August 11, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Hi All!
I've recently attended two SQL Saturdays which fueled my interest in SQL which lead to a MCTS: SQL 2008 certification. I've been working in IT for almost three years in a windows shop eating up as many technologies as I could get my hands on before deciding SQL is where I want to be. Any advice on how I can move on to a Jr. DBA position? Most of my searches lead me to jobs that require at least some degree of real-world experience. Any help would be much appreciated!
August 11, 2009 at 2:03 pm
http://www.brentozar.com/archive/2009/04/how-to-get-a-junior-dba-job-part-1/
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
August 11, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Don't lie about your experience, with something as technical as SQL it will become apparent VERY quickly how much you know and it only irritates people when they find out they've been lied to. Highlight your real world experiences with SQL. Certification is good, but I've never hired on certifications (thats me), that proves you can study and take a test, not necessarily do the work. Thats not to take shots at those who are certified, but I ALWAYS look at experience as a major factor and certfications as much more minor.
Technical interviews are also a tricky beast. You can give a PERFECT technical answer but if it isn't what the interviewer was looking for, it might just be "wrong". The interviewers bias plays into it. I had an interview that I came out of knowing I gave very accurate answers, but I still wasn't sure till later that they were the "right" answers..
CEWII
August 11, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Thanks! Great link!!
August 11, 2009 at 2:50 pm
One other piece of advice that may sound strange. If you get a job offer and find that you'll be the sole DBA, run away. Learning by trial and error is fine in some jobs, but not when dealing with production databases.
Ideally what you want to get is a job with a company that has a strong senior DBA or team of DBAs, so that you can learn the ropes from them.
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
August 11, 2009 at 2:55 pm
That's excellent advice. Ultimately, I suppose I'll just have to throw a bunch of resumes against the wall and see what sticks. Thanks again, man.
August 11, 2009 at 10:20 pm
cstewart (8/11/2009)
Ultimately, I suppose I'll just have to throw a bunch of resumes against the wall and see what sticks.
That's not exactly the advice that was given nor the attitude that I'd want from a DBA, Junior or otherwise.
--Jeff Moden
Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.
August 16, 2009 at 5:16 am
Dont mind Jeff, if you want my advice, your 1st step is to sort out your CV, your CV gets you into the interview where you can sell yourself. If you are totally serious about doing database management and want to be a DBA, you will achieve it. if nothing else you should have knowledge of databases, whether it is a SQL Server or even Microsoft Access. the principles are basically the same. If you can show on your CV that you have some database knowledge, and are willing to learn in a professional environment, you will be taken more seriously.
Noone gets hired in my opinion purely on certification, it is a a complement to existing experience not a replacement. I have been working with databases a very long time, without any certification, academic qualifications and without attending any training courses. the only thing that matters is dedication and the aptitude, if you have that, you will get taken on somewhere.
So my advice to you, is get books on sql server, download and read some of the excellent e-books and articles on this site and download trial versions of sql server and try and learn as much as you can. be honest about your experience and knowledge of databases on your cv, and when you do get a interview, be honest about your expectations and if you come across as genuine, you will get your chance. based on other comments, dont apply for lone dba jobs, you wont get them and if you did, you wont last very long, and things that like can ruin it for you.
anyways good luck with your hunting.
~Silverfox~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[highlight]Recommended Articles on How to help us help you and[/highlight]
[highlight]solve commonly asked questions[/highlight]
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help by Jeff Moden[/url]
Managing Transaction Logs by Gail Shaw[/url]
How to post Performance problems by Gail Shaw[/url]
Help, my database is corrupt. Now what? by Gail Shaw[/url]
August 17, 2009 at 4:39 am
Get a range of books on the subject. See if there are any free conferences \ events you can go to. These are great places to meet people and you may find people offering help to get you on your way. You may even impress someone enough they consider taking you on based on your helathy attitude to learning.
Ells.
😎
August 17, 2009 at 4:55 am
Cannot agree more 😎
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[highlight]Recommended Articles on How to help us help you and[/highlight]
[highlight]solve commonly asked questions[/highlight]
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help by Jeff Moden[/url]
Managing Transaction Logs by Gail Shaw[/url]
How to post Performance problems by Gail Shaw[/url]
Help, my database is corrupt. Now what? by Gail Shaw[/url]
August 17, 2009 at 8:56 am
I certainly wasn't being literal by mindlessly throwing resumes about. I am very well educated and I take seriously my career. Hence me hanging around SQLServerCentral.com!
Thanks Silverfox. It was never my intent to get a certification to surplant real experience. Actually, I had tuition reimbursement that needed to be used this year so I decided to use it to get training/certification on SQL 2008. Again, garnering more interest in SQL and a dba transition. For some reason, I have this strange feeling that most DBAs were born into the position. Haha.
In any event, SQL Saturday's really got me motivated so now I'm a groupie 😛
August 18, 2009 at 8:14 am
Glad to hear it. good luck going forward.
~Silverfox~
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[highlight]Recommended Articles on How to help us help you and[/highlight]
[highlight]solve commonly asked questions[/highlight]
Forum Etiquette: How to post data/code on a forum to get the best help by Jeff Moden[/url]
Managing Transaction Logs by Gail Shaw[/url]
How to post Performance problems by Gail Shaw[/url]
Help, my database is corrupt. Now what? by Gail Shaw[/url]
Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply