December 30, 2015 at 11:27 am
TomThomson (12/30/2015)
Jeff Moden (12/29/2015)
Lynn Pettis (12/29/2015)
Jeff Moden (12/29/2015)
I rather like the mostly unedited type of articles that are posted on SQLServerCentral. As a regular working Joe-bag-o-dunuts, I don't have a whole lot of time to go through technical reviews although I do like the hints that Steve will give me before accepting my articles for publishing.The other reason why I like them is because it does provide a source of information as to what the quality of the art in the real world is. I can actually learn a whole lot about that from a really bad article and the discussions that follow. It can be a bit bothersome though. Here at SSC, I see all the remarkably smart people that take part in many of the discussions on an article and I'm jealous that I can't find a DBA that actually knows how to get the bloody current date and time or how to do native backups and restores. Nor can I find locally someone that claims to be good at T-SQL or claims to be an expert at performance tuning. It's absolutely sickening at how low the bar is for DBAs and Developers in the real world.
Keep telling you, some of the high caliber people that you'd like to higher aren't interested in relocating to your area. Nothing against you at all, possibly about the area, and then there is their life outside of work where they currently live.
You don't actually have to keep telling me that. I already know that. 😉 I'm just expressing my amazement that the ratio of "high caliber" people to the general population is so very low in the real world... not just in Michigan.
The ratio may not be as low as you think, if your estimate is based on the people you interview and on "Nor can I find locally someone that claims to be good at T-SQL or claims to be an expert at performance tuning". There's a good proportion of high caliber people who only apply for jobs when they are personally invited by someone who knows them, so you won't be interviewing those. Then there are high-calibre people who have decided the want to work from home most of the time, or work part time, so you probably won't be interviewing those either. And my experience suggests that people who actually are good at T-SQL (or at performance tuning) are far less likely to claim to be good at it than people who are fairly incompetent at it, so what you suggest is a bad sign may actually be a good sign - and you should be well aware of that as you suffer greatly from interviewing those who claim to be good but actually haven't a clue (a pain I'm rather familiar with).
And there are those who already have positions that they are happy with, so you won't be interviewing them, unless you can entice them from their current positions with such things as better pay and remote (telecommute) work (i.e. work from home). We know that the later is remote (pun intended) as many companies believe that if you aren't sitting at a desk in their office you aren't working, unless it is a critical failure at night and you are "dialed in" from home to work the issue.
December 30, 2015 at 7:13 pm
Today, I stumbled across this blog post[/url] of Steve's. It's a really neat programming challenge, and I've decided to not only do it, but to also blog my solutions (my blog posts will start going live on Monday, 2016-01-04). It would be really neat to get others doing these puzzles also, and either blogging themselves or responding to some of the other bloggers that are doing so (I know that Andy Warren is doing this also). Maybe we should start a topic here for them?
Oh Jeff... I'm linking to some of your articles to explain some of what I'm doing.
Wayne
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server 2008
Author - SQL Server T-SQL Recipes
December 31, 2015 at 5:01 am
Right guys, I'm going quiet for a few days. I'm just about to leave my desk for the last time at this job, and will re-appear in about a week at my new job. Between that - no PC access while we go away somewhere for a break.
Yes, I have a smart phone, but I'm going to try and keep that to a minimum too.
I want to thank you all for your assistance (whether you know it or not) over the past year. When I worked as a developer I never found a community quite like this. Moving to the DBA side of the fence has re-invigorated my career and interests. The fact that I can move jobs is in no small part to down to what I have learned from SSC.
I hope you all enjoy the New Year, and that the next year brings you what you need.
December 31, 2015 at 5:04 am
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
Right guys, I'm going quiet for a few days. I'm just about to leave my desk for the last time at this job, and will re-appear in about a week at my new job. Between that - no PC access while we go away somewhere for a break.Yes, I have a smart phone, but I'm going to try and keep that to a minimum too.
I want to thank you all for your assistance (whether you know it or not) over the past year. When I worked as a developer I never found a community quite like this. Moving to the DBA side of the fence has re-invigorated my career and interests. The fact that I can move jobs is in no small part to down to what I have learned from SSC.
I hope you all enjoy the New Year, and that the next year brings you what you need.
See you next year!
December 31, 2015 at 5:56 am
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
Right guys, I'm going quiet for a few days. I'm just about to leave my desk for the last time at this job, and will re-appear in about a week at my new job. Between that - no PC access while we go away somewhere for a break.Yes, I have a smart phone, but I'm going to try and keep that to a minimum too.
Oh, congratulations! And good luck.
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
I want to thank you all for your assistance (whether you know it or not) over the past year. When I worked as a developer I never found a community quite like this. Moving to the DBA side of the fence has re-invigorated my career and interests. The fact that I can move jobs is in no small part to down to what I have learned from SSC.
Oh, this. So many times this. The SQL community has been a real boon, particularly when working in environments where you *are* on your own. Being able to reach out to those in similar situations with similar experiences makes me realise that you don't have to share a boss to consider yourself a colleague.
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
I hope you all enjoy the New Year, and that the next year brings you what you need.
Sleep? 😉
Thomas Rushton
blog: https://thelonedba.wordpress.com
December 31, 2015 at 6:53 am
Well that's me done for the year 😉
Now for the 4 hour plus drive home. Hopefully the traffic is light this afternoon.
Happy New Year all
Steve & Thomas - couldn't agree more 😀
Rodders...
December 31, 2015 at 7:06 am
Already home.
The CEO left about 2:30, and encouraged everyone who was still there to leave as well. No plans for the evening, so I think I'll play Kerbal Space and see if I can finally get a rocket to orbit. Or maybe a new game of Endless Space. Or be lazy and just play The Old Republic all evening.
Happy New Year to everyone. May your data always be clean and your queries always fast.
Gail Shaw
Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability
December 31, 2015 at 8:04 am
Happy New Year everyone!!!
I hope that 2015 was a good year for everyone and that 2016 will be an even better year.
For best practices on asking questions, please read the following article: Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help[/url]
December 31, 2015 at 8:30 am
I'm staying in tonight as well. I'll be having a great time preparing a seven-course meal for the family, which is something I really enjoy.
Everyone have a safe and Happy New Year.
December 31, 2015 at 8:30 am
Happy new year and may the source be with you.
😎
December 31, 2015 at 8:48 am
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
Right guys, I'm going quiet for a few days. I'm just about to leave my desk for the last time at this job, and will re-appear in about a week at my new job. Between that - no PC access while we go away somewhere for a break.Yes, I have a smart phone, but I'm going to try and keep that to a minimum too.
I want to thank you all for your assistance (whether you know it or not) over the past year. When I worked as a developer I never found a community quite like this. Moving to the DBA side of the fence has re-invigorated my career and interests. The fact that I can move jobs is in no small part to down to what I have learned from SSC.
I hope you all enjoy the New Year, and that the next year brings you what you need.
You are welcome, and I can't agree more. My knowledge of SQL Server as expanded greatly since I became more active here on ssc due to the mentoring of people like Jeff Moden, Gail Shaw (who still keeps setting me straight at times), and many others.
December 31, 2015 at 9:15 am
BrainDonor (12/31/2015)
Right guys, I'm going quiet for a few days. I'm just about to leave my desk for the last time at this job, and will re-appear in about a week at my new job. Between that - no PC access while we go away somewhere for a break.Yes, I have a smart phone, but I'm going to try and keep that to a minimum too.
Congratulations, Steve, on the new job. Enjoy your unplugged time off. All the best in the new job. I hope it's something you enjoy and (dare I say it) actually find fun.
December 31, 2015 at 12:34 pm
Ditto on the New Year's wishes, except to the Chinese among us who may celebrate New Year's at a slightly later date.
In which case, Happy New Year's on February 8th.
January 1, 2016 at 9:06 pm
TomThomson (12/30/2015)
Jeff Moden (12/29/2015)
Lynn Pettis (12/29/2015)
Jeff Moden (12/29/2015)
I rather like the mostly unedited type of articles that are posted on SQLServerCentral. As a regular working Joe-bag-o-dunuts, I don't have a whole lot of time to go through technical reviews although I do like the hints that Steve will give me before accepting my articles for publishing.The other reason why I like them is because it does provide a source of information as to what the quality of the art in the real world is. I can actually learn a whole lot about that from a really bad article and the discussions that follow. It can be a bit bothersome though. Here at SSC, I see all the remarkably smart people that take part in many of the discussions on an article and I'm jealous that I can't find a DBA that actually knows how to get the bloody current date and time or how to do native backups and restores. Nor can I find locally someone that claims to be good at T-SQL or claims to be an expert at performance tuning. It's absolutely sickening at how low the bar is for DBAs and Developers in the real world.
Keep telling you, some of the high caliber people that you'd like to higher aren't interested in relocating to your area. Nothing against you at all, possibly about the area, and then there is their life outside of work where they currently live.
You don't actually have to keep telling me that. I already know that. 😉 I'm just expressing my amazement that the ratio of "high caliber" people to the general population is so very low in the real world... not just in Michigan.
The ratio may not be as low as you think, if your estimate is based on the people you interview and on "Nor can I find locally someone that claims to be good at T-SQL or claims to be an expert at performance tuning". There's a good proportion of high caliber people who only apply for jobs when they are personally invited by someone who knows them, so you won't be interviewing those. Then there are high-calibre people who have decided the want to work from home most of the time, or work part time, so you probably won't be interviewing those either. And my experience suggests that people who actually are good at T-SQL (or at performance tuning) are far less likely to claim to be good at it than people who are fairly incompetent at it, so what you suggest is a bad sign may actually be a good sign - and you should be well aware of that as you suffer greatly from interviewing those who claim to be good but actually haven't a clue (a pain I'm rather familiar with).
Totally spot on, Tom. I think there are two keys here.
First, it's amazing to me what people will put on a resume even though they have no clue. That's also the most frustrating part of all of this.
Second, and it's what I forgot, the really good ones aren't the ones usually looking for jobs. Like you said/implied, they're usually happy with what they have because they can command the best to begin with and, when they are looking, they have a network of people that they work through or have already identified the exact job that they want. In any case, it's rare for a "good one" to actually have to "hit the street" looking.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
January 2, 2016 at 8:10 am
Jeff Moden (1/1/2016)
First, it's amazing to me what people will put on a resume even though they have no clue. That's also the most frustrating part of all of this.
People putting outright lies on resumes has become so common that I expect it's more normal than honesty nowadays.
Then again, the requirements have also gotten so outrageous that there's only 1 person who meets them all and they don't want to move. My favorites are the ones who want impossible experience. For example, 5 years experience with SQL Server 2014.
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