Discussion on:

Companies are desperate for DBAs

DBA Programs: Is there a ranking of DBA programs ? Do any of the strong programs offering on-line degrees ?

DBA's: Please don't laugh.I am offered a NYC job paying $24,000.If I go to school and get my BA in Computer Engineering I am looking at $60-$100,000.I read the article on DBA's and was amazed at the salary.But Don't know if I should take the City Job.I don't have to worry about rent or food I am sable there.But I don't want to make the wrong move.I look at live like chess.You always protect,defend,and conquer.How can I Get the DBA experience,knowledge and pay with out the long years in school?

Agree: DBAs in demand: I am a consultant specializing in System and Data Architecture especially DBA work. Falling back on my DBA skills has allowed me the freedom to work anywhere at anytime. I agree that with a strong DBA background, one never has to worry about where the next paycheque comes from. Additionally, the more databases you know, the more valuable and marketable you are. It is well worth the constant study to keep current on DBA skills.

I am a Technical Recruiter with a company in South Florida. We have numerous requirements for SQL DBA's and can't seem to find them. We offer a referral fee of $1,000 to anyone who refers a DBA to us. All that you need to do is refer a good candidate who gets hired by one of the local clients. Know anyone? We have both regular, full time and consulting positions available.

Okay.. but how do I become one?: It's all about that first job... I'm a Tech with a solid 3 years of network, and PC troubleshooting behind me. I'm good at what I do, but I want to make the next step. So how do I start?? Back to school? Fine... But what classes? Just take Unix and Oracle and SQL and hope someone will hire a guy with no experience? Any thoughts out there? How did YOU start out?

What is the pay difference for a person with a MCDBA without a college degree? Verse a Person with a college degree without MCDBA?

So you want to be a DBA. My wife went in the military as a programmer and was sent to a DBA shop. She got out with four years of solid Sysbase experience and a lot of incredible training. I was in also in and got two years of Oracle and two yearsof network engineering plus I finished my degree shortly afterwards. We both are DBAs now and she is being groomed to be an Assistant Vice President at one of the nations largest banks without a degree. We make the same salary now, but that will probably change shortly, but I still have stock options. My point is, one way or another you have to pay your dues, no one is just going to give you 50-60K out the door just because you know what DBA stands for. If money is your motivator, I can guarantee you won't like the work. You just need to get your foot in the door and that will only happen with experience; be it college or in our cases the military. I work in a shop of about 10 DBAs and several analysts; if you have any experience, weare always looking just like everyone else. The only places I know that is willing to let you crash their DBs while you're learning are colleges and the military everyone else has too much invested in them to allow a rookie to take them down.

Good Luck,
Chuck Williams
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Compass Technology Management, LLC
Financial DBA/SA
HVY_W8@hotmial.com

I'll first up front say good for you. But I'll bet you didn't realize the military was"willing to let you crash" their database until you got a real DBA job. Thanx for the databases you left me though, they are proving to be excellent training opportunities.

I guess I was lucky, My company offered me a position as help desk support and $6000.00 to educate my self in any training course I desired. I choose MCDBA as the courses due to the fact they were going from oracle to SQL 7.0 for their back end database, I discussed it with my boss and upon completion and Certification the DBA slot would be mine, Right now they are in the development stage of SQL and I am right there with our consultants looking,learning and giving my 2 cents worth over their shoulder. When SQL goes into production December this year well then it becomes my baby. But to answer your question try the MCDBA course first, See is you like what you are getting into, then study study study not just SQL, but the language that corresponds to it like XML, which now is growing in leaps and bounds to be the "new" language of this century.

I've been a DBA for seven+ years using the MS SQL Server and Sybase SQL Server. Spent a couple of years with Sybase also. I've been in the IT business for 14 years. The first seven years were spent targeting my DBA role. That is to say I first payedmy dues coding applications, then applications that had interfaces to databases, then I moved on to databases.

In my experience it is the rare individual who comes out of school and is handed a DBA slot. In fact, I've yet to see it but I've heardtell about it.

By the way, the article was not exactly on the money. Yes! DBA's are in demand but the demands usually exceed the DBA's skill set. That's why a few make 300/hr and most do not. Think of it like application programming. All programmers know how to code but how many know how to code using JAVA or C++ etc. Same with a DBA. We all know SQL or have admin skills but how many can tune queries or understand replication or distributed transactions etc.

I suppose what I'm saying is the more skills an employer seeks in one person the less likely the employer is to find that person - but that's another thread, isn't it?

I have nearly three years of solid oracle DBA experience and over 8 years of IT experience. I am looking for a challenging DBA position in the Bay Area, DC. But I am finding that the market is really down. Any comments or any help?

Thanks

I can't find any suitable jobs. I'm willing to relocate to any of the Caribbean islands or Bermuda, but even with my 9 years DBA experience I have not been able to find an agency to represent me (or an employer looking for me).
eugene_gardner@yahoo.com

I recently went back to school to get my CIS (computer information systems) degree and am thinking about which specific IT career I would ultimately like to pursue. I have about 7 years experience with MS-Access (although I don't know SQL). I can design a database, reports, input screens, queries, etc. Does the Access experience help me if I'm looking at a career as a DBA? If so, what programming languages should I be specifically targeting - SQL, C++, Java... what? I also have basic HTML skills and I used to know a little UNIX. (It's rusty but would come back.) Is the usual route to being a DBA first working as help desk support?

Thanks!
Lisa

am a DBA with oracle certification in sql and oca.