Is this a trick or not? An interviewer telling someone they're wrong when they're not.

This is a blog post from Michael Coles, and from his point of view, it seems that the interviewer is probably not the brightest SQL Server bulb in the bunch, and that's how I initially took the post. But could this be a technique to see how you respond? Not that it's a good technique, but could it be contrived?

Suppose that you have some developers that are sharp, but would easily cover their ignorance with loud bluster. I've certainly met a few in my time (and DBAs as well). How would you hire a DBA to deal with them and ensure he or she didn't get bullied into doing something they felt wasn't the best solution for that application?

You can easily ask someone how they deal with adversity, but it's an abstract question and you get abstract responses. You might get an example from their past, but it's still somewhat abstract because you never know the degree to which it was an adverse situation. So what's the best solution?

Maybe it's the Monte Python solution, where you simulate the actual events, however bizarre they might be. Maybe you would choose to act like one of your belligerent people. Or even include the belligerent person and let them run the interview.

It might be one way to see how the person would actually react. It might be somewhat unfair as people in an interview are usually more nervous and less confrontational than they might otherwise be. However it's definitely one way to see how someone might deal with the situation. If they wouldn't want to work in an environment with regular arguments, then they might not be the best fit.

Personally I wouldn't be offended if someone told me I was wrong. I'd give my reasons for my answer and debate the question. I'm not afraid of arguments and not usually intimidated, but I want to be sure that I have the opportunity to argue my side. If I can't do that, then I don't want to work for you.

Steve Jones

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