August 6, 2012 at 6:35 am
Put what you wrote here, "We need a senior-level, generalist DBA that can work with three other entry- to mid-level DBAs to maintain a fairly large SQL database infrastructure and support a large developer team." right at the top of the posting. In bold if it'll support that. Heck, make it a few points larger (font size) than the rest of the post. It's PERFECT!
It expresses exactly what you need, why you need it, and what to expect. A posting with something like that, if I were looking, I'd jump on fast.
For those worried about the "rude or harsh" bit, that was me, and was quoting a caveate I put in one of my posts. Couldn't think of a more diplomatic way to efficiently, effectively say what I needed to say, so pre-appologized, and he quoted that.
But if it helped arrive at that statement about what's actually needed, was worth it.
As already mentioned, there may not be such in the area you're recruiting in, but if you're willing to help with moving expenses (some companies are, some aren't), and post that nationally, it'll have a much better chance of a postive response than the prior incarnations of the posting.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
August 7, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Evil Kraig F (8/2/2012)
Would you be willing to post your current version here? As I mentioned, I'm unable to see the site it's currently posted on and would be willing to review it.
Ask and ye shall receive . . .
Senior SQL Database Administrator
We need a senior-level, generalist DBA that can work with three other entry- to mid-level DBAs to maintain a fairly large SQL database infrastructure and support a large developer team.
This is a Senior MS SQL Server DBA role primarily responsible for providing operational database services to the organization. A qualified candidate will fill the resident SQL Server expert role on the DBA team and be enthusiastic about the product and willing to lead and mentor others. This DBA position will work with architecture, software development, and operations teams to achieve a state-of-the-art environment that meets current and future business objectives. The position offers an above average salary (commensurate with skills and experience), good benefits, opportunities for growth, and an excellent team environment. We also offer paid relocation.
Duties and Responsibilities
•Work to come up with strategic solutions to new business directives and existing obstacles.
•Administer SQL Server instances on Windows Server clusters for availability, recoverability, and performance.
•Work frequently with software development teams on application-specific database needs.
•Responsible for administration and technical support for the development, testing, and production database environments.
•Function as an experienced technology resource in advising and participating as a team member on projects.
•Manage database access, backup, and disaster recovery issues.
•Create T-SQL scripts for DBA task automation.
•Prepare for and upgrade SQL Server installations to SQL Server 2012 and implement the new features it contains.
•Communicate complex technical information in a concise and articulate manner.
•Troubleshoot and resolve database integrity, performance, blocking, deadlocking, replication, connectivity, and access issues.
•Own, track, and resolve database related incidents and requests.
•Fulfill requests and resolve incidents within SLAs.
•Respond to database related alerts and escalations.
•Ensure continuous 24 x 7 x 365 database operation with entire DBA team (on-call rotation).
Minimum Qualifications
•5+ years experience in database administration.
•Minimum of 3 years experience with MS SQL Server 2005 or 2008.
•Experience in database design and development.
•Experience identifying, documenting, and implementing best practices in database upgrades, migrations, data management, and data governance.
•Experience monitoring and fine-tuning SQL Server system performance.
•Solid experience with T-SQL scripting and optimization.
•Solid understanding of ETL processes and techniques.
•Knowledge of indexes, index management, and statistics.
•Knowledge of database design including table structure, data types, indexing, and permissions.
•Experience in Performance Tuning and Optimization (PTO) using native monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
•Ability to learn and adapt quickly to new technologies and processes on the job.
•Ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities with efficiency and accuracy.
•Detailed work, prioritization, and organizational skills.
•Ability to work independently and follow through on projects.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive areas.
•Good written and verbal communication skills.
•Ability to work under stress.
•Performs other duties as assigned or needed.
Desired Qualifications
•Associates Degree, or higher, in Computer Science or related IT field.
•Knowledge of High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) options for MSSQL Server including Windows Server clustering and transactional database replication.
•Working knowledge of SSIS.
•Experience working with Windows server, including Active Directory and proper disk configurations.
•Capacity planning experience for database systems.
•Experience using MS SCOM for SQL monitoring and alerting.
•Knowledge of SSRS and SSAS.
•Experience with using MS Visual Studio and TFS to manage tasks and maintain developed solutions a plus.
August 7, 2012 at 2:53 pm
In most of our postings on job sites and forums we are just including the top sentence and paragraph as well as the information below.
•Melaleuca has SQL Server environments running MS SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, and soon 2012
•We have almost 150 SQL instances in 9 global data centers
•We have around 2500 databases
•A few of our core databases are just over 1 TB in size
•Our total database storage size is roughly 43 Terabytes (TB) of data.
•Every day Melaleuca creates 1.1 TB of database backups.
•The Database Administration team manages 30 development and 9 production database environments.
•We use SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, MS SQL transactional replication, Quest Litespeed, MS Team Foundation Server, and soon MS SCCM/SCOM 2012
August 7, 2012 at 5:32 pm
bsclyde (8/7/2012)
In most of our postings on job sites and forums we are just including the top sentence and paragraph as well as the information below.•Melaleuca has SQL Server environments running MS SQL Server 2005, 2008, 2008 R2, and soon 2012
•We have almost 150 SQL instances in 9 global data centers
•We have around 2500 databases
•A few of our core databases are just over 1 TB in size
•Our total database storage size is roughly 43 Terabytes (TB) of data.
•Every day Melaleuca creates 1.1 TB of database backups.
•The Database Administration team manages 30 development and 9 production database environments.
•We use SSIS, SSRS, SSAS, MS SQL transactional replication, Quest Litespeed, MS Team Foundation Server, and soon MS SCCM/SCOM 2012
I'm curious. How many "bites" have you had on either of those ads?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
August 8, 2012 at 6:49 am
bsclyde (8/7/2012)
Evil Kraig F (8/2/2012)
Would you be willing to post your current version here? As I mentioned, I'm unable to see the site it's currently posted on and would be willing to review it.Ask and ye shall receive . . .
Senior SQL Database Administrator
We need a senior-level, generalist DBA that can work with three other entry- to mid-level DBAs to maintain a fairly large SQL database infrastructure and support a large developer team.
This is a Senior MS SQL Server DBA role primarily responsible for providing operational database services to the organization. A qualified candidate will fill the resident SQL Server expert role on the DBA team and be enthusiastic about the product and willing to lead and mentor others. This DBA position will work with architecture, software development, and operations teams to achieve a state-of-the-art environment that meets current and future business objectives. The position offers an above average salary (commensurate with skills and experience), good benefits, opportunities for growth, and an excellent team environment. We also offer paid relocation.
Duties and Responsibilities
•Work to come up with strategic solutions to new business directives and existing obstacles.
•Administer SQL Server instances on Windows Server clusters for availability, recoverability, and performance.
•Work frequently with software development teams on application-specific database needs.
•Responsible for administration and technical support for the development, testing, and production database environments.
•Function as an experienced technology resource in advising and participating as a team member on projects.
•Manage database access, backup, and disaster recovery issues.
•Create T-SQL scripts for DBA task automation.
•Prepare for and upgrade SQL Server installations to SQL Server 2012 and implement the new features it contains.
•Communicate complex technical information in a concise and articulate manner.
•Troubleshoot and resolve database integrity, performance, blocking, deadlocking, replication, connectivity, and access issues.
•Own, track, and resolve database related incidents and requests.
•Fulfill requests and resolve incidents within SLAs.
•Respond to database related alerts and escalations.
•Ensure continuous 24 x 7 x 365 database operation with entire DBA team (on-call rotation).
Minimum Qualifications
•5+ years experience in database administration.
•Minimum of 3 years experience with MS SQL Server 2005 or 2008.
•Experience in database design and development.
•Experience identifying, documenting, and implementing best practices in database upgrades, migrations, data management, and data governance.
