After 5 years at my first airline, I was spring-loaded to the "check the DDG/MEL" response, but it seems like a poor reason to fail an interview if you had never worked at an airline before...
FWIW, the 744 DDG goes along with the idea that an individual light can be inop, as long as the instrument is usable:
Individual lights may be inoperative provided remaining lights are:
a. Left and right flight deck dome lights operate normally.
b. Sufficient to clearly illuminate all required instruments, controls and other
devices for which it is provided.
c. Positioned so that direct rays are shielded from flight crewmembers eyes.
d. Lighting configuration and intensity is acceptable to the flight crew.