January 30, 2015 at 8:34 am
Jeff Moden (1/30/2015)
Sean Lange (1/30/2015)
Jeff Moden (1/29/2015)
Sean Lange (1/29/2015)
Alan.B (1/29/2015)
I am certainly not anywhere at the same DBA skill level as say Jeff, Gail or Sean...Gosh I am humbled to be grouped with those two in such a context. I have never even had a job as a DBA.
I don't believe either you or Alan give yourselves enough credit. I've interviewed a whole lot of people in the last 3 years and only one out of more than a dozen people claiming "more than 10 years experience" as a DBA could hold a candle to either of you two.
I would fail miserably as a DBA currently. I have no knowledge or experience with any of the administration tasks. As a sql developer I would be totally confident.
I don't believe you would fail as a DBA. You might start off a bit slow because you've not done it before but the same attitude that made you a good SQL Developer would make you a good DBA. If you were suddenly thrown into the position as the only DBA at a company, you would hunker down, find out what you needed to know, and then do what is needed to be done because that's your nature. Your knowledge of T-SQL would make getting up to speed a whole lot easier. You'd make an outstanding "Hybrid DBA".
You'd also have the advantage of having been a strong SQL Developer and would, therefor, be able to mentor and guide Developers (database or front end). I've not found many DBAs in my area of the country than can or would do that.
I have considered trying to switch to a purely sql based job but my lack of experience makes it difficult. I have not seen any listings for a sql developer position around here. The other challenge is I don't want to move and need flexibility in scheduling due to my involvement with coaching kids sports and scouts. I also make a good salary and live just more than 10 minutes from work. In short, I love the idea of working in a more sql centric environment but have no real interest in leaving the company I work for. 😉
_______________________________________________________________
Need help? Help us help you.
Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.
Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/
January 30, 2015 at 8:46 am
Heh... agreed. There's a lot to be said for all of that and not suggesting a move. Just suggesting that you'd make a better DBA than a whole lot of people than the ones that think they're a DBA according to the interviews I've conducted over the last 2-3 years.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 30, 2015 at 8:50 am
Jeff Moden (1/30/2015)
Heh... agreed. There's a lot to be said for all of that and not suggesting a move. Just suggesting that you'd make a better DBA than a whole lot of people than the ones that think they're a DBA according to the interviews I've conducted over the last 2-3 years.
I am not at all surprised by that. I have read from lots of people around here (especially you) that interviewing has been painful the last few years. The ones about a "DBA" who can't come up with any of the ways to get the current system date are amazing.
_______________________________________________________________
Need help? Help us help you.
Read the article at http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Best+Practices/61537/ for best practices on asking questions.
Need to split a string? Try Jeff Modens splitter http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Tally+Table/72993/.
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 1 – Converting Rows to Columns - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/T-SQL/63681/
Cross Tabs and Pivots, Part 2 - Dynamic Cross Tabs - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/Crosstab/65048/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 1) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69953/
Understanding and Using APPLY (Part 2) - http://www.sqlservercentral.com/articles/APPLY/69954/
January 30, 2015 at 9:00 am
S_Kumar_S (1/30/2015)
I don't want to move. NO. I have always loved SQL Server and I still do, absolutely. All I wanted to know if people have done something bigger in SQL side apart from doing a routine DBA/Developer job. e.g. I know few people have opened agencies which provide training content to Microsoft on SQl Server exclusively.On similar lines,I was curious what other things people have done with SQL and how they have found that.
Understood. But that's the whole thing. I don't consider my job as a DBA/Developer ( I do both plus heavily involved in design ) to be "routine" in any way, shape, or form. Every day brings new challenges and successes and the occasional failure that has to be turned around into a success. I'm also a "tool maker" in that I write a lot of SQL that has/will become tools for the Developers and the DAs (they're responsible for a whole lot of ETL). Together, we pull off small miracles sometimes on a daily basis.
