Voice of the DBA

Tag: career2

  • T-SQL Tuesday #93–Interviewing Patterns

    tsqltuesdayIt’s time for T-SQL Tuesday, and this is a good topic. Not too close to T-SQL, but certainly something many people are interested in.

    Kendra Little hosts this month, and her topic is interviewing patterns and anti-patterns. Things that are good, or things that might appear good, but are bad. Be a candidate or an interviewer.

    You can read more about T-SQL Tuesday at tsqltuesday.com.

    Pattern: Groups

    One of the things that I think makes a good pattern for interviews is a group. It’s rare that any of us actually works alone or with just one person. Even if our group is 1 or 2 people, we often interact with others in different ways.

    Those other people depend on our knowledge and skill. Why not use them in an interview.

    I’ve had quite a few interviews like this, but they all are similar. Get the candidate in a conference room and bring in multiple people to ask questions. Usually it’s a round robin with everyone taking turns asking questions. Ideally, the same questions to all candidates from the same people. The discussions can veer into slightly different directions, but ideally in similar veins for everyone being considered.

    I’ve been in the candidate seat with as few as two (one isn’t a group) and as many as 12 or 13 others. This can be stressful, but if everyone is probing, then the candidate needs to interact and communicate with those that they’ll actually work with. In my mind, a good test.

    Anti-pattern: Confrontation

    I love the old Monty Python Silly Interview skit. I’ve been tempted to do something like this, but never have. It’s not fair to the candidate, and I’m not sure it tests anything well.

    I had a couple rough interviews in the past. One was where a VP of a small company was excited and interested after having talked with me over the phone and then in his office for 30-45 minutes. He then brought me to his consulting sysadmin/programmer, who peppered me with scenarios and questions. However, this gentlemen argued about every answer, and implied that I was answering incorrectly. In many cases I knew I wasn’t and said so, however the confrontation continued. In some cases, I just admitted I wasn’t sure.

    Later, I came to be friends with the guy, but never too close. He tended to rub me wrong most of the time because he was closed, cold, and argumentative. It was a good job, and we got along, but if he had been my boss (I was interviewing to be his), I wouldn’t have accepted.

    The other one was similar. I had a good phone interview with a technical person and then went in to meet the manager. He was brusk and short with me, constantly letting me know he was in charge, he didn’t think much of my credentials, and I should be expecting to work hard. With that offer was a pay cut I couldn’t accept, but not sure I would have in any case. His manner made me think that every day would have include some sort of insult, browbeating, or other unnecessary action.

    I think we can make an attempt to evaluate candidates without being jerks.

    Pattern: Flexibility

    The last pattern I like is the idea of quizzing people in a flexible manner. I’ve never liked schoolteachers or managers implying that most of our work is extremely set and susceptible to deadlines without flexibility. Or that we work a certain way. The real world isn’t like that.

    BTW, if you have hard deadlines, like shows or events, your stuff better be done well in advance, not hours before.

    When I’ve had good interviews, or gotten a good handle on a candidate’s skills, it’s from adapting to them. Some people like to show something on a computer. Some will whiteboard, some like to discuss the question in detail and ask their own questions. I’m OK in all those cases. When I work with the person, I get a better feel for how they think, how they solve problems, and what catches their eye.

    I can also evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, and decide where they might fit in our team.

    Evaluating someone is hard enough without being rigid about what we do. Expecting everyone to take a test well, or be able to answer any question orally, or any other specific way of interaction is asking to miss out on some potential good candidates, as well as potentially hiring someone that is good at interviewing, but not working.

  • A New Look

    I was browsing around the Internet recently, collecting links for Database Weekly when I came to Michael J Swart’s blog. I love Michael’s writing and drawing. On a whim, I asked if he’d do an avatar.

    He agreed, and sent me some costs. He’s creating art, and I was happy to pay for a new image. We went back and forth a bit and ended up with this:

    SteveJones-Big

    I like it. It captures me life in sunny, outdoor Colorado and has a nice Hawaiian shirt in it. Plus, it has my colors. I’m a Virginia grad and Broncos fan, and like the blue/orange look.

    Photo Feb 26, 11 32 19 AM (1)

    If you want an avatar, I’m sure you can contact Michael. I know it’s not for everyone, but it was fun for me. It might make a great gift for someone in your life as well.

  • A Lifetime of Software

    This editorial was originally published on April 27, 2012. It is being re-run as Steve is out of town.

    I’ve been working with computers and software for most of my life, but it’s been a career for a couple of decades now. I don’t do as much technical work as I used to, mostly testing and experimenting, but my job is related to SQL Server and software, and I anticipate that’s what I’ll be doing for the next two decades.

    However that’s not necessarily the plan for everyone that works in the technology business. I know plenty of people that would like to move into management, or even move into some other career field if they can afford to do so. In the responses to many editorials in the past, I read that quite a few people think the technology business isn’t a great choice and wouldn’t encourage their children to enter this field.

    I disagree, and think that this business has been very good to me, overall I’ve enjoyed it, and I think it would make a good career  for any of my kids. However this Friday I wanted to ask the rest of you what you think.

    Do you expect to work in the technology field until you retire?

    I know many of you will change your focus in technology, perhaps moving to develop from DBA, vice versa, or moving into another field. I know most of you will change companies before you retire, but I’m curious about whether you think you will remain a technology worker for the rest of the time you work.

    Steve Jones

  • Promoting Engineers

    This editorial was originally published on May 1, 2012. It is being re-run as Steve is at SQL Bits.

    Never, ever promote your best salesperson.

    That’s the advice that Scott Horowitz got from his father. He talks a little about how this relates to technical people who find themselves looking at management to further their careers, or are sometimes even get promoted just because they’re the strongest technical employee in a group. Mr. Horowitz sees the transition as one that rarely works well, though he has some good advice on how you can increase the likelihood of success.

    In my career I’ve moved to management a few times and back again to a technical role, though never at the same company. I am sure it would be a strange move to be in charge and then move back to a contributing employee, but I do know some other people that have done it successfully in their careers. I have enjoyed both roles, and at different times in my career, the different role has fit me better.

    Many companies struggle with their technical people as they advance in their careers. Few companies think ahead and build dual career tracks in both the technical and managerial areas for their staff. As a result, many technical people find their career stalled in a company and may look to leave for another position. Setting aside a technical track that allows an employee to advance as a strong technical worker, and continue to grow their challenges and salary seems like a no-brainer, but it’s something rarely implemented outside of technology-oriented companies.

    Perhaps senior technical people can’t continue to add the same value as a manager or director in an organization. There are definitely lots of technical people that have a lot of seniority in a company, but do not necessarily bring a lot of additional value for all their experience. However some do, and those are often the people that a company should not let go. If they continue to grow their knowledge, and add more value, there ought to be a career advancement track for them in the technical area.

    Steve Jones