May 2, 2017 at 7:05 am
John Mitchell-245523 - Friday, April 28, 2017 7:03 AMI think I'd leave most of those questions until after an offer is made - maybe ask to speak to a techie (not necessarily one of your interviewers) if you're considering accepting the offer. You only have 30 minutes to an hour in the interview itself, so use that for questions that highlight your personality or show your enthusiasm. One of my favourites is "I'm keen to make an impression, so how would my performance be measured?" Also, do an internet search for your interviewers in advance. If you can find any blog posts that they have written, think of an interesting question about one of those. It'll feed their ego, as well as showing that you've put some effort into researching the company and your potential colleagues.John
Actually, I'd say ask them during the interview because as many people tend to forget, you're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
There's some questions in the OPs list that depending on the answer could result in a "well, thank you for interviewing me, but I don't think we're going to be a good fit" from the OP.
It's the little things to watch out for. The first question the OP listed alone can tell you a lot about the business from their answer...
"Yes, we currently have a DBA, you'll be replacing him when we let him go."
"No, we don't currently have a DBA, our last one left 6 months ago after only being here a couple months."
"Yes, we have a team of 5 DBAs now that have all been here for a couple years or more, you'll be our 6th DBA and part of the on-call rotation."
"Yes, we have a DBA but he's retiring in a year, he's been here for about 10 years, 7 of that as the DBA."
Of those four, two of the answers would have me looking for the exit...
May 2, 2017 at 7:22 am
jasona.work - Tuesday, May 2, 2017 7:05 AMActually, I'd say ask them during the interview because as many people tend to forget, you're interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.There's some questions in the OPs list that depending on the answer could result in a "well, thank you for interviewing me, but I don't think we're going to be a good fit" from the OP.
It's the little things to watch out for. The first question the OP listed alone can tell you a lot about the business from their answer...
"Yes, we currently have a DBA, you'll be replacing him when we let him go."
"No, we don't currently have a DBA, our last one left 6 months ago after only being here a couple months."
"Yes, we have a team of 5 DBAs now that have all been here for a couple years or more, you'll be our 6th DBA and part of the on-call rotation."
"Yes, we have a DBA but he's retiring in a year, he's been here for about 10 years, 7 of that as the DBA."Of those four, two of the answers would have me looking for the exit...
There's no right or wrong way of doing it, but I prefer to ask all that stuff after I've impressed them enough for them to make me an offer. Yes, I may be interviewing them as much as they're interviewing me, but they get to make the first move by deciding whether or not to offer me the job. That's why I try to use the limited time available to ask questions that show my dynamism and enthusiasm, instead of covering what, to the interviewer, may seem like small details. I'd much rather be in a position to turn down an offer than tell an interviewer that I don't wish to be considered further.
John
May 2, 2017 at 1:50 pm
Since it came up... I've seen many companies that try to make a DBA decision based on 1/2 hour interviews and those people are absolutely nuts. Yes, it IS easily possible to weed someone out as a "not good" in a 1/2 hour (How do you get the current date and time using T-SQL? 😉 ) but you're just not going to find out if someone can actually do that job in that amount of time.
The cool part is, that's the purpose of the second round of interviews... if they have one. And that's one of the questions that needs to be asked at the end of the first interview if it's only 1/2 hour. And I also agree that there are some questions that may come off as being a wee bit too cocky or maybe even arrogant that should be saved for the 2nd interview (again, if they have one).
My other advise is that you really have to read what's going on if they make you an offer in just a 1/2 hour on a single interview unless you're a high profile person that they've Googled the hell out of. It may actually be a company that you don't want to work for.
As with all else having to do with the world of databases, "It Depends" and "Must Look Eye!" 😉
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
May 2, 2017 at 2:20 pm
1) What's for lunch?
2) Who's buying?
May 3, 2017 at 6:35 am
Jeff Moden - Tuesday, May 2, 2017 1:50 PM...
My other advise is that you really have to read what's going on if they make you an offer in just a 1/2 hour on a single interview unless you're a high profile person that they've Googled the hell out of. It may actually be a company that you don't want to work for.
...
True, you definitely don't want your first day orientation to consist entirely of a three alarm disaster recovery, discover there are no good backups, and on top of that learn that the IT director and DBA who conducted your interview no longer work there. :ermm:
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
May 3, 2017 at 6:45 am
Man, a good bunch of these really sound like they depend on you versus what was there previously. I think Jeff hit it on the head with the questions that are targeting how the actual business is interacting with the DBA and where they sit. I mean, it's good to know about hours of operations, what's expected, current backup schedules, whatever. But some of these will likely end in something bad and you likely don't want to go down the rabbit hole because you might quickly eliminate every company you interview for as you will soon realize that every company is not perfect haha. That's why they are hiring you!
May 3, 2017 at 7:20 am
While I can see the need for questions, surely its more about the fit and the leverage you have for change. Most of those first questions are easily fixed if your given the time and leverage to walk into the job and actually get on and make the difference. I would probably follow Jeff's lead and stick to working out how the business works rather than be concerned at the version of SQL they are running. If the interview makes you feel tied into old ineffective practice then walk.
May 3, 2017 at 8:06 am
One additional point, lots of people talk about avoiding the nightmare scenarios of missing DBAs, etc., I joined my last company after an interview where the interviewer asked me what questions he ought to ask because he didn't know SQL Server. I was the first one in the org who had a clue. There weren't backups or deployment methods or anything. I had to create it all. Screwed some of it up the first time (and some the second & third), but I worked there for 10 years and left the place way better than I found it. They might be hiring you because they recognize that they need you and will give you most of the support you need to do the job right.
"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
May 3, 2017 at 9:11 am
Grant Fritchey - Wednesday, May 3, 2017 8:06 AMOne additional point, lots of people talk about avoiding the nightmare scenarios of missing DBAs, etc., I joined my last company after an interview where the interviewer asked me what questions he ought to ask because he didn't know SQL Server. I was the first one in the org who had a clue. There weren't backups or deployment methods or anything. I had to create it all. Screwed some of it up the first time (and some the second & third), but I worked there for 10 years and left the place way better than I found it. They might be hiring you because they recognize that they need you and will give you most of the support you need to do the job right.
That was my thoughts exactly. Might end up finding really bad answers to a great deal of those questions, but that's also why they could be hiring you too. You will have to fix it. And that's a challenge a lot of people like as well.
May 3, 2017 at 9:25 am
Grant Fritchey - Wednesday, May 3, 2017 8:06 AMOne additional point, lots of people talk about avoiding the nightmare scenarios of missing DBAs, etc., I joined my last company after an interview where the interviewer asked me what questions he ought to ask because he didn't know SQL Server. I was the first one in the org who had a clue. There weren't backups or deployment methods or anything. I had to create it all. Screwed some of it up the first time (and some the second & third), but I worked there for 10 years and left the place way better than I found it. They might be hiring you because they recognize that they need you and will give you most of the support you need to do the job right.
Yes, if the employer explains the situation upfront during the interview and then allows you to make an informed decision, then that's great. Crisis = Opportunity when others involved are honest from the start and willing to grant you the authority and resources to effect change. However, if all they are looking for is a new whipping boy to replace the last one that escaped from the pen, then it will go sideways for everyone involved.
"Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise. Instead, seek what they sought." - Matsuo Basho
May 3, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Jeff Moden - Tuesday, May 2, 2017 1:50 PMAs with all else having to do with the world of databases, "It Depends" and "Must Look Eye!" 😉
Pretty sure Mr Myiagi was a DBA. I quote him often in my security assessments 😀
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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?
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