What are some good questions to ask the interviewERs 1

[marle35]

by the interviewee for an entry-level database maintenance job? All suggestions extremely welcome.

 

[RiverGuy]

A lot of it depends on the company and the position. But there are a few standard questions.

1. What are the growth opportunities for the position?
2. What groups will this position interface with?
3. Besides technical skills, what other attributes are you looking for in the position?
4. All the usual that you may not have answered by HR (amount of vacation/personal days, when benefits take effect, performance review process, etc.)

 

[SQLSister]

I usually ask about the corporate culture and the organizational structure. I also ask if there are any upcoming projects or problems they particularly are interested in having the new person work on. I do not ever ask about benefits or anything related to money until they make an offer. You do not want to give them the impression you are more interested inthe money and benefits than the work itself even if that is true.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[SantaMufasa]

Consider things like:

For the position for which I am being considered[ul][li]What are your major expectations?[/li][li]What experience and training should a professional in this position bring?[/li][li]What direct, or indirect, effects can/does this position have upon the organisation's Revenue, Expenses, Capitalization?[/li][li]How important, and visible, is the success of this position, to the rest of the organisation?[/li][li]What are the major "pain-points" that the organisation faces that the professional in this position can (and should) relieve?[/li][li]What are the major challenges that a professional faces in this job position?[/li][li]To whom does this position report?[/li][li]Who are the clients/users of the services that this position provides?[/li][li]Tell me about employees that function in this capacity presently:[ul][li]What resources technology, professional, human, and applications resources are available to this position?[/li][li]Tell me about a day in the life of a professional in this position.[/li][/ul][li]How well does the organisation financially support this position and the team/department to which this position is assigned?[/li][li]What additional organisation-infrastructure training should a person in this position receive?[/li][li]What achievements and results in this position would delight the organisation?[/li][li]What does the organisation do to delight employees in this group?[/li][li]What accomplishments could a person in this position achieve that would result in a salary increase or bonus?[/li][ul][li]...in 6 months?[/li][li]...in 1 year?[/li][/ul][li]What, in your opinion, causes employees to leave this position or the organisation?[/li][/li][/ul]Let us know how any or all of these questions work for you.


Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau.

 

[marle35]

Thank you all- that is very helpful. I hadn't thought of asking about organization structure. The company is a large bank. How do I decide what company-specific questions to ask, as opposed to just general questions?

 

[SantaMufasa]

Ask questions about the company that show your interest in more than simply the parochial issues that pertain to your specific job candidacy. It typically demonstrates to an interviewer that you have the entire organisation's best interests at heart. Such interest/questions may also elevate your candidacy to a higher-level position than the one for which they are considering you.

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)
[I provide low-cost, remote Database Administration services: www.dasages.com]
Deuparth gwaith yw ei ddechrau.

 

[SQLSister]

Google the company and see if they have any news releases, also see what their main business is. This should lead you to some questions. For instance if they recently announced a merger with another company, you might ask how this might impact the position you are interviewing for. Or of they are inteh nabking business and you don't have any expereince specific to that industry, you might ask how critical industry knowledge is to the position and what sources they would recommend to get upto speed onthe industry if you are hired. I would also try to get some basic knowledge about theindustry before the interview even with no experience, so I could ask things like "how are you implementing the HIPPA requirements?" to a company that is in the health care business.

"NOTHING is more important in a database than integrity." ESquared

 

[EdwardMartinIII]

How lax would you say you were on dress code policies? For example, do my sandals have to match?

Exactly how much of a knockout does a new co-worker have to be before we're all kinda' willing to reconsider a STRICT sexual harrassment policy?

Do your bathroom stalls have network connections?

Is the toilet paper bin locked? Why? Is there a lot of toilet paper theft going on? How do you suppose people are smuggling whole rolls out, or are they rolling it around their bodies like some kind of International Toilet Paper Smuggler?

Which day of the week are free doughnuts delivered?

If you were to hire me, who would have to die before I would inherit the company?

How much of a stickler are you about parking? Attendance? Smoking dope (only in my cubical)? Smoking crack? Dealing crack?

(for example)

Edward

"Cut a hole in the door. Hang a flap. Criminy, why didn't I think of this earlier?!" -- inventor of the cat door

 

[DonQuichote]

A bit on the technical side:

- How is quality ensured?

I got answers ranging from (code) reviews, acceptance tests, to "our programmers are just awfully good in programming". That last remark was off course a good reason to run away screaming.

But mostly the interview will guide itself a bit. I always put my hobbies on my resume and one company was afraid of the fact that had hobbies: Quite often when a new version of a program was released on friday afternoon, hell broke loose and the programmers were supposed to sacrifice their friday evening and entire weekend. When I explained the use of unit tests and the fact that they could prevent hell breaking loose, they answered that I was not allowed to write them because "time did not allow it".

So maybe above question can be rephrased: How does the company assure there is no stress for the developers/DBAs and the company?

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[beltmanjr]

I'd ask if I could speak informally with people of the team I'd be joining. Daring question perhaps, but you must like the company and team as much as they must like you if you want to actually enjoy working there.

 

[Thargy]

Similar to santa's last, I usually ask "How has the position become available?" - indicating an interest in whether or not its a new post, someone died, the company is growing, or whatever.

Regards

T

 

[JCreamerII]

If it's a job you really want, ask questions about the company that indicates you have a good knowledge of the company & it's books of business. If you know your stuff on the tech side this can blow them away if you can discuss their business in an intelligent manner from the business side.

Jim C.