I got burned today at a SQL Server Interview!

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I got burned today at a SQL Server Interview!

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TheSQLGuru SSC Guru Points: 134017 More actions · Answer 1

Good one Grant -I especially like the radioactive rat poison part!! LOL

I DO know about Murphy (can't be a pilot without knowing him and his nefarious activities)! That's why I am expecting the meteor - or lightning strike or something!

Best,
Kevin G. Boles
SQL Server Consultant
SQL MVP 2007-2012
TheSQLGuru on googles mail service

Brandie Tarvin SSC Guru Points: 173068 More actions · Answer 2

TheSQLGuru said:
Brandie, you are totally off the mark. Do whatever you can to make the most money so you can live a better life and do/enjoy the things that more money will allow you to do/enjoy!!!

Damn! I really screwed that one up then. Here I thought walking in the free community park was actually fun. Now you're telling me I can't enjoy it lessin' I pay for it?

@=) @=)

Ummm, Grant has a point about Murphy. Dude, you'd better blow out a tire on your car or something before he decides to show. @=)

Brandie Tarvin, MCITP Database AdministratorLiveJournal Blog: http://brandietarvin.livejournal.com/[/url]On LinkedIn!, Google+, and Twitter.Freelance Writer: ShadowrunLatchkeys: Nevermore, Latchkeys: The Bootleg War, and Latchkeys: Roscoes in the Night are now available on Nook and Kindle.

Grant Fritchey SSC Guru Points: 398886 More actions · Answer 3

Yeah, Brandie is right, kick your monitor "accidently" across the room. Keep Mr. Murphy happy!

I am definately going to try the "Fear is the mind-killer" chant next time we're deep in it. That'll make things a bit more fun.

"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

ChrisM@Work SSC Guru Points: 186127 More actions · Answer 4

TheSQLGuru (3/7/2008)
I guess someone has to play devil's advocate here, so here goes:
Brandie, you are totally off the mark. Do whatever you can to make the most money so you can live a better life and do/enjoy the things that more money will allow you to do/enjoy!!!
Ok, enough devils advocate - that was a completely hollow remark. 😛
Here's to wishing everyone could have all three of the positive things you can have with work: 1) really enjoy it, 2) are good at it and 3) make a good living at it. Most people are lucky to have ONE of those 3!! Me, I am constantly expecting to get struck with a meteor or have my airplane bore a hole into the ground because I do have all three and have for years now PLUS I have a wonderful, beautiful wife (who is a doctor) and an amazing 2.5 year old daughter too!! Pinching myself now to see if it is a dream . . . :unsure:

I've used this for years...

1) Really enjoy it (if you do, being good at it is part of the territory)

2) Like the people you work with

3) Make a good living at it

... and speaking as an old git, I would have to say that it becomes more important with age - but also more likely.

^{“Write the query the simplest way. If through testing it becomes clear that the performance is inadequate, consider alternative query forms.” - Gail Shaw}

For fast, accurate and documented assistance in answering your questions, please read this article.
Understanding and using APPLY, (I) and (II) Paul White
Hidden RBAR: Triangular Joins / The "Numbers" or "Tally" Table: What it is and how it replaces a loop Jeff Moden

TheSQLGuru SSC Guru Points: 134017 More actions · Answer 5

Hey, I didn't know you could proactively keep Murphy at bay by being randomly destructive yourself!! Perhaps I will give that a try - but I bet you would just hear this ethereal cackle as Murphy laughs at your inane stupidity!! :hehe:

Best,
Kevin G. Boles
SQL Server Consultant
SQL MVP 2007-2012
TheSQLGuru on googles mail service

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004356 More actions · Answer 6

When all else fails, porkchops seem to work... 😛

--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)

Lynn Pettis SSC Guru Points: 442467 More actions · Answer 7

Murphy learns to delegate, getting you to do his work for him giving him more free time to do what he does best!

😎

ted.arellano Valued Member Points: 64 More actions · Answer 8

Wow this thread reminds me of my last interview. I was asked what is the fastest way to clear a table. I answered correctly that it was the "TRUNCATE TABLE" command instead of "DELETE * from". Then on top of that, they asked why? That is when my mind went blank. :w00t:

I fumbled my way though an explanation and they got the gist of that, but my confidence went from 10 to about 6. I answered everything correctly, but left there doubting myself. I eventually was offered the job, but turned it down. I was getting more experience where I was at because the broad scope of SQL tasks. Plus we were migrating to SQL 2005 in my current job. I have more freedom to learn multiple tasks in SQL 2005. (Replication, SSIS, DR, etc..)

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004356 More actions · Answer 9

Wow this thread reminds me of my last interview. I was asked what is the fastest way to clear a table.

BWA-HA-HA-HA!!! Oh, the poor fools that last asked me that... my response was to lean up on one cheek, put the "morning consitutional look" on my face, said "THIS", and let one rip! Everybody cleared the table right the hell now! 😀 I just sat their quietly eating my donut and drinking my coffee. They all came back in laughing their butts off and I got the job... they thought I'd fit right in to their "potty humor" group (I new they were trash mouths because I'd heard them in the hallway waiting for the interview to start). Of course, I also had to answer a pot wad of technical questions just before and after I lit the bomb off, but it was a great tie breaker.

--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)

ScottPletcher SSC Guru Points: 101099 More actions · Answer 10

Well, I guess it's nice to see that there are still places where low standards prevail and former govt employees can find actual work.

SQL DBA,SQL Server MVP(07, 08, 09) "It's a dog-eat-dog world, and I'm wearing Milk-Bone underwear." "Norm", on "Cheers". Also from "Cheers", from "Carla": "You need to know 3 things about Tortelli men: Tortelli men draw women like flies; Tortelli men treat women like flies; Tortelli men's brains are in their flies".

Bob Fazio SSChampion Points: 10794 More actions · Answer 11

Thanks Jeff... LOL :w00t:

I needed that as I am about to leave for the weekend. Got a couple of looks as a was rolling with laughter. :hehe:

Jeff Moden SSC Guru Points: 1004356 More actions · Answer 12

ScottPletcher (3/7/2008)
Well, I guess it's nice to see that there are still places where low standards prevail and former govt employees can find actual work.

Low standards? Former Govt employees? Nah... you got it all wrong... it was one of the finest sounding blasts from the past that I could muster up and two of the guys had MBA's! 😉

--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)

Matt Miller (4) SSC Guru Points: 124210 More actions · Answer 13

Jeff Moden (3/7/2008)
Wow this thread reminds me of my last interview. I was asked what is the fastest way to clear a table.
BWA-HA-HA-HA!!! Oh, the poor fools that last asked me that... my response was to lean up on one cheek, put the "morning consitutional look" on my face, said "THIS", and let one rip! Everybody cleared the table right the hell now! 😀 I just sat their quietly eating my donut and drinking my coffee. They all came back in laughing their butts off and I got the job... they thought I'd fit right in to their "potty humor" group (I new they were trash mouths because I'd heard them in the hallway waiting for the interview to start). Of course, I also had to answer a pot wad of technical questions just before and after I lit the bomb off, but it was a great tie breaker.

Anyone who has the cojones to flatulate on purpose during an interview is worth a shot in my book.....

(I'm crying over here....I think I just "cleared the table" too....:hehe:)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your lack of planning does not constitute an emergency on my part...unless you're my manager...or a director and above...or a really loud-spoken end-user..All right - what was my emergency again?

Roy Ernest SSC-Dedicated Points: 38780 More actions · Answer 14

Thats one of the craziest thing to do....:D

And the surprising part is that it worked for you...lol

-Roy

Peter Schofield Ten Centuries Points: 1364 More actions · Answer 15

GSquared (3/3/2008)

Lynn Pettis (3/2/2008)
....
I appreciate the compliment. Now you've set the bar for me even higher. I would be lucky to put myself at 5 out 10 on scale of 10 in my knowledge of SQL Server. I know there is a lot more to learn from people like you, Jeff, Matt, Steve, et al.
:blush:
There have been studies done that show that people with really weak skills tend to overestimate their ability when compared to others, while those with the most skill tend to underestimate themselves, often severely, when compared to others. (http://www.apa.org/monitor/feb03/overestimate.html and http://www.apa.org/journals/features/psp7761121.pdf)
Doesn't mean if someone thinks they are poor at something that they are actually good at it, but it does point out a tendency of the highly skilled to realize how much they don't know and then to assume that others must know more.

I'm sure someone else must have posted this by now, but you can see how knowledgeable you on by taking Brainbench's SQL 2005 DBA test - it's currently free:

http://www.brainbench.com/xml/bb/common/testcenter/taketest.xml?testId=2721