•Experience monitoring and fine-tuning SQL Server system performance.
•Solid experience with T-SQL scripting and optimization.
•Solid understanding of ETL processes and techniques.
•Knowledge of indexes, index management, and statistics.
•Knowledge of database design including table structure, data types, indexing, and permissions.
•Experience in Performance Tuning and Optimization (PTO) using native monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
•Ability to learn and adapt quickly to new technologies and processes on the job.
•Ability to perform the essential duties and responsibilities with efficiency and accuracy.
•Detailed work, prioritization, and organizational skills.
•Ability to work independently and follow through on projects.
•Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive areas.
•Good written and verbal communication skills.
•Ability to work under stress.
•Performs other duties as assigned or needed.
Desired Qualifications
•Associates Degree, or higher, in Computer Science or related IT field.
•Knowledge of High Availability (HA) and Disaster Recovery (DR) options for MSSQL Server including Windows Server clustering and transactional database replication.
•Working knowledge of SSIS.
•Experience working with Windows server, including Active Directory and proper disk configurations.
•Capacity planning experience for database systems.
•Experience using MS SCOM for SQL monitoring and alerting.
•Knowledge of SSRS and SSAS.
•Experience with using MS Visual Studio and TFS to manage tasks and maintain developed solutions a plus.
I like it. If I were looking, that'd be at or near the top of my list.
- Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
Property of The Thread
"Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon
August 8, 2012 at 7:11 am
I have been on a search for a new position for almost a year. I have landed my "dream" job as a senior DBA, though!
I actually saw this listing in my search, and here is why I never sent my resume:
The list of qualifications was very long. There were so many things listed. yet, the experience required was THREE YEARS. I have been at this for 17 years, and probably don't know all of the things on this posting. My conclusion was that the salary was low.
The requirements listed for AD, disk configurations, and SCOM led me to believe that the IT department was not very structured, or very inexperienced.
Overall, the whole posting looked like a wish list, not a job description.
Michael L John
If you assassinate a DBA, would you pull a trigger?
To properly post on a forum:
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/61537/
August 8, 2012 at 12:02 pm
bsclyde,
I'm preparing a response to this but I've been a bit overwhelmed at work lately so I haven't had the time to sit with it until this morning. If you see a PM, it's probably me. 🙂
Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.
For better assistance in answering your questions[/url] | Forum Netiquette
For index/tuning help, follow these directions.[/url] |Tally Tables[/url]
Twitter: @AnyWayDBA
August 8, 2012 at 12:38 pm
Michael L John (8/8/2012)
I have been on a search for a new position for almost a year. I have landed my "dream" job as a senior DBA, though!
First, congratulations! I love my job and I'm glad you were able to find a job you love as well.
I actually saw this listing in my search, and here is why I never sent my resume:
The list of qualifications was very long. There were so many things listed. yet, the experience required was THREE YEARS. I have been at this for 17 years, and probably don't know all of the things on this posting. My conclusion was that the salary was low.
The requirements listed for AD, disk configurations, and SCOM led me to believe that the IT department was not very structured, or very inexperienced.
Overall, the whole posting looked like a wish list, not a job description.
Next, I have a question that I hope you, or anyone else willing, would help me with. No matter what you write or how you write it, a job posting is going to be interpreted different ways by different people. My question is, what from the most recent version of my job post is too much, or too vague, or in anyway would dissuade you from giving it a second look?
Don't worry about hurting my feelings; if you can dish it, I can take it, and I'll appreciate it at that.;-)
August 8, 2012 at 12:43 pm
Jeff Moden (8/7/2012)
I'm curious. How many "bites" have you had on either of those ads?
Well, from this forum post alone I've had two great candidates approach me about the job. If you're talking about the different versions of the job posting, the old-and-busted and the new-hotness, then I'm not sure. I've asked our internal recruiter, who handles all the applications and initial contacts, to get that data to me. If/when I have it I'll be happy to share.
August 8, 2012 at 12:48 pm
GSquared (8/8/2012)
I like it. If I were looking, that'd be at or near the top of my list.
Thank you! The job post is greatly improved and I couldn't have done it without the input I've received here. I appreciate all the comments as each one has helped refine the post.
August 8, 2012 at 2:05 pm
The new posting is a lot cleaner.
From a purely personal perspective, when I see requirements like this:
• Experience working with Windows server, including Active Directory and proper disk configurations.
• Experience using MS SCOM for SQL monitoring and alerting.
These IMHO, are not a DBA's direct responsibility. If the posting said something like "Understanding Windows Server, AD, and disk ... and can provide expertise blah, blah, blah, then I would have been less turned off.
To me, the DBA should be able to articulate requirements to the persons in charge of these areas, and work with them to make sure that these things are configured properly.
With that being said, I have a somewhat negative view of things based upon past experiences. I have had been a part of some very immature IT departments in the recent past. There wasn't a lot of understanding within the departments of mission critical things.
For example, the SAN administrators experience consisted of taking a 2 day class! That's it. It's the only understanding of disks/sans that he had!
I spent more time teaching him about SANs as opposed to doing DBA work.
Additionally, when I look back at interviews and the companies I have interviewed with, the better positions seemed to have very short and to the point postings. The posting for my new position was three paragraphs. The first was two sentences about the company, the second was 6 sentences about the position, and the last was three sentences on how to apply. The "details" were purposely kept to a minimum because they wanted to weed out the candidates who could study up on a listed subject, without any real knowledge, and still sound good in an interview.
Good luck!
Michael L John
If you assassinate a DBA, would you pull a trigger?
To properly post on a forum:
http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/61537/
August 8, 2012 at 2:56 pm
I haven't fully checked your web site, but one of the things I really liked about the company I now work for is that I was able to learn a lot about their benefits from their web site before I even applied.
Things like Health/Dental/Vision paid 100% by the employer for employee and dependents; 401K, fully vested in employer matching funds from day one with 100% match up to first 3% of salary.
August 9, 2012 at 2:33 pm
I've interviewed lots of people for a senior DBA position we had open sometime ago (the company later took it away). As someone said some cities have a lot of good dbas and some don't. Ours is the latter. That is one thing. Second thing is that our task is a production DBA and invovles considerable late hours and off hour work. Our company is very good in compensating people for that and you do get time off for the extra time you put in but working late itself is not optional. A huge number of candidates seemed very turned off by that. Those who were not were visa holders and such and we are restricted by HR in hiring those. Finally we went with hiring a developer as a junior and trained him to be a senior. He measured up in two years and is doing much better than a new candidate would .
August 9, 2012 at 8:35 pm
dma-669038 (8/9/2012)
Those who were not were visa holders and such and we are restricted by HR in hiring those. Finally we went with hiring a developer as a junior and trained him to be a senior. He measured up in two years and is doing much better than a new candidate would .
I love success stories like that especially since it sounds like you also know how to keep him. Very well done.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
August 9, 2012 at 9:31 pm
bsclyde (8/8/2012)
Jeff Moden (8/7/2012)
I'm curious. How many "bites" have you had on either of those ads?
Well, from this forum post alone I've had two great candidates approach me about the job. If you're talking about the different versions of the job posting, the old-and-busted and the new-hotness, then I'm not sure. I've asked our internal recruiter, who handles all the applications and initial contacts, to get that data to me. If/when I have it I'll be happy to share.
I can certainly understand getting the hits from this forum because they have the "inside" info like not having to be an "uber DBA". I'm really curious about the hits (or, possibly, lack of) against the ads because they still make it sound to me like you want a Ninja in 6 diffrent arts. Nope... not being critical. I'm trying to help you get more "hits".
Anyway, congrats on the two candidates. They do seem really hard to come by these days (I recently interviewed 12 people that claimed to be DBAs just to finally find one that actually was).
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
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