Gary Varga (10/7/2013)
Of course, the editorial is spot on. So many people do not bother to find out the "why" either like SQL being set based, the ordering of the execution of a SQL statement, etc. Yet I find myself caught in between being honest and being fairly compared with my peers. How can I mark myself honestly out of 10 when I know the last half dozen people may know a lot less but still mark themselves highly? When asked verbally I do try and explain my score...I can only hope that it is received in the intended manner the other side of the table.
That's a HUGE problem with most employers and recruiters. They ask people to rate themselves. How can an honest person who rates themselves as a good honest 6 or 7 compete with someone who actually doesn't know much of anything but rates themselves as a 9 or a 10?
I guess I'm one of the few where a high self rating on a resume actually works against folks I interview. People who are really good don't have to rate themselves. It'll show in how the resume is written and during the interview. It also usually only takes me 2 or 3 simple questions during an interview to figure out if a candidate is worth their salt in SQL Server or not. I have been known to stop an interview after just one super simple question and trust me on this... the question is just absolutely stupid simple.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.