Comments on: Nepotism In The SQL Family

By: Karen Lopez

Karen Lopez — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 01:23:16 +0000

Unfortunately, #SQLFamily wasn’t just a warm and fuzzy name for a group of people trying to find new jobs or sell things to each other. It originally was about people who went well beyond that and lent a hand, lifted other up, donated kidneys, let online friends stay on sofas, picked people up at the airport, supported eachother, encouraged each other…all things that strong families do.
Now it’s become a branding exercise for people to pretend to like each other for business purposes. Sure, all us original family members are still part of it. But like you said, it’s an open group of people with some SQL stuff in common. Not much more than that. And that makes me said.
But real families don’t need a label or a hashtag. We still know who we are.

By: Rob Farley

Rob Farley — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 07:33:09 +0000

Indeed – the relationship must go both ways.

By: Gary Schultz

Gary Schultz — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 03:04:44 +0000

It is not so much what you know or who you know, but who knows YOU.

By: Rob Farley

Rob Farley — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 02:41:40 +0000

Justin – yes, I’m being somewhat flippant about the times when nepotism is a problem. I’ve seen it many times in many different situations, and never (I think) benefited from it. But I’ve also reflected on some situations over the years and figured that often those people were probably the best choice, because the hiring manager had stronger confidence in the underlying character of the relative.
I definitely don’t believe in nepotism when good people are passed over for incompetent relatives. However, I also recognise that hiring is at least 50% relationship. We hire those people we feel we can work with rather than hiring the most qualified. With Ted, I get the best of both worlds.

By: Oddvar Eikli

Oddvar Eikli — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 01:57:45 +0000

Loved your punchline, Rob!

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 15 Aug 2014 17:50:34 +0000

cute, but somewhat disingenuous to the real problem of nepotism. People aren’t born into the SQL community. They don’t inherit SQL cred from their brother – every bit of that is earned, which is the antithesis to nepotism.
Hire the most qualified. Go for it. If it’s your brother, great. I doubt it really is though.

By: Rob Farley

Rob Farley — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 23:02:50 +0000

Adam – exactly. It’s an open group and preferring people with a strong sense of community is by no means the same as hiring your nephew.

By: Adam Machanic

Adam Machanic — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 18:39:09 +0000

Nice headline but of course "SQLFamily" isn’t a family. It’s a networking thing. So this isn’t nepotism at all; it’s just good business. Nothing wrong with that, no matter how you slice it.

By: Ted Krueger

Ted Krueger — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 16:57:12 +0000

Could you expand on what you mean there, RichB?

By: RichB

RichB — Wed, 13 Aug 2014 12:51:31 +0000

Justify it all you want… just don’t be surprised when it starts to shrink into itself.