Need to setup a SQL test (interview) for candidates. What is the best way to do so?

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1

Hi,

I am a hiring manager that has little to no knowledge of SQLserver, but i am hiring someone to properly store all my customer data/analytics. he needs to be able to do the following:

  1. import my data( this could be a sample data) from access into sql server

  2. sort and clean data, such that information is neat and easily extractable by fields and relational tables

  3. query for simple use into excel spreadsheets/VBA/

  4. cycle the import from external excel spreadsheets and schedule the task to run every hour.

Is there a way to setup a trial test for these skills? How do i go about doing it? This should be pretty basic, i am hoping to get the candidates to do this in an exam environment for an hour.

How do i test the competency of the candidates?

2

Get a chum in(*), during the interview, to access the SQL skills? and you just deal with whether you think the person fits your organisation :slight_smile:

(*) with appropriate skills, Natch!

3

@songhaegyo,
I offer my interview skills for a mere 300 USD each I can assess each candidate for you and ensure you don't hire anyone without the requisite SQL Server skills. such a deal! LOL

4

If you don't know SQL, your best approach is to do a live test of their skills.

Create a sample data set(s) and have them do code to load, sort and clean the data.

Make sure the data is not too complex, or it will take too long to do the code.

But presumably an hour or so is not too long. Even if they can't finish, have them do what they can, and you can still evaluate their work.

5

Its an incredible deal ... the recruitment people we (try not to ...) use charge $8,000 - and all they do is send us the CVs, our key-requirements are rarely something that they bother to check ...

We advertise saying "We do not acceptable applicants from recruitment agencies" for that very reason ... but we find that Candidates just give their CV to recruitment agency and assume that's all they need to do, so mayn don't see / respond to our adverts (which are in the professional journal for goodness sakes, ITS NOT HARD!!!). The ones that come to Interview are always astonished when we tell them how much the Agencies charge ...

6

My pricing would be more like this:
$500 for the first person screened (for a given job/job function);
$250 for the second person screened;
$100 for each person thereafter.
Reasons: to do the first person, I have to get the requirements, prepare qs, refine them, go thru the screening, make adjustments, etc.. Same thing but less for the second person. By then I should have the process down and can screen someone for the required SQL knowledge in an hour.