Featured Article(s)
Tips for using SQL Server 2005 configuration options (Part 2)
Here you can find some useful tips to use SQL Server 2005 configuration options.
Last Day to Register – Accidental DBA vWorkshop
Tomorrow’s the Day!
The Accidental DBA vWorkshop is Thursday Sept 10 starting at 9:00a – it’s going to be a great group of people at the workshop!
[Register Here] and take advantage of the price drop.
Not sure? Check out the outline of the course on the site. Get it here.
New Prizes… And So Easy To Win!
Each month we’ll be giving away memberships at SSWUG just for those that are in the forums! If you post a question, you get a drawing entry. Post an answer, another one. It’s that simple. We’ll be holding the drawings very regularly and each and every time you post, you’ll be re-entered. Check out the forums here.
Making Choices for Career Direction
Some really great advice continues to come in from many different people. David writes "One approach is to investigate which area currently brings the highest salary or consulting fee.
Another approach is to attempt to predict the future in order to figure out what specialty will be in demand and provide continuous employment over your career.
My suggestion is to look into yourself, your knacks, preferences, and passions.
Knacks: What comes most easily to you? What are your special skills? Instead of seeing this as taking the easy way out, think of it as making the most of your gifts. Which specialty makes the most of your natural abilities?
Preferences: What is your preferred work situation? Working alone? Having someone watching over your shoulder? Being part of a team? Leading a team? Being dressed up or casually dressed? Being in a noisy high-energy room or being in a place where people are quiet? Working from home or traveling out of state? Which specialty is most likely to provide the work situations you prefer?
Passions: All work provides problems. For each of us, some kinds of problems sap our energy, and other kinds of problems energize us. Which specialty is most likely to present you with the problems that deplete you? Which specialty is most likely to provide the problems that excite and motivate you?
There are many areas of specialization with a good future. Your choice depends on your distinctive subjective qualities rather than one objective ranked list that applies to everyone."
Lisa wrote with the same sentiment shared by many – and a solid approach – "Having specialization skills is an added benefit for large shops with many DBAs or for consulting firms where there is a direct need to staff people on projects with unique skill sets. In my opinion having a good general knowledge of all SQL database management/implementation skills is required, but also having that ‘POP’ of knowledge that sets you apart from all of the other DBAs on the market helps you to stay fully utilized.
If you are a DBA with small database shop experience, it would be a great benefit to start putting together a cache of information that sets you apart from all of the other DBAs out on the market.
That may include functional or network experience that allows the DBA to be a well rounded support person that can be a value add to any project."
SelectViews Show
SelectViews: On the show today, several tips from things being seen in the field, can a DBA be too good? Upcoming events, small business/consulting tip, accidental DBA tips and much more