There was a lot of talk about various hybrid technologies at the recent Detroit Auto Show, with many new models being displayed that use some type of hybrid technology. There are plenty of people that don't love the technology, but my Prius has performed well for me over the last three and a half years I've had it. Who knows, I might even buy another one.

The past two or three years have been a down economy around the world. As I've traveled to meet many SQL Server professionals at events all around the US, I've found that many of them have struggled with having more work and less resources to get it done. There are also many people who have lost their jobs or had trouble finding a job. Quite a few others  have a hard time trying to get work done while worrying about their own job security.  The downturn has not been pervasive, however, and there are plenty of technical professionals for whom the last two years have been business as usual as they go to work every day.

At some point most of us will need to look for another job, and when we do, I think those of us that are well rounded DBAs will be in a good position. Data professionals often understand technology, and the business impact of data. There was some data on recent good trends in IT hiring summarized in this article that talks about job growth. In the article it mentions how there are lots of potential IT related positions where people are being hired to analyze data  and statistics, as business/IT hybrids.

I'm not sure that the idea of being a hybrid worker appeals to me, but I can see where technical and business skills are valuable for a data professional. You want to use these skills to market yourself  and bring attention to your resume.  It's why a good IT worker will learn about the business of their employer and how it works.

When you're looking for a job, showing off your business skills alongside your technical skills can give you more opportunities to choose from and hopefully help you find the job that fits you best.

Steve Jones

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