February 8, 2014 at 11:05 am
So I recently decided to make a career change and recently acquired a masters of science in database administration. Now I'm looking for my first job and contemplating bankruptcy because my credit cards are off the charts from going back to school. So my question to everyone is, if I file for bankruptcy how much will this hurt my career as a DBA. I understand that some government jobs require certain security clearance and all DBAs work with data that may include finance information etc. But I have no other issues: any illegal activity, missing payments on CCs/loans, etc. I am truly a honest person and have never been fired from a job in my 40+ years. So how much do you think a bankruptcy will effect my acquiring a job and moving up the DBA ladder? Also to anyone in a hiring position, would you hire a DBA that has a bankruptcy on their credit report?
February 8, 2014 at 3:12 pm
I don't think it would be worth it.
Many employers pull the credit history these days and do make that judgement if there are big dings on the credit.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
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February 8, 2014 at 4:37 pm
David1425 (2/8/2014)
So I recently decided to make a career change and recently acquired a masters of science in database administration. Now I'm looking for my first job and contemplating bankruptcy because my credit cards are off the charts from going back to school. So my question to everyone is, if I file for bankruptcy how much will this hurt my career as a DBA. I understand that some government jobs require certain security clearance and all DBAs work with data that may include finance information etc. But I have no other issues: any illegal activity, missing payments on CCs/loans, etc. I am truly a honest person and have never been fired from a job in my 40+ years. So how much do you think a bankruptcy will effect my acquiring a job and moving up the DBA ladder? Also to anyone in a hiring position, would you hire a DBA that has a bankruptcy on their credit report?
First and foremost, before considering bankruptcy be sure to look at your current position financially. Are you currently working and able to meet your financial obligations? Second, as you look at moving to a new career field as a DBA, what can you bring with you from your current career? I ask since you didn't mention what you are currently doing.
I have been in the IT field for over 30 years, working as a DBA (production and development) for over 16 years. I recently (a few years ago) had to file for bankruptcy myself when my wife and I divorced. At the time I working at Honeywell and was concerned about my clearance at the time, but after an investigation I kept my clearance. I am currently working for another company and deployed in Afghanistan (actually at home on R & R) and still have my clearance.
If you find it that you have no choice but to file bankruptcy be honest with your potential employers if this should come up. When I was interviewing for a position back here in the states while I was in Afghanistan (long story short, I was going to be coming home in February to being unemployed at one point), the company mentioned that they did a credit check. During the initial phone interview I simply mentioned that I had issues on my credit report that I would like the opportunity to discuss further.
Be sure to talk with an attorney as well. You may want to talk to several before selecting one as well.
February 11, 2014 at 3:35 am
It does depend on the company. Smaller organizations, depending on what they do, may not ever bother with the credit report. I've worked with companies that didn't.
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
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February 11, 2014 at 6:18 am
Like Grant said, it does depend on the company, but I think most companies pull a credit report these days. Bankruptcy is a huge flag on a credit report. Then again, so is having large amounts of unsecured debt. Lynn has some pretty solid advice there about talking to an attorney. Whatever way you go, don't try to hide either problem. Any prospective employer is going to find the problem if they look anyway and it's better to just be honest up-front.
February 11, 2014 at 8:05 am
David1425 (2/8/2014)
... if I file for bankruptcy how much will this hurt my career as a DBA. ...But I have no other issues: any illegal activity, missing payments on CCs/loans, etc. I am truly a honest person
I'll be blunt right here. If you have no missing/late payments and are able to make the payments then why file for BK? Honest people, that are able to make the payments, hold true to their obligations and pay their debts. If the only reason for filing BK is to get rid of that unsecured debt from going to school - then don't do it.
Three of my recent gigs would not hire somebody with a recent BK. One was in the lending industry and another was government related. You have to be very careful about declaring BK (and which type of BK).
Don't do it unless you absolutely have to.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
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February 11, 2014 at 11:41 am
SQLRNNR (2/11/2014)
David1425 (2/8/2014)
... if I file for bankruptcy how much will this hurt my career as a DBA. ...But I have no other issues: any illegal activity, missing payments on CCs/loans, etc. I am truly a honest personI'll be blunt right here. If you have no missing/late payments and are able to make the payments then why file for BK? Honest people, that are able to make the payments, hold true to their obligations and pay their debts. If the only reason for filing BK is to get rid of that unsecured debt from going to school - then don't do it.
Three of my recent gigs would not hire somebody with a recent BK. One was in the lending industry and another was government related. You have to be very careful about declaring BK (and which type of BK).
Don't do it unless you absolutely have to.
