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Interviews

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    Interviews

    Have you ever been asked to help conduct an interview before as a contractor? I just got asked at the last minute to sit in & put some technical questions to some candidates being considered for setting up a simple winforms data input application for the accounts department here. As it was the last minute, I just bunged in the common sort of questions that I get asked at interview; like what's the difference between a clustered index and a non clustered index. Staggeringly, none of them knew & 2 of them floundered really badly. It was excruciating, I hope I don't get asked to do it again.

    #2
    Originally posted by wurzel View Post
    setting up a simple winforms data input application for the accounts department ... what's the difference between a clustered index and a non clustered index
    Why are different types of index structure of any interest to someone developing winforms data input? Won't the database's underlying index structure be irrelevant?

    Just askin' !

    Comment


      #3
      Had a similar experience recently, having to help interview people for the first time in my life. I really hate being asked wilfully technical questions which are blatantly nothing to do with the job and which are often about techniques which no one will really be using till about five years away anyway. So, I got together some straightforward stuff which would show that the interviewees knew what they were talking about and hadn't just been frantically reading the latest techie blogs.

      Anyway, the first two sailed through the technical questions, which was a bit awkward. I started to see why more obscure stuff gets included. It's actually quite difficult for the interviewer if all the answers are given quickly and easily!

      Fortunately, the next couple of people didn't have a clue, so I was able say, yeah, that's the sort of person my questions were designed to weed out, see.

      The good interviewees didn't want the job though, and I wasn't sure if that's because they thought it was going to be too easy. Fortunately, no one else suggested that so I think I got away with it. Hope I don't get asked to do it again though. Didn't feel right.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Platypus View Post
        Why are different types of index structure of any interest to someone developing winforms data input? Won't the database's underlying index structure be irrelevant?

        Just askin' !
        They were asking for 5 years SQL Server experience so I thought perhaps it might test to see if the claims the candidates made on their CVs actually stacked up. I had to think them up 5 minutes before the first interview so I am conscious that I didn't really do them justice.

        Comment


          #5
          Originally posted by wurzel View Post
          They were asking for 5 years SQL Server experience so I thought perhaps it might test to see if the claims the candidates made on their CVs actually stacked up. I had to think them up 5 minutes before the first interview so I am conscious that I didn't really do them justice.
          Someone with 5 years SQL Server experience should know the difference between clustered and non clustered indexes.
          They should also know the maximum number of clustered indexes which can be applied to a single table!
          A few simple questions should be enough to weed out bulltulipters. If they get them all right then apologise afterwards and explain why you asked those questions. They'll appreciate you for it and the interview can move on.

          I've interviewed a few times and one thing which I try and concentrate on is how enthusiastic a person is about the job. If they have been in a technical role for a while you can ask them what they've done which they've been proud of. You can also get them in to a general technical discussion (e.g. what do you think of the new SQL Server 2008 features) which should demonstrate how much they read on the subject.

          I also try and dig into their working methodologies... how they tackle problems like slow queries, complicated SQL requests etc... Anyone with experience should be able to talk about these comfortably without sounding like they've read it in a text book.
          Coffee's for closers

          Comment


            #6
            I used to get paid by an agency to conduct technical interviews over the phone in order to screen candidates prior to selection (for permanent jobs using MS technologies). For one post alone I telephone interviewed over 150 candidates from the Indian sub-continent - 95% of the CVs were fabricated.

            I can tell pretty much straight away whether someone is trying it on and whether their experience matches their CV. If it's not going well I will ease up until the candidate finds their own level and then shorten the interview as much as possible. More than once within five minutes I've said "Thank you for your time" to spare us both any further embarrassment.
            ...my quagmire of greed....my cesspit of laziness and unfairness....all I am doing is sticking two fingers up at nurses, doctors and other hard working employed professionals...

            Comment


              #7
              Clustered indexes? Never eard of em. They sound really dull. I did some nterviews once, I was total crap at it but in the unlikely event I get asked again I will definitely grill all candiates on clustered indexes.
              Last edited by xoggoth; 28 July 2010, 10:10.
              bloggoth

              If everything isn't black and white, I say, 'Why the hell not?'
              John Wayne (My guru, not to be confused with my beloved prophet Jeremy Clarkson)

              Comment


                #8
                Was asked to write some technical questions for an interview once it was for my permanent replacement, (thinking about it now i should have made them really difficult so they could not find anyone who could answer them, then they would have extended me instead)

                I also sat in on an interview for a replacement contractor doing the same role as me

                so just remember the guy doing the interview could just be the same as you and the questions could have been written in the 10 minutes before the interview

                All very good experience and nice to see the interview process from the other side,

                Comment


                  #9
                  A clustered Index is an index which is clustered.

                  HTH
                  I'm alright Jack

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by BlasterBates View Post
                    A clustered Index is an index which is clustered.

                    HTH
                    Does an index have to be clustered before it becomes capitalised?
                    How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think

                    Comment

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