I spent nine years as a mainframe programmer, working with COBOL, DB2, JCL, etc. Now that I’m back looking for a job again, I want to do something different: SQL Server DBA. The only problem is, other than going through a well-written book and the aforementioned DB2 experience (from the programmer’s side), I have no real database experience. This is a job in which I would be the sole DBA (and 24/7 on-call, which I don’t like, but am willing to accept).
I’m enthusiastic about database programming, and I’m willing to learn, and I think I’d love to be in charge of a company’s entire system. I also worked on one of the largest retail databases out there, so I’m familiar with large systems. But again, my lack of experience is pretty obvious.
I’ve seen what is pretty much my old job online (different company, but almost identical skills), and I could probably command an even larger salary than this not-exactly-low-paying job since the kind of experience I have is somewhat specialized, but I just can’t bear to do mainframe programming again if I can help it.
Should I try to be a SQL Server DBA?
No opinions? Even if you’re not involved in this particular field, I’d also like to hear from people in a hiring position. What do you think of job applicants applying for jobs they’re under-qualified but enthusiastic for.
Not a hiring authority, but I like offering unsolicited advice. How about emphasize your total package: play up your 9 years of SQL language knowledge (DB2) and your professionalism. By that I mean that you’ve proven that you can work with minimal supervision, keep supervisors abreast of issues, and stuff like that. You know, bring your big systems’ discipline to the small system. People can pick up skills but not good work habits.
Just as you see how easy it is to pick up SQL Server, so have many others. Others who haven’t had official training on “proper” ways to do things, like appropriately normalizing a database, properly maintaining security at the system and database levels, and updating data dictionaries in a timely manner. Yeah, there are a lot of poseurs in SQL-Serverland; make yourself stand out as the systems professional you are.
Sure, why not…what can it hurt to apply? If they have specific needs it’s incumbent on them to vet you properly for the position. At the interview, make sure you find out exactly what will be required of you, and decide if you’re willing to deal with learning everything involved.
Good luck!
Well, if you’re clamoring for posts…
I’m neither a hire-er nor a DBA but I work with plenty of people in various divisions of IT who are hired to do jobs they don’t know how to do. They may be hired because of charisma or similar experience or because of HR people who don’t understand the positions they are hiring for. Whatever the reason, there’s plenty of those sorts of people out there.
So, when I read a post like this, it makes me cringe a little. Enthusiasm is nice but nothing beats experience or real knowledge.
That being said, everyone has to start somewhere. As long as you are admitting to yourself that you have a lot to learn, put in the extra work to do the learning, and don’t go all cocky on people you interact with (“Don’t try to tell me I’m wrong about this database, young man! I worked with COBOL for nine years!”) then you would be fine to switch IT fields.
We work with three types of “IT Professionals” -
- People who are smart and know exactly what they’re doing.
- People who are smart but admit they don’t know what they’re doing, and we help them out and they end up looking good.
- People who are neither smart nor admit they don’t know what they’re doing, and refuse to take our advice.
People in category 3 get their support tickets and calls ignored. They drive our staff nuts and we rip on them heartily. And they also have a very good chance of getting replaced by a cheaper consultant from our company who can very easily point out their flaws to their bosses.
So, don’t lie to yourself or your potential new bosses. Be humble and you will be ok.
I try to minimize the stress in my life, and I hate looking like an idiot, so the idea of lying to make myself look better than I am boggles my mind. I try to straddle that line between appearing confident about myself while not over-representing my skills (I’m more likely to deemphasize a skill if I don’t feel I know it very well.)
My husband got his last job, even though he probably knew the answers to less than half the very, very technical questions the manager asked him, because he willingly said, “I don’t know.” She was so tired of people trying to bullshit her (on the assumption that as a manager she didn’t know anything) that his honesty was refreshing.
I plan to do the same, though obviously, the more I do know, the better my chances. I’ll be studying hard between now and any interviews I get called for.