Beware of newbie interviewers!

The interview was for an office in Oxford, UK. The last interviewer was at his first interview, as he told me himself. The interview focused on database design. This interviewer was alone, and I didn't see him taking notes, unlike the previous ones.

Database design is one of my strongest skills. He looked at my proposed design as if I were from Mars, or as if he were an unprepared student trying to pass an exam. He did not understand anything I said. I presented a completely new approach, and it was clearly not the solution he had in mind.

I am wondering how this person was hired as a database professional when he seems to know nothing about it. At least, that is what I read on his face. I have been teaching for many years and I know how to read someone's expression to determine if they understand a subject or have no idea what is going on. My explanation could have been understood even by a kindergarten student.

I am happy I wasn't accepted, because I would not have liked to work with "professionals" who need weeks to understand subjects in the area they are supposed to be experts in.

While not critically important, when an interviewer asks you about a subject, they should be at least prepared.

If they are not, they should ask another colleague to assist them.

Or, better yet, they should decline to be the interviewer.