July 3, 2008 at 8:57 am
TheSQLGuru (7/3/2008)
...a good bit of those will get weeded out due to inability to communicate (at all levels) effectively and/or lack of leadership abilities.
Strongly agree. These traits are very important. Plus, attitude = 100%
July 3, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Be carefully about advancing too far up the ladder. I know of companies (names with held for obvious reasons) that have promoted DBA's to titles like 'System Architect' in good times, but in a economic down turn look at the guts of their operations and how critical is todays and tomorrows running of their databases and rate it as crucial. Looking at an Architect's role and future planning is judged to be currently not critical, and so to cut expenses they sacrifice the future for keeping afloat, on the basis that they can always find a new System Architect when the economy improves. Short sighted I agree, but in the current atmosphere top managers look at near term profit and stock price. Gotta keep the investors happy.
June 25, 2010 at 4:48 am
Very good advise about architects being the first to be cut! So keep your day-to-day skills strong just in case 🙂
I must admit, that over the last 2-3 weeks I have been asking myself the same question (Whats next for a DBA?). I started off as a SQL developer, then to DEV & TEST admin, then full PROD admin, then snr DBA... Now I am contracting - I just had enough of companies trying to push me into "management" type roles.
Contracting is good money, but the problem is that generally companies just want to keep you busy, so you end up with the boring work.
For me, I am looking more towards the Infrastructure architecture type of work, so more knowledge and a better understanding of SANs, Virtual Technologies (ESX hosting) and Data Warehousing.
June 27, 2010 at 5:13 pm
koln (1/11/2008)
So now that you have climbed the ladder to Sr. SQL DBA....what is a next logical career choice...what do people do afterwards ?
What kind of shop are you working on?
Are you supporting either a very large, very critical OLTP application or a multi-terabyte Data Warehouse?
If no... find a job in a shop dealing with really critical/large stuff - there is the place where boys and men get sorted out.
If yes... think what are you good at? ... is it management? is it architecting? if neither calls your attention ain't nothing wrong in remaining a cutting edge really good Senior DBA for the rest of your career.
_____________________________________
Pablo (Paul) Berzukov
Author of Understanding Database Administration available at Amazon and other bookstores.
Disclaimer: Advice is provided to the best of my knowledge but no implicit or explicit warranties are provided. Since the advisor explicitly encourages testing any and all suggestions on a test non-production environment advisor should not held liable or responsible for any actions taken based on the given advice.June 28, 2010 at 5:09 am
PaulB-TheOneAndOnly (6/27/2010).... if neither calls your attention ain't nothing wrong in remaining a cutting edge really good Senior DBA for the rest of your career.
and there in lies the problem... generally speaking, if you are very god on technical side, its because you have always pushed to learn/understand more, thrive under pressure, etc. To just "sit" in a job and wait is rather boring....
I know that for me, I need to be challenged or I lose interest and thats not far to me or the company I am working for.
June 28, 2010 at 5:29 am
grahamc (6/28/2010)
and there in lies the problem... generally speaking, if you are very god on technical side, its because you have always pushed to learn/understand more, thrive under pressure, etc. To just "sit" in a job and wait is rather boring...
Even when this is not my particular case I do respect the decision of a handful of really good technical people that have taken the decision of staying in the trench.
I don't get the "boring" part, post appears to assume that after a while there is nothing new to learn and challenges just decide to go and bother other people.
_____________________________________
Pablo (Paul) Berzukov
Author of Understanding Database Administration available at Amazon and other bookstores.
Disclaimer: Advice is provided to the best of my knowledge but no implicit or explicit warranties are provided. Since the advisor explicitly encourages testing any and all suggestions on a test non-production environment advisor should not held liable or responsible for any actions taken based on the given advice.June 28, 2010 at 8:11 am
PaulB-TheOneAndOnly (6/28/2010)
grahamc (6/28/2010)
and there in lies the problem... generally speaking, if you are very god on technical side, its because you have always pushed to learn/understand more, thrive under pressure, etc. To just "sit" in a job and wait is rather boring...Even when this is not my particular case I do respect the decision of a handful of really good technical people that have taken the decision of staying in the trench.
I don't get the "boring" part, post appears to assume that after a while there is nothing new to learn and challenges just decide to go and bother other people.
I would prefer to remain 🙂
Maybe not completely, but few and further between. Obviously theres always new versions, etc. However most of the requests/projects received have been seen (and done) before.
Hope that makes sense.......
June 29, 2010 at 6:00 am
Currently working on my Masters in Technology Mgmt, and afterwards pursing a Director role in a organization! :w00t:
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