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How does one gage skill level

  • August 24, 2007 at 7:25 am

    #153772

    Does anyone know of official/nonofficial test to gage ones skill level in SQL Server (other than a certification exam).  How do you determine whether you are beginner, intermediate, expert, Guru etc.

    I see a lot of people who rate them selves at various levels and it is hard to know where you compare until you work with them.

    Also at the top end pay wise what do you think a SQL Developer should be compensated -- please indicate currency i.e. USD, CAN etc.

    Thanks,

  • August 24, 2007 at 9:07 am

    #729310

    I've found that the best thing to do is to have an SQL "Expert" or "Guru" ask some questions of the candidate during an interview.  Remember that the goal of such questions should be to determine skill level in SQL... not whether or not you can ask/write a question that will trick candidates into wrong answers.  That would be a different test

    Also, don't forget the differences between a Systems DBA and Application DBA and an SQL Developer when you ask your questions.

    Anyway, an expert or guru in the field can usually separate the men from the boys in an interview in about 10 questions or less.  Like I said... use only straight forward questions... not trick questions and no "ace-breakers".

    You'll find that a lot of developers, especially the self-proclaimed Ninja's pretty much resent written or practical tests.  You'll also find that you don't really need those types of tests once you get interviewing of the particular flavor of wire-head down pat.

    Don't be afraid to ask the simple questions, either.  I couldn't believe it, but last year I interviewed 4 people for the position of SR. SQL Developer (we needed "expert" level)... 3 had Masters in CS and 1 had a PHD.  One of them even claimed to be a, and I quote, "9 out of 10" in both SQL Server and Oracle.  None of them 4 could tell me which two tables are available during a trigger action and only one could tell me how to get the bloody current system date and time and it wasn't the 9 out of 10 guy!  Needless to say, the interviews didn't last long...

    --Jeff Moden

    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.

    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

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