September 18, 2012 at 4:41 am
Recently I attended an interview for a role of Senior SQL Developer and I wondered the kind of questions panel asked.Here are few of them.
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Then they started asking questions on syntax of SQL function.
At last to stop them I just denied to reply the question by saying that why are you hiring me better to have a Google search for that 🙂
--rhythmk
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September 18, 2012 at 5:11 am
Hahaaa...Google Search 🙂
*******:cool:
Sudhakar
September 18, 2012 at 5:18 am
Maybe they are trying to see if you know the limits and basics of SQL, they are all valid questions.
September 18, 2012 at 5:50 am
anthony.green (9/18/2012)
Maybe they are trying to see if you know the limits and basics of SQL, they are all valid questions.
I don't know that I agree. The first three questions are just trivia that I use Books Online to understand. How many string functions are there? I don't know. Want to know how the optimizer works?
As to question four... it can be anything. The default is 1433, but you can make it what you want within the limits of ports. So that question is actually off (unless they're looking for this answer).
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September 18, 2012 at 6:05 am
And the question of how many columns in a table depends on a couple things, it's not a fixed number. Maybe they were wanting to see if you knew that. 🙂
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
September 18, 2012 at 6:12 am
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help - Jeff Moden
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/
September 18, 2012 at 6:12 am
GilaMonster (9/18/2012)
And the question of how many columns in a table depends on a couple things, it's not a fixed number. Maybe they were wanting to see if you knew that. 🙂
I know of two, Wide and Non-Wide tables, unsure if there are others
September 18, 2012 at 6:18 am
rhythmk (9/18/2012)
Recently I attended an interview for a role of Senior SQL Developer and I wondered the kind of questions panel asked.Here are few of them.1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Then they started asking questions on syntax of SQL function.
At last to stop them I just denied to reply the question by saying that why are you hiring me better to have a Google search for that 🙂
Did you actually want the job? How did you reply the to questions above?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 18, 2012 at 6:19 am
Kingston Dhasian (9/18/2012)
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
+1
I think the questions were quite appropriate for the position. If someone had told me to "Google" it in an interview, I'd have given them a military escort off the property right then and there.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 18, 2012 at 6:56 am
rhythmk (9/18/2012)
Recently I attended an interview for a role of Senior SQL Developer and I wondered the kind of questions panel asked.Here are few of them.1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Then they started asking questions on syntax of SQL function.
At last to stop them I just denied to reply the question by saying that why are you hiring me better to have a Google search for that 🙂
Forgive me for saying this but I think you miss the point.
You say the position is for a Senior Developer so I think the clue is in the title of the position.
I don't think your interviewers were interested in exact numbers to be honest but perhaps they were looking for answers along the following lines? (I didn't google any of these so please feel free to have a go at me for my lack of knowledge but then again, I never claimed to be a Senior SQL Developer!):
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
Answer: Lots! LOL.. no really for an exact answer we can look in BOL but surely it depends on the data stored in the columns and the data types of the columns.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
I don't know the exact number but I can sure name a few of them, LEN, SUBSTRING, CHARINDEX, STUFF, REPLICATE etc.. etc...
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
Again, I don't know the exact number but this also depends on the size of your table and disk space available etc...
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Anyone who claims to be a Senior Developer should really know this. But knowing the default port number and explaining why this should be changed in the context of security would prove to your interviewers that you know what you're talking about.
My 2 cents/pence 😉
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September 18, 2012 at 9:21 pm
Kingston Dhasian (9/18/2012)
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
This was the final technical round of interview.
Even in first instance I also felt that they were actually not looking for exact answers.So I just replied like this should be around this number or like that. But after every reply they got back to me with actual number. e.g. For columns I told like it depends but he replied back with exact number 1024.Then for SQL functions I simply told that I used 10-12 function and named those, don't remember the excat number then he replied that these are 24 and like was got the exact number.
Even after few such type of questions I told him that "does the number really matters means we can get it on BOL or on Google in very first instance".Then he asked some questions on different sql concepts and asked me to write few queries.But later again he came back on the same bunch of questions.