I have to agree with Jason, don't file if you don't have to do it. In my case, we had no choice. We could meet our financial obligations while married, but divorced there was no way to meet our obligations and for me to support two households.
Again, I would still consult with a bankruptcy attorney before you do anything. Also, if you have any student loans, those are not dischargeable in a bankruptcy.
February 12, 2014 at 8:31 am
Bankruptcy also makes other non-obvious things difficult such as getting house insurance, as some companies won't insure a property where a bankrupt lives even if the policy holder is not the bankrupt person!
February 12, 2014 at 1:17 pm
It is very strange to hear that a DBA applies for bunkropcy. We are highly paid professionals who receive much more than the average value in the country, must be able to manage our own finances.
How you can manage complex database systems if you can't manage your finance? Frankly, I would not hire you, even if all the rest qualities that you posess are outstanding.
February 12, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Lynn Pettis (2/11/2014)
Also, if you have any student loans, those are not dischargeable in a bankruptcy.
This can't be emphasized enough.
You should do your best to avoid a bankruptcy, it makes everything in life just a little tougher for a while. Unless you're Lynn and say you racked up debt while gettin' the bad guys in Afghanistan!
But if you do, always be honest.
Good luck
February 12, 2014 at 3:50 pm
SQL Guy 1 (2/12/2014)
It is very strange to hear that a DBA applies for bunkropcy. We are highly paid professionals who receive much more than the average value in the country, must be able to manage our own finances.How you can manage complex database systems if you can't manage your finance? Frankly, I would not hire you, even if all the rest qualities that you posess are outstanding.
I understand your position and I've said something similar before, but you need to consider the facts that lead to the bankruptcy. And consider if it was something that couldn't been prevented or if it was lack of planning.
February 12, 2014 at 4:20 pm
David1425 (2/8/2014)
So I recently decided to make a career change and recently acquired a masters of science in database administration.
I'd like to see the curriculum summary for that. I didn't know such a thing existed.
{EDIT} Never mind... I looked it up.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
February 12, 2014 at 9:51 pm
SQL Guy 1 (2/12/2014)
It is very strange to hear that a DBA applies for bunkropcy. We are highly paid professionals who receive much more than the average value in the country, must be able to manage our own finances.How you can manage complex database systems if you can't manage your finance? Frankly, I would not hire you, even if all the rest qualities that you posess are outstanding.
Sad commentary. Making such a statement without knowing the reasons that results in a person filing bankruptcy just makes it harder for those who have no other recourse. My ex-wife and I had no choice on filing bankruptcy. There was no way that I could support two households on my salary. We were quite capable of meeting our financial obligations while married.
February 14, 2014 at 4:42 pm
SQL Guy 1 (2/12/2014)
It is very strange to hear that a DBA applies for bunkropcy. We are highly paid professionals who receive much more than the average value in the country, must be able to manage our own finances.How you can manage complex database systems if you can't manage your finance? Frankly, I would not hire you, even if all the rest qualities that you posess are outstanding.
I'd have to quibble with this statement, also. Depending on where you live, and who you work for, DBAs aren't "highly paid professionals" at all.
The DBA/developer that preceded me at my last job was paid minimum wage, because "you just sit at a computer all day, so you shouldn't expect to be paid as if you're doing hard work". After converting the business from brick-and-mortar to an online seller singlehandedly, which increased gross income by a few million dollars every year, he was given a raise to $12/hour. That later became my starting wage when I worked there, since they figured programmers were "a little valuable".
I moved on from that job, and, with 3 years' experience, now make $19/hour, about what a starting programmer usually expects to make, I believe. However, there's just not many places in my area that are looking for programmers, and the ones that do typically want a ton of experience.
My roommate works for a different company, and is salaried at $22,000 a year. He works about 60-80 hours a week, from on-site and from home. He's asked for a raise once, after bringing in three new clients and increasing business income by quite a bit, and was laughed at for trying. Sadly, he doesn't think he can find a new job if he quits, and he doesn't want the place to crumble by quitting (which it definitely will; he's their sole tech person, as their DBA/developer).
I also know a person that works in Texas as a traveling IT/helpdesk worker for large businesses and households alike. He makes money per job, but it's pitifully low; some months, he brings in as little as $600 total, for a job that normally pays quite well at a business that knows the value of the work he does. But, again, there's no other IT jobs in his area, and he's too poor to move, so he just has to stick with it while working a second job. He's hoping that, eventually, he'll get enough experience to get into a better company.
Bottom line, though, IT work, even that of a DBA, who guards a business's data and may well be the only reason they're capable of functioning at all, isn't necessarily paid well. You're paid what your employer thinks you're worth, and your employer is completely free to believe you're worth the same as a burger jockey.
- 😀
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