When I was hired, I could have sat in isolation and "just" been a DBA. I'll admit that would be horribly boring. Instead, I sit smack dab in the middle of the front end developers and take part in the DA daily scrums as well as being heavily involved with the infrastructure team. Not only does that allow me to identify areas that I can help in but it also gives me a heads up on what's coming down the pipe so that I can make sure that the servers are ready for additional "loads" without even being asked.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 30, 2015 at 9:46 am
There is no landing, senior or not. There are only stops along the path of your career.
As you gain experience, and talent, you will have more, and fewer choices, but it's all up to you. If you expect to constantly gain salary, you will find that harder and harder over time. That's the nature of any business. The best artist/athlete/programmer will reach a place where they can't necessarily raise the market price for their services. If you look at money as a measure, you will be disappointed at some time. Not that money isn't important, but keep things in perspective. The more you want to get paid, the fewer people that will afford you.
At the same time, the challenges and opportunities at a job may matter to you. If you always want a harder problem, you'll find the same limitations at some point.
Some people are restless and want to look for something new all the time, above all else. If that's you, I would think you should consider consulting, either with someone or by yourself. Which you choose probably depends on your tolerance for the non-technical parts of a business.
Some people value stability, and if you value that highly, you'll sacrifice some challenge and excitement. However stability is very relative these days, and you need to keep that in mind.
I have moved back and forth from consulting to FTE, and like both, but I tend to value the co-workers I have and environment more than other things. I have to enjoy going to work. I find the DBA/developer job to be pretty much the same in most places, but my co-workers make the difference.
It's too to investigate and consider other options, but don't think of this as the game of Life, with a few choices and an ending point. There are many paths, many directions to go. Some may cross, but many do not.
January 30, 2015 at 11:02 am
Steve Jones - SSC Editor (1/30/2015)
There is no landing, senior or not. There is only stops along the path of your career.As you gain experience, and talent, you will have more, and fewer choices, but it's all up to you. If you expect to constantly gain salary, you will find that harder and harder over time. That's the nature of any business. The best artist/athlete/programmer will reach a place where they can't necessarily raise the market price for their services. If you look at money as a measure, you will be disappointed at some time. Not that money isn't important, but keep things in perspective. The more you want to get paid, the fewer people that will afford you.
At the same time, the challenges and opportunities at a job may matter to you. If you always want a harder problem, you'll find the same limitations at some point.
Some people are restless and want to look for something new all the time, above all else. If that's you, I would think you should consider consulting, either with someone or by yourself. Which you choose probably depends on your tolerance for the non-technical parts of a business.
Some people value stability, and if you value that highly, you'll sacrifice some challenge and excitement. However stability is very relative these days, and you need to keep that in mind.
I have moved back and forth from consulting to FTE, and like both, but I tend to value the co-workers I have and environment more than other things. I have to enjoy going to work. I find the DBA/developer job to be pretty much the same in most places, but my co-workers make the difference.
It's too to investigate and consider other options, but don't think of this as the game of Life, with a few choices and an ending point. There are many paths, many directions to go. Some may cross, but many do not.
Wow! I'm thinking you just wrote a great editorial. You should turn it into one.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 30, 2015 at 12:39 pm
Is there a part of me that would like to move up into a more management level position, possibly. Problem is I enjoy working with MS SQL Server and would find it difficult to move into a position where I would have to "give up" that hands on with SQL Server.
I have been involved with MS SQL Server since 1996 starting with SQL Server 6.5. I have used every version up to SQL Server 2008 R2 in a production environment and watched this product mature and expand. Even with all this time with the product, I am no expert. I consider myself a hybrid DBA with experience doing both DBA work and Database Development. I like this type of position but would like to lean more toward development and performance tuning. I also wouldn't mind leading a team of DBA/Database Developers as long as I could keep my hands in the work.