But don't know perhaps he was not agreed with me or as if he was having a limited set of questions 🙂 I finally gave up by a sweet wink on my face that instead of hiring me better to have a Google search and I made sure he did not take that in wrong way 😉
Though he provided a good feedback and finally yesterday only HR offered me the position with my expectation 😉
--rhythmk
------------------------------------------------------------------
To post your question use below link
https://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/forum-etiquette-how-to-post-datacode-on-a-forum-to-get-the-best-help
🙂
September 18, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Jeff Moden (9/18/2012)
Kingston Dhasian (9/18/2012)
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
+1
I think the questions were quite appropriate for the position. If someone had told me to "Google" it in an interview, I'd have given them a military escort off the property right then and there.
Surely Jeff even I always try to maintain the decorum of an interview and never tried to humilate the interviewer even I know with best of my knowledge that I am correct. Because I always think that they have all rights to ask any questions and provide any feedback to the respective teams. But the day I lost my control (though I am sure when I left the room he was not unhappy with me as I just told him very politely and in very friendly manner) and was little frustated by whole day interview process.
Even I got chance to interview people in my company for the same position and never asked these numbers. As at the end of day they should know the concepts and logic not the numbers.
Still I felt sorry for my sarcastic remark 🙁
--rhythmk
------------------------------------------------------------------
To post your question use below link
https://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/forum-etiquette-how-to-post-datacode-on-a-forum-to-get-the-best-help
🙂
September 19, 2012 at 6:42 am
rhythmk (9/18/2012)
Jeff Moden (9/18/2012)
Kingston Dhasian (9/18/2012)
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
+1
I think the questions were quite appropriate for the position. If someone had told me to "Google" it in an interview, I'd have given them a military escort off the property right then and there.
Surely Jeff even I always try to maintain the decorum of an interview and never tried to humilate the interviewer even I know with best of my knowledge that I am correct. Because I always think that they have all rights to ask any questions and provide any feedback to the respective teams. But the day I lost my control (though I am sure when I left the room he was not unhappy with me as I just told him very politely and in very friendly manner) and was little frustated by whole day interview process.
Even I got chance to interview people in my company for the same position and never asked these numbers. As at the end of day they should know the concepts and logic not the numbers.
Still I felt sorry for my sarcastic remark 🙁
Good enough. Still, did you actually answer the 4 questions you posted?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 19, 2012 at 6:47 am
rhythmk (9/18/2012)
Kingston Dhasian (9/18/2012)
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Some of these questions seem valid to me as well
From your questions I feel that either
1. The interview panel was not experienced one and they have used "Google" to find "SQL Server Interview Questions" themselves OR
2. This is just an initial round
Anyways, your answers seem a bit rude to me in an interview
You could have politely said, "I don't remember the exact syntax as there is always Google and MSDN to help me out"
I have said this in some interviews and they were OK with it and say that they are only interested in the logic I use to solve the problem.
This was the final technical round of interview.
Even in first instance I also felt that they were actually not looking for exact answers.So I just replied like this should be around this number or like that. But after every reply they got back to me with actual number. e.g. For columns I told like it depends but he replied back with exact number 1024.Then for SQL functions I simply told that I used 10-12 function and named those, don't remember the excat number then he replied that these are 24 and like was got the exact number.
Even after few such type of questions I told him that "does the number really matters means we can get it on BOL or on Google in very first instance".Then he asked some questions on different sql concepts and asked me to write few queries.But later again he came back on the same bunch of questions.
But don't know perhaps he was not agreed with me or as if he was having a limited set of questions 🙂 I finally gave up by a sweet wink on my face that instead of hiring me better to have a Google search and I made sure he did not take that in wrong way 😉
Though he provided a good feedback and finally yesterday only HR offered me the position with my expectation 😉
Ah... now I get it and understand where you're coming from. Like so many interviewers, he felt compelled to give you the answers to the questions and probably did have a limited set of questions from one of the "interview questions" blogs/sites.
So. Did you take the job?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
September 19, 2012 at 9:43 am
My answers would have been similar to this.
1.How many columns a SQL table can hold.
I don't know the exact number but it is far more than I have ever needed in a solid relational design.
2.How many string functions are there in SQL.
None. Sql does not have a string datatype. It has differing sizes of character data. Then I would say that I assume the meant things like LEFT, RIGHT, UPPER, LOWER, REVERSE etc.
3.How many non-clustered indexes a SQL table can have.
Same as number 1.
4.What is the port to be used to connect SQL DB server.
Assuming the defaults you should know these. But you should also be able to explain how to find out if the defaults were not used.
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