Re: Oracle DBA interview

From: Dba DBA <oracledbaquestions_at_gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 12:13:42 -0400
Message-ID: <CAE-dsO+Axy0J3mWifOJcsmO8LAA6cJhFdxy3pX3HO-Cuvr2EEA_at_mail.gmail.com>

avoid asking narrow questions about technical problems you have had at your company. I find that this leads people to talk about themselves to show the candidate how smart they are. I have been interviewed by people who do this and sit next to people who do this. We had 'x' problem, look at how smart I am for solving it with 'y'.
Don't ask about specific narrow features that might be used on your project. Every place you go will use different things. A candidate who just happens to know this one narrow feature, is not necessarily a good one. The person can figure this stuff out.

--Look for what they say they are good at in their resume and challenge them on that with questions.
-- look for a broad range of questions. Don't waste time if the person doesn't know any area. Move on. Take notes on strengths and weakness. --don't worry about specific syntax. try to get a feel if they can figure it out with a quick google search or not --look for candidates that may have experience in things that you and your team do not. This is better than adding someone who knows what you know --one of the big keys: can you get along with this person or will this person piss you off.
--can the person figure stuff out without help. every shop has processes in place. can the person follow them. as a DBA you generally can't make the rules, but you have to follow them. for example a small shop DBA may not be able to deal with --the crushing rules of a big shop project (you may hate it, but if they don't follow the rules, it causes problems), and vice versa a big shop DBA may not be able to deal with the on the fly, stuff has to get done atmosphere of a small shop. -
-- will the person share what they know. if I'm going to hire someone and I think he/she knows something I don't, I want someone who will explain it to me instead of hoarding the knowledge.
-- try to get a feel for how they work with people with non-dba skillsets. can they translate DBA to english so a non-DBA can understand. -- talk as little as possible so the candidate can talk more. there is a tendancy to talk about the job too much and yourself. this does not help you screen.
-- try to get them to give you examples of problems they solved in the past -- give them problems to solve. look for how they go about solving it. even if the answer is wrong, the person who impresses you with how they go about solving a problem, will pick things up faster and be better to work with.

one last thing. do phone screens first. this is more respectful. you can screen people out in 15-20 minutes sometime. only bring them in if they pass the phone screen. many good candidates will not take a face to face without a phone screen first. it also saves you time.

On Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 10:28 AM, rjamya <rjamya_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> I have received one offer a week after interview, another was the next day
> and at my current job, it was within 2 hours. So like answers to other
> 'Oracle Performance Questions', it depends from company to company.
>
> On Thu, Jun 6, 2013 at 7:18 AM, Tiran Harutyunyan <mufc01666_at_gmail.com
> >wrote:
>
> > Yes John you are right. Thanks for reply. Who knows usually how long we
> > have to wait for an answer after interview ?
> >
> > On 2 June 2013 20:31, John Hurley <hurleyjohnb_at_yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Tiran:
> > >
> > > # Thanks friends for your replies, so what you think, which is the best
> > > way to be prepared for this kind interview ?
> > >
> > > ... Well if you can find out details about who and what is going to be
> > > "tested" in the interview that gives you the best chance to be
> adequately
> > > prepared.
> > >
> > > No one has any certain idea of what might be asked everyone here is
> > > guessing and giving some ideas of what they have seen themselves or
> heard
> > > other people have been tasked with.
> > >
> > > Be confident in yourself and assuming that have the relevant background
> > > that matches what they are looking for you should do fine. If you do
> not
> > > know the answer to a question do not fake it.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l
>
>
>

--
http://www.freelists.org/webpage/oracle-l

Received on Tue Jun 11 2013 - 18:13:42 CEST