Jeff Moden (5/12/2014)
I've started a real pushback on all of this. It's amazing how many of the candidates (something like 22 out of 24) can't answer the first question, which is "using T-SQL, how do you select the current date and time"? If they can't answer that, the interview is over. It's a total waste of time if they can't get beyond that.
I've only been using T-SQL for just over twelve months and I'm largely self-taught as are the other members of the team. A question like 'how do you select the current date and time?' would actually make me a little nervous. I know how I'd do it:
Select GETDATE()
but I'd be worried about the sharp intake of breath and termination of the interview that may follow. I know I don't know the in depth stuff, and I'm constantly learning, but I wouldn't be at all surprised that the basics I thought I knew were wrong.
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