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Free test template · Data & developer roles

SQL skills test for hiring

Most candidates can write a SELECT. Fewer can explain why a join doubled the revenue figure. This test finds the ones who can.

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12 ready-made questions · Edit everything · Free plan, no card needed

Sample questions from this template

  1. Question 1 · Single choice
    Which clause filters rows before they are grouped?
    HAVING
    WHERE
    ORDER BY
    GROUP BY
  2. Question 2 · Single choice
    Which query returns customers whose city is London, sorted by name?
    SELECT * FROM customers WHERE city = 'London' ORDER BY name
    SELECT * FROM customers ORDER BY name WHERE city = 'London'
    SELECT * FROM customers HAVING city = 'London' SORT name
    SELECT name WHERE city = 'London' FROM customers
  3. Question 3 · Single choice
    What does an INNER JOIN between orders and customers return?
    All customers, with orders where they exist
    Only rows where a matching customer and order exist
    All orders and all customers
    Only customers with no orders

Answer keys and explanations are included when you import the pack into your question bank.

Why test SQL skills before you hire?

SQL sits behind analyst, developer, BI and operations jobs, and almost every applicant lists it. The trouble is that wrong SQL still returns a result. A query with the wrong join or a misplaced filter gives a confident, incorrect number that can end up in a board report. A short test shows who understands what their query actually does.

What this template covers

How to run it well

Twelve questions in 15 minutes works for most roles. The queries are written in standard SQL, so they hold for PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server and most other databases. A pass mark around 65% suits junior analysts; ask 75% or more for data engineers and back-end developers who write SQL daily.

Use shuffled questions and options, and keep the short-answer pattern-matching question so candidates have to recall a keyword rather than pick it from a list. When you read the results, the join and NULL questions say the most. Candidates who get them wrong will produce plausible but incorrect reports.

Who this test is for

Use it for data analysts, BI developers, back-end developers, database administrators at entry level, product analysts and finance or operations staff who pull their own data. It also suits internal training: run it before and after a SQL course to see what people actually learnt. Teams hiring for roles where SQL is only part of the job, such as marketing operations or customer success analysts, can shorten it to the easier questions and still get a reliable signal. For dedicated database roles, keep the full set and add harder material of your own.

Make it yours

Rewrite a few questions around your own table names, such as bookings or invoices, so candidates work with something close to the real job. Add questions on window functions, CTEs or your database's date functions for more senior roles, or ask the AI generator to draft them and review each before use. Keep each query short enough to read on a phone screen, since some candidates will take the test away from a desk.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a SQL test be?

Twelve questions in about 15 minutes is enough for a screen. For senior roles, follow up with a practical query task on sample data.

Can candidates cheat?

Each candidate can get a random set of questions with shuffled options, a timer and a full-screen lock, and leaving the page is recorded. Answers are checked on the server and never reach the browser.

Which SQL dialect does the test use?

Standard SQL that works the same in the major databases. If you rely on one dialect, add questions on its specific functions to your copy.

Send your first sql skills test today.

Import all 12 questions, set a timer and pass mark, and share a link in about two minutes.

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