I wished I had listened to a SQL DBA about 4 years ago. I was doing 3rd Level Support for 800 Woolworths UK stores including SQL Support for 800 instances of SQL Server 7. I got an internal development opportunity which I jumped at (more money, no weekends) and the SQL DBA said in passing, 'I don't want you to take that job but I can't say why'. Turns out there was a DBA position coming along due to a departure but she was under instruction to keep it quiet. Three years later I took up the SQL position anyway but only held it for a few months before the Company went down last Xmas. The three years development experience turned out to be a waste of time in the marketplace, I just wish I had spent those years learning more SQL. I now have a SQL DBA position in a small Company (5 Live SQL Servers) and am learning all the time.

She was a good colleague and wouldn't have been doing anything underhand towards me, it would just have looked strange if I had turned down the role when i had expressed a strong interest previously. Don't ya just love hindsight?