March 16, 2010 at 1:51 pm
I am being offered a job at another company as a SQL DBA.
Through 12 years of my IT career I have been an application developer and SQL Developer, but was never involved in administering SQL Server. The only administering that I have ever done is Backup and Restore on a single DB, running a SQL Profiler, and tuned a couple of indexes here and there. 😀
The company that is offering me a job is great and I would love to work for them. I have a warm spot at my current job, but feel as though it might be time to move on.
How intense is SQL DBA job is? What would be a good place to start picking up the knowledge and prevent looking like a complete buffoon during first couple of months on the new job?
Should I start crapping my pants now or wait until my first week on the job?
March 16, 2010 at 1:57 pm
Does the company have a DBA? If not, and you have absolutely no DBA experience, I would actually recommend that you turn that job offer down and suggest to them that the get someone with experience to admin their servers.
If they have a senior DBA and are bringing you in as a junior, probably fine if you don't mind having a hell of a lot to learn in a very short time.
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
March 16, 2010 at 1:58 pm
IT depends. Mainly on the environment, the company the size of the data, the number of other DBA's. I.E. you would probably do quite well in an organization that needed a junior DBA, and where you had the ability to learn from a more seasoned staff. If you are going to be the one and only DBA/Developer/SQL Guru then your hands will most likely be quite full. But then again if it's only a small shop with a tiny db or 2 that need backed up and maintennace on them is fairly minimal then you might do well.
As for learning, you've already taken the first step, participation in this community. There is a section of the articles that pertain to career and how to be a better DBA. There are novice articles and ones much more advanced. Start there are read. Become very familiar with BOL and how to search it for the information you need.
-Luke.
March 16, 2010 at 2:13 pm
The company does not have a DBA right now. As I understand, the PM is in charge of being a DBA for the time being.
Thanks for your input.
March 16, 2010 at 2:14 pm
I agree with the others that it depends. How did you get offered the position? Did you interview and was the interview for a sr or jr position?
Never having been a DBA before, there is a lot to learn and expectations should be really high. I would certainly proceed with caution.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
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March 16, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Do you know how many SQL servers they have? Or how many databases? What is/are SQL server instances usd for?
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March 16, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I did interview with them. The interview wasn't very technical. I have answered all the basic questions.
From all the people they interviewed (I don't know how many), they picked me. So, I am kind of at the cross-roads here. :w00t:
March 16, 2010 at 2:20 pm
They have about 5-7 databases running on 2 servers. All databases are OLTP used by various applications that support their daily business operations.
March 16, 2010 at 2:22 pm
If you haven't done so already, you might want to ask the person(s) that now acts as DBA fo talk to you about they typically have to do on a daily/weekly/monthly bases. Ask him/her/them about what problems had occurred recently, how often problems occur, etc .....
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March 16, 2010 at 2:25 pm
I would confirm with them what level of position this is to be. Also, confirm the environment and team. These things are necessary.
There should be no rush to hire somebody. If they press real hard to hire, I might reconsider for that fact alone.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
March 16, 2010 at 2:29 pm
CirquedeSQLeil,
Why do you say that? Please explain.
March 16, 2010 at 2:39 pm
If they are pressing real hard to hire someone, then something is likely breaking. You may be the best candidate they have interviewed, but maybe they are in desperate measures to get somebody in-house as the DBA - even if that person hasn't been a DBA in the past.
If there is no team, you are expected to be a Senior DBA, you have never been a DBA, and they are desperate - then you have a perfect storm for a job that you may dislike very fast.
It's all part of the considerations. Tell them you want to think about the offer for a week. See how they react. If you like your job and are not desperate for a job yourself - then you have control of the situation.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
March 16, 2010 at 2:41 pm
If they're pressing to urgently hire, it means they are desperate, probably means they have problems that they need solving. Not a good situation to walk into as a complete beginner.
Generally companies won't hire DBAs without experience. Letting someone with no practical admin experience be fully responsible for important, valuable assets (databases) that are critical to a business is not something most companies are comfortable doing
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
March 16, 2010 at 2:47 pm
GilaMonster (3/16/2010)
If they're pressing to urgently hire, it means they are desperate, probably means they have problems that they need solving. Not a good situation to walk into as a complete beginner.Generally companies won't hire DBAs without experience. Letting someone with no practical admin experience be fully responsible for important, valuable assets (databases) that are critical to a business is not something most companies are comfortable doing
Unless they are desperate or undervalue their data.
Jason...AKA CirqueDeSQLeil
_______________________________________________
I have given a name to my pain...MCM SQL Server, MVP
SQL RNNR
Posting Performance Based Questions - Gail Shaw[/url]
Learn Extended Events
March 16, 2010 at 2:50 pm
Falcon00, I'm going to answer you're PM here.
If the answers to the questions I was asking indicate that you're gonna have to do a lot that you're not familiar with then you have to ask yourself if you're ready for that. If everything is going pretty well and there are very few problems then it doesn't sound as scary and I'd be more likely to make the move .......
BUT, even if the current workload has been light, it doesn't mean that it will always be that way. The current situation should have a proper DBA, which they don't have, and you are not. Are you ready to become that DBA? Are you ready to do all that learning? (Find out what they're willing to do for training?) What are you going to do if one you 2nd day you have a corrupt database? (Your 1st sentence better not have the word SSIS in it!) Are you ready for the challenge?
This could be a great opportunity, or it could be a great mistake. Which one should you choose? It depends ....
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