I will say that working in a more production environment supporting US and Coalition forces here in Afghanistan has been an extraordinary learning experience both supporting the database for our application in multiple sites but finding ways to improve performance through better queries or indexing schemes, which ever could be implemented with the least effort.
I have also gained much insight into what more could be done to improve management of the systems given time to develop the necessary policies, procedures, and even infrastructure to support more automated management. I am hoping that I can start working on some of this when I get back to CONUS. These are things I could also apply with other companies if I don't stay with my current employer.
As our foot print here in Afghanistan has shrunk we seem to have more time with less systems to support, but that isn't really the case as we also have fewer people to the same amount of work. You know, do more with less.
January 30, 2015 at 12:42 pm
You've also picked up on some new lingo. I don't know very many people that haven't actually been in the military that actually knows what "CONUS" means.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 30, 2015 at 12:46 pm
Jeff Moden (1/30/2015)
You've also picked up on some new lingo. I don't know very many people that haven't actually been in the military that actually knows what "CONUS" means.
Well, it helps I served four years in the Air Force 1978 - 1982 including a tour in England from 1979 to 1981.
How many non-military people also know that Hawaii and Alaska are considered overseas assignments.
January 30, 2015 at 12:57 pm
Jeff Moden (1/30/2015)
Heh... agreed. There's a lot to be said for all of that and not suggesting a move. Just suggesting that you'd make a better DBA than a whole lot of people than the ones that think they're a DBA according to the interviews I've conducted over the last 2-3 years.
Maybe we could do a mini interview at PASS 2015. I'd be interested to see if I could answer some of the questions you'd ask me in a real interview. Not looking to move from Colorado Springs at the moment since my youngest will be a senior in high school next school year and I promised her I'd be home for her senior year.
January 30, 2015 at 2:32 pm
From my opinion as a newbie to the scene with only 2 years of SQL Server experience under my belt, I think the issue is more with narrow specialized focuses that cause people to hit a ceiling. People like me who dabble in multiple technologies seem to have a greater flexibility to alter their path that may have an alternating ceiling versus the other to make it seem like there is always something more on the horizon.
And to me, I think that's where you may feel sort of boxed in because you have chosen the path to become a master. The only alternatives to reach a higher ceiling is either switching careers to something that has a higher ceiling, becoming management in your current career, starting your own business doing what you love to do or switching projects to at least change the color of said ceiling to where you think it's higher.
January 30, 2015 at 3:37 pm
Jeff Moden (1/30/2015)
Wow! I'm thinking you just wrote a great editorial. You should turn it into one.
Thought about that as well 😉
Glad you like it.
February 2, 2015 at 11:37 am
I have reached the peak of what I want to do. I like being a senior DBA. I have been a DBA since 1993.. first with Mainframe DB2, started with SQL Server in 1996 and had a junior role with Oracle from 2002-2006. I see myself staying with this until it is time to retire... There is enough change with new versions, new projects, upgrades, new features to keep my interest peaked. I have NO desire to be a manager. I am content being a DBA.
Also of note, I started off my working career as a Data Entry operator, then a Tape Librarian, then a Computer Operator, then into the DBA group.
February 2, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Market in midwest is great for any dba. I have been a SQL DBA for 20 years. I did a lateral change recently, pay the same with a little less stress. Been doing this long enough to realize that work is just that never want it to be my life. After 50 and you start seeing people you know show up in the obituaries you realize all the certifications and money won't do you much good when your dead. If you want to be the blowhard at the SQL conferences that has to be listened to for affirmation go for it. If I was hiring a guy starting out now I want someone with good technical skills with a good work ethic. You can't google an answer for hard work. Even after 20 years remember you can learn alot more by listening than talking.
February 2, 2015 at 11:14 pm
tcronin 95651 (2/2/2015)
If you want to be the blowhard at the SQL conferences that has to be listened to for affirmation go for it.
You sound a bit sour there (maybe rightfully so). What made you sour on that and why do you think that people present at conferences just to be listened to for affirmation?
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 58 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply