Data warehousing is the process of storing large amounts of data in order to generate reports. This technology is used in a variety of industries, and warehouses are frequently set up in the same way. Data warehouse interview questions are straightforward because warehousing is similar across the board. Interviewees can expect to be questioned about their general knowledge of data warehousing, level of expertise, understanding of various processes, and personality questions.
A large portion of data warehouse interview questions focuses on gaining a better understanding of an interviewee’s general warehousing knowledge. These questions will cover general terms and procedures in order to ensure that the person being interviewed has the necessary experience for the job. Interviewers frequently inquire about the differences between online analytical processing (OLAP) and online transaction processing (OLTP), two important aspects of data warehousing. Another general knowledge question is what a lookup table or an operational database store (ODS) is used for.
Because data warehousing is such a complicated process, data warehouse interview questions frequently probe the interviewee to see how much of it they comprehend. Because these processes are essential to proper informational storage, it is common to be asked why data and dimensional modeling are important. Another difficult question designed to test the interviewee’s knowledge of the entire process is why an OLTP database design is not a good idea.
Because data mining is such an important part of warehousing, an interviewee can expect to be asked a lot of data warehouse interview questions about it. One common question is whether data mining has any advantages over more traditional methods. Interviewers are frequently interested in learning more about specific data mining processes. A potential job candidate may be asked to provide an example of when data mining was used in the workplace and the project’s outcome. Instead of asking for a positive experience, a candidate might be asked what she or he dislikes about mining and how it could be improved.
Another common topic of data warehouse interview questions is personal information. In most cases, these will not include questions about work or family life, but rather how well an interviewee’s personality fits into the team. Common questions include how the person handles stress and pressure, which usually necessitates the use of examples. Another common personality-related question is to ask the interviewee to list their strong and weak skills.