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Job interview

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w1102157
Yak Posting Veteran

80 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 07:36:21

Hi guys

i would like to thank you for all the help you provided me , i have a job interview on friday for a junior sql dba role,

i was wondering if anyone can give me tipn on what i should go over and maybe some kind of tutorials to help

i need to cover perforamce , monitering ,schemas, indexes, stored procedures etc.

any tips and tutorials please send

thank you so much

sunitabeck
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

5155 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 08:17:44

I don't have any advice on improving your skills within the few days you have, but having recently interviewed half-a dozen people, I can list couple of things that you should NOT do.

1. If you don't know the answer to something, say so nicely and politely. Don't pretend otherwise and don't try to wing it. If you know the answer only in general terms or superficially, say so. In other words, be honest, and come across as being honest.

2. Please don't look at your Blackberry or iPhone while you are being interviewed. Turn them off before you go in.

w1102157
Yak Posting Veteran

80 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 08:21:49

LOl ok,

what techincal things will i need to go over?

its not improving just refreshing

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 09:28:08

What is one of your negative traits?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

Transact Charlie
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3451 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 10:43:57

Backups, backups, backups

You have a backup *terrabytes* in size. The name is mangled from some sort of automated tool. The file is called "Backup_63Ac3F.bak"

How do you find out which database this backup is for and where the files would go if the backup was restored?

Charlie
===============================================================
Msg 3903, Level 16, State 1, Line 1736
The ROLLBACK TRANSACTION request has no corresponding BEGIN TRANSACTION

Lamprey
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4614 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 10:50:48

If you were a legume, what type a legume would you be and why?

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 11:06:10

What is your favorite alcoholic beverage, and how many can you have until you get drunk?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

w1102157
Yak Posting Veteran

80 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 11:33:53

very funny guys LOL

now can we get back to being serious lol

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 11:50:14

My first one was serious..you WILL be asked that question

I JUST got a book

SQL Server Interview Questions AND Answers

By Pinal Dave, Vinod Kumar

You should get this book

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1466405643/ref=oh_o00_s00_i02_details

Since Microsoft has split it's Cert Exams into 3 categories now for SQL Server, What job are you applying for?

I would tailor my skills/resume to the Job Posting..plus, I for example, would WANT to take a job as a pure admin sql server dba...I would shoot myself in the head

OK...Random pages

In SQL Server What's a hint?

What are some salient behaviors of the TRY/CATCH BLOCK

How do you find out the list schema name and table name for a database

How do you find the list of fixed hard drives and free space on the server?

What is the difference between GetDate() and SysDateTime() in SQL Server 2008?

How do you restart sql server in single user mode?

Why is data modeling important?

Who is the grandfather of the relational model, where did he work, what paper did he publish and what rules did he develop? And what Math is this based on?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

Transact Charlie
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3451 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 11:53:58

quote:
Originally posted by w1102157

very funny guys LOL

now can we get back to being serious lol

Also my question was serious. I got asked that once in an interview.

Charlie
===============================================================
Msg 3903, Level 16, State 1, Line 1736
The ROLLBACK TRANSACTION request has no corresponding BEGIN TRANSACTION

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 11:55:28

I betcha Lampy's was too

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 12:12:33

What is Index Intersection

What is a Merry-go-round scan?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

Transact Charlie
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3451 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 12:16:09

quote:
Originally posted by Lamprey

If you were a legume, what type a legume would you be and why?

Runner bean. Because I'm fast!

Charlie
===============================================================
Msg 3903, Level 16, State 1, Line 1736
The ROLLBACK TRANSACTION request has no corresponding BEGIN TRANSACTION

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 12:20:36

The white or scarlet bean?

"What? "White...no Scarlet....ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 13:38:44

quote:
Originally posted by sunitabeck

1. If you don't know the answer to something, say so nicely and politely. Don't pretend otherwise and don't try to wing it. If you know the answer only in general terms or superficially, say so. In other words, be honest, and come across as being honest.

+500

When I used to interview, I used to include an unanswerable question (if the candidate hadn't crashed and burnt long before that, which most did). Something like "How many PFS pages would you find in a log file of 5.3GB?"
I wasn't looking for an answer, I was looking to see whether the candidate would admit he didn't know or whether he'd make up some garbage. Most people I interviewed made up garbage.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 14:24:22

quote:
Originally posted by GilaMonster

quote:
Originally posted by sunitabeck

1. If you don't know the answer to something, say so nicely and politely. Don't pretend otherwise and don't try to wing it. If you know the answer only in general terms or superficially, say so. In other words, be honest, and come across as being honest.

+500

When I used to interview, I used to include an unanswerable question (if the candidate hadn't crashed and burnt long before that, which most did). Something like "How many PFS pages would you find in a log file of 5.3GB?"
I wasn't looking for an answer, I was looking to see whether the candidate would admit he didn't know or whether he'd make up some garbage. Most people I interviewed made up garbage.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP

Can I borrow that one?

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 14:32:42

By all means. The correct answer is "Zero". PFS pages are allocation pages, only found in data files. Log files don't have allocation pages (their internal organisation's a little different)

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP

Kristen
Test

22859 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-11 : 15:54:04

I know all those (well, I expect I do ...), but I'd have to look in the DOCs for the exact syntax or spelling for pretty much all of them - "How do you find the list of fixed hard drives and free space on the server?" - yeah, there is definitely an XP for that, no idea what the spelling is though. Probably easier to TS in and have a look with Windows Explorer, the Client is bound to be asking for a server that is not reachable from whatever SQL box I am logged in to ...

Sorry, getting off the point. I DO know what sort of Legume I am: because I can fix Nitrogen with a stare !!

X002548
Not Just a Number

15586 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-12 : 11:33:51

quote:
Originally posted by GilaMonster

By all means. The correct answer is "Zero". PFS pages are allocation pages, only found in data files. Log files don't have allocation pages (their internal organisation's a little different)

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP

Would you say to the candidate before the interview

"I am going to ask you some questions. Just give me your honest answer for each one...."

Brett

8-)

Hint: Want your questions answered fast? Follow the direction in this link
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/archive/2005/05/25/5276.aspx

Want to help yourself?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms130214.aspx

http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/brettk/

http://brettkaiser.blogspot.com/

GilaMonster
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

4507 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-12 : 11:40:29

No. It's an interview, not story hour. I expect in an interview to get honest answers by default.

--
Gail Shaw
SQL Server MVP

Transact Charlie
Master Smack Fu Yak Hacker

3451 Posts

Posted - 2012-01-12 : 12:25:19

while we're on the subject of interviews...

what do you guys do when giving a second (or third interview) for skills?

I've built a sandbox db with cut down representative data and a simplified schema for my company and written a sequence of questions (getting harder obviously). Each question is about querying the data.

I tell the interviewee that we will solve the questions together but that I won't suggest anything, they can ask me questions or bounce ideas around. Takes about an hour usually. You really get to see what they are like at this stage, what they try, how they use SSMS, whether they know indexing (I'll ask them why they did a particular thing and if it can be better). Also typing SQL is much easier than writing it with a pen.

However, when I've been interviewed for positions the most that generally ever happens is that you get given a piece of paper and asked some inane questions.

Charlie
===============================================================
Msg 3903, Level 16, State 1, Line 1736
The ROLLBACK TRANSACTION request has no corresponding BEGIN TRANSACTION

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