**Method 1 (Subquery)**: SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees WHERE salary < (SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees). **Method 2 (LIMIT/OFFSET)**: SELECT DISTINCT salary FROM employees ORDER BY salary DESC LIMIT 1 OFFSET 1—single value; ties pick one. **Method 3 (Window)**: SELECT...
This medium-level SQL question appears frequently in data engineering interviews at companies like Tredence. While less common, it tests deeper understanding that distinguishes strong candidates. Mastering the underlying concepts (window) will help you answer variations of this question confidently.
Break this problem into components. Identify the core trade-offs involved, then walk the interviewer through your reasoning step by step. Demonstrate awareness of edge cases and production considerations - this is what separates good answers from great ones.
Method 1 (Subquery): SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees WHERE salary < (SELECT MAX(salary) FROM employees). Method 2 (LIMIT/OFFSET): SELECT DISTINCT salary FROM employees ORDER BY salary DESC LIMIT 1 OFFSET 1—single value; ties pick one. Method 3 (Window): SELECT salary FROM (SELECT salary, ROW_NUMBER() OVER (ORDER BY salary DESC) rn FROM employees) t WHERE rn = 2. Trade-offs: Subquery universal; LIMIT simple; ROW_NUMBER one row; DENSE_RANK for ties.
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Analyze My Answer — FreeAccording to DataEngPrep.tech, this is one of the most frequently asked SQL interview questions, reported at 1 company. DataEngPrep.tech maintains a curated database of 1,863+ real data engineering interview questions across 7 categories, verified by industry professionals.