Re: Case study for interviewing Oracle DBA
- From: "Shannon St. Dennis" <SStDennis@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <oracle-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 01 Mar 2005 08:27:45 -0600
As the original poster (at least I think I was... the early question
sure started a loooong convoluted thread but that's what's great about
these discussions!)
I have been the DBA here (Oracle/Informix/Ingres/Sql*SERVER) for the
past 8 years. Before that, I was the System Administrator for all the
Unix servers. And before that I was a programmer
I have a bachelor of Science from my university -- there was no real
major in Computer Science although I did do all the CS classes.
We listed experience in administrating Oracle databases as a must -- we
listed SQL*Server administration as a nice-to-have. HR weeded out 20 of
the resumes.
My manager, HR, and myself narrowed the 23 down to 7 based on
"keywords" in the resumes -- like who had real-world experience in
administering Oracle databases as opposed to just book knowledge.
My manager has two concerns -- 1) Some of the candidates we have are
over qualified -- it is a junior level position. and 2) How does he
tell if the applicant actually has the experience they say the do.
A case study is what he suggested... I am open to other suggestions if
that is easier or more competent. Both myself and our Data Warehouse
administrator will be sitting in onthe interviews -- so HR/Management is
counting on us to validate the applicants.
Thanks for the great discussion. We start interviews next monday so i
have some planning to do.
Shannon
Shannon St. Dennis
Database Administrator
City of Regina
(306) 777-7415 (phone)
(306) 777-6804 (fax)
sstdennis@xxxxxxxxx
The degree of normality in a database is inversely proportional to that
of its DBA
>>> david wendelken <davewendelken@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 03/01/05 07:58am >>>
>We used to laugh at those who tried to "buy" their way into knowledge
>and experience by means of "certifications" and "degrees". Along
the
>way I can't help feeling we lost the plot in IT, when we now need
>to listen to an HR idiot tell us we need this or that certificate
>in order to apply for a job.
How many of you, if asked to find a good CFO or a good tax attorney or
a good Mongolian linguist would know how to tell the difference between
a good one and a bs artist?
Let's look at it from management's point of view.
They desperately need a team of really good IT folks to do work for
them.
They don't have a clue in heck of how to tell a really good IT person
from a nimrod -- before they hire them and waste 6 months to a year
finding out they made a mistake.
Since the proportion of nimrods to really good IT folks is 5 to 1 (I'm
feeling charitable today, it's probably higher), they're looking for
something that will help them weed out the worst of the worst.
It's our fault, you see. We've failed to teach management how to tell
the difference - before they've hired someone - between a good IT person
and a worthless one. We're the ones who know how to tell. They
aren't.
I don't get mad at my young child because they don't know how to do
something, and I don't complain to my friends about it, I teach my child
how to do it! (I might ask my friends for advice on how best to go
about teaching my child.)
The original poster's manager did a good thing - they asked an IT
person whom they believed to have demonstrated competence to find a way
to weed out the nimrods and find them a good junior DBA. That manager
should be congratulated. They suggested a case study because that's
how much of management training is done. It's something they were
familiar with. They didn't have to get a case study back. 99.9% of
managers would be happy with **any** practical and affordable method
that helped them make a good hire.
One of my goals for next year is to start writing a series of articles
for management and airline magazines on "things managers need to know
about IT". I would love to hear from you all **off list** as to what
needs to be included in that series.
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