I find, though, that candidates have been so over coached that an interview is just like a trivia test or certification exam — that they must have the “right” answer, as if there really is such a thing. I want to hire a guy or gal that knows how to apply cost, benefit, and risk to the environment at hand. There is a good reason why experts almost always have to start a response with “it depends”. It’s not just the consultant’s universal answer.

Even when I put up a data structure like Order and Order Detail Line and ask a candidate to whip a up query on the white board that pulls a certain set of data back, I don’t care if their syntax is wrong or whether they left out a key concepts. I want them to show me their though process, not that they have BOL memorized and no idea what to do with it.

Overall, though, I find that candidates are mystified by these questions that don’t have a right answer, even after telling them I want most to hear about their thought process, not their test taking skills.

Follow-up question…why does most DBAs have this attitude of Mr. Know It All ? Why do they say they are always right ?

Cheers, Thomas

But seriously, I think I have pretty good answers for most of those.

Also, while I know that the last question (1. When is the DBA right?) was said tongue in cheek, I do want make a point. While certainly all of the concerns of the DBA are valid and database administration is a difficult and complex task requiring a highly developed set of skills, I’ve found that in most of the projects *I* have worked on, the size and complexity of the “database” portion of the project lifecycle pales in comparison to the size and complexity of the “software development” portion of the project lifecycle. I understand this may not always be true, but in my experience (as well as many other developers I know) it has been. This lends me to believe that our bias towards solutions which are beneficial to the software development side of the project is valid. As always, you must look at the entire picture, not just individual areas, and managing the complexity on a project is no different.

I mean no offense and hopefully my point came across without any. I throughly enjoy your blog and find it an invaluable resource to provide me with technical insight and a DBA’s perspective. It helps me find that balance for my projects. Now please to be learnin’ us!