Just two days after I proudly framed and hung my first Oracle OCP certification on my cubicle wall, one of my colleagues hung a Dilbert cartoon right next to it. The Dilbert went something like this.
In the first frame Dilbert is having trouble with his computer. A superhero in tights with a Capital C on his chest tells Dilbert “Step away from the server, I am certified!” In the next frame, our superhero sits down in front of the computer, Dilbert now watching over his shoulder, and says “I SUMMON THE VAST POWER OF CERTIFICATION!” In the last frame, the superhero realizes he doesn’t know what to do and admits, “This is embarrassing — that’s all I remember from the classes.”
This is part two of a three-part tip series for the DBA job seeker. Click here to read part one, “Acing the DBA job interview: Getting Back to Basics.”
In my first article of this series, “Acing the DBA job interview: Getting Back to Basics,” I focused on providing details about how to get a good job as a DBA. The objective of this article is to concentrate on what to do after you get the job.
With the constant pressure to reduce IT costs, DBAs can no longer afford to be viewed as cost center overhead. Instead, DBAs must strive to be recognized and prove their value to the organization. This article will focus on both the technical (hard) and non-technical (soft) skills you will need to survive as a DBA. I will also provide suggestions on how to deal with management and ensure job security by consistently adding bottom-line value. So get ready to step out of the traditional DBA role, go beyond the basic database administration tasks, and prove yourself as an invaluable corporate asset.
This is part one of a three-part tip series for the DBA job seeker. Click here to read part two, “DBA 102: Beyond the basics.”
It may surprise you that DBAs, and most IT-related positions for that matter, are again in high demand, much like they were during the dot-com era. There is an alarming shortage of talent. This shortage is due to many factors, including the retirement of the baby boomers and the subsequent decline in college degrees in IT. The market is quickly turning from an employer-friendly to an employee-friendly market. But let’s not celebrate just yet.
Since the Monday morning announcement of the Oracle-Sun deal, we’ve already heard a lot about how the merger will affect Oracle: how it will in a wide range of software and hardware markets, and help it better compete against other archrivals in the , for example.
