Preparing for Maximo Interviews- Tips

Here are some useful tips which can be applied when you prepare for Maximo Interviews. The idea is to provide a perspective on how you can prepare yourself well and cover different facets of Maximo.

We are already in Nov 2022 and just a month to go for the year 2023. Hope everyone is doing fine and welcome to another article about ‘How to do better in Maximo Interviews’. Remember, this is not a handbook to crack interviews- its more to prepare yourself wholistically covering different areas, understanding the concepts in depth and facing it confidently. This is my perspective, and it would differ from individuals.

Let’s dive into it:

The more Maximo is getting sophisticated in the future versions of MAS 8.0 and more things are available right easily as simple configurable entities there is a need to learn the concepts to its ‘depth’ and understand the ‘science’ behind it.

Please do not learn concepts superficially from the UI:

1. Depth behind the process:

   A simple and easy example:

   1. How to do database configurations & what happens when you run ConfigDB.

      Though Maximo developers know that it takes Admin Mode to run Configdb, everyone should understand the process in depth as what happens in the background.

   2. What are the different stages of a typical database change, what are the use of the Changed flags.

   3. What if a Configdb fails? How to recover from it?

   4. What if the tables are not restorable anymore? How to recover from it?

   5. Why Configdb takes more time for some objects and for some its faster?

   6. What if tables are corrupted and are there any other chances of failure?

   7. Did I do a hands-on a structural and nonstructural change?

   8. How to make changes to DB via scripting and not via UI?

   9. What are the different tables that will get affected during this process? When I do from backend scripts, do I know all the tables affected?

   10. What are the different flags available in the DB Config application and what are the implications of it?

   As you can see the illustration above, the scenario is very simple - however, the depth at which we should learn the concept is extensive and this is not just it. So, when you are preparing for each feature, prepare to its depth. Maximo is a big ocean.

2. One requirement; many solutions:

   1. As a developer you might be challenged with different situations.

      Eg: Many Maximo instances does not allow Java Customizations and hence explore the same requirement in different ways. Eg: (Configurations vs Customizations) Brainstorm with your team how to achieve the same with different features of Maximo. This will give you the flexibility and think beyond textbook implementations.

   2. When to use what? Few illustrations:

      1. Relationship and crossover domains and what are the different applications of different domains.

      2. When to use a non-persistent object?

   3. Understand the subtle implications:

      1. There are many discussions in the Maximo community about ‘Repeat Flag in Escalation’. Understand the subtle differences of those features, why do they exist and how does it work.

      2. Many Maximo features works on settings in properties, organization settings, Maxvars settings - hence understand these nuances.

         Learning to troubleshoot is as important as learning to develop

3. Do not skip functional learning:

   1. Learning Maximo is not just about learning technical areas. Please learn functional areas of core MAM/EAM.

   2. Understand your business flows and the implications of the functional modules on the business and how it is typically used.

   3. Take functional challenges and try to understand them. Go through official documentations available in the forums.

4. Know about add-ons:

   1. If you get opportunity, please get exposure to add-ons. There are plenty of materials available in the Maximo communities to know about add-ons.

   2. Understand different offerings of Maximo

   3. Try to learn at least one reporting tool (BIRT or Cognos)

5. Think beyond Maximo Core Development:

   1. Maximo is not just Maximo alone. It has other components of application servers, databases. Please get hands-on on application server deployments, managing queues and working on SQL (DDML) statements on the database side. (There are no limits)

   2. Understand Maximo installations

   3. Understand how PMR process works

   4. Understand roadmap of Maximo

   5. Try to understand to others Maximo problems and experiences

   6. How to effectively troubleshoot Maximo problems using logging?

6. Take certifications & take IOT badges regularly:

   1. Please put efforts on taking certifications. This will be added advantage as you will be recognized for taking sincere efforts in learning those. The IOT badge academy is evolving day by day, keep learning.

7. Follow the community:

   Finally, follow what’s happening around you.

   Hope these tips would be useful for all of you for your preparations… Good Luck!

   Do you have any experiences to share to our fellow Maximo buddies, do not hesitate to leave a comment. Cheers & thanks for reading.