas at least you know they exist.

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

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95461 More actions · Answer 9

CirquedeSQLeil (3/22/2010)
I also believe the same could easily be said about people with College Degrees. There is a person in our finance dept that got a degree in CS. Was promoted to IT manager because of that and didn't have a clue about IT. He still doesn't know what a DBA is.

In MY experience, those people that go to college from high school, get a degree in an IT field (even a masters!), and then join the work force have been the absolute worse programmers / DBAs that I've seen.

Those folks that were working in the field, then went and earned their degree, are a completely different story. Those folks have been (again, in my experience) some of the most top-notch IT personnel that I've run into.

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

WayneS SSC Guru Points: 95461 More actions · Answer 10

GilaMonster (3/23/2010)
WayneS (3/23/2010)
That being said, employers are still impressed by having certifications. For that reason, I feel that all the denizons of the thread would benefit from being certified... that coupled with their experience should float their resumes to the top of the pile.
The other thing that it does is introduce you to areas of the product that you may not have worked with, because they never came up. It's good to know what's there, even if you don't know much about some areas at least you know they exist.

Gail, you elaborated very well what I meant with I said:

2. Person with sql server experience... this helps them to round out their sql education.

Thank you for writing what I was thinking!

Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes

If you can't explain to another person how the code that you're copying from the internet works, then DON'T USE IT on a production system! After all, you will be the one supporting it!

Links:
For better assistance in answering your questions
Performance Problems
Common date/time routines
Understanding and Using APPLY Part 1 & Part 2

Gail Shaw SSC Guru Points: 1004504 More actions · Answer 11

WayneS (3/23/2010)
In MY experience, those people that go to college from high school, get a degree in an IT field (even a masters!), and then join the work force have been the absolute worse programmers / DBAs that I've seen.

Ow...

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

We walk in the dark places no others will enter
We stand on the bridge and no one may pass

Paul White SSC Guru Points: 150468 More actions · Answer 12

Dave Ballantyne (3/23/2010)
Paul White NZ (3/23/2010)
I just remembered - the candidates with certifications were often very weak technically too. Odd, but true.
Not odd, ive always thought the exams are based around , can you remember obscure syntax for obscure functionality used once in a blue moon. There isnt much practical use required or needed to pass the exams. A guy i know used to work in IT recruitment and had an armful of MS exam passes, but zero knowledge of how to apply that to the real world.

Sounds very familiar. 🙂

To respond to the other points raised:

I daresay the exams are better these days, and I would never say that all candidates with an exam pass are always awful, just that it has been my experience that such people are less likely to be suitable, not more. I am not talking about interviews from five or ten years ago either. It is just a sad fact that whenever I see a string of certifications, I mentally prepare myself to be disappointed.

Paul White
All articles available on SQL.kiwi
@SQL_Kiwi

Paul White SSC Guru Points: 150468 More actions · Answer 13

WayneS (3/23/2010)
In MY experience, those people that go to college from high school, get a degree in an IT field (even a masters!), and then join the work force have been the absolute worse programmers / DBAs that I've seen.

Quite so. It is a well-known and absolutely incontrovertible univeral fact that the very best programmers/database developers/consultants-occasionally-available-for-a-very-reasonable-fee... all hold a third-class honours degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering 😉 :w00t:

Paul White
All articles available on SQL.kiwi
@SQL_Kiwi

Jack Corbett SSC Guru Points: 184394 More actions · Answer 14

GilaMonster (3/23/2010)
WayneS (3/23/2010)
That being said, employers are still impressed by having certifications. For that reason, I feel that all the denizons of the thread would benefit from being certified... that coupled with their experience should float their resumes to the top of the pile.
The other thing that it does is introduce you to areas of the product that you may not have worked with, because they never came up. It's good to know what's there, even if you don't know much about some areas at least you know they exist.

This is the reason I took the certification tests. I, and I think others, tend to only learn about the things I know I need to do my job when I need it. Unfortunately this often means I 'm leaving out options that I just don't know about that will do the job better. Thus taking the tests, going to user groups, etc...

Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
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Jack Corbett SSC Guru Points: 184394 More actions · Answer 15

Gianluca Sartori (3/23/2010)
CirquedeSQLeil (3/22/2010)
Visions of Itchy and Scratchy just ran through my head.
ROTFL! :hehe::hehe::hehe:
Jason, I don't want to be unrespectful, but, looking at the quite high number of wedding anniversaries most threadizens have, I don't think they all know Itchy and Scratchy! 😛

We are married not Dead!

Jack Corbett
Consultant - Straight Path Solutions
Check out these links on how to get faster and more accurate answers:
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help
Need an Answer? Actually, No ... You Need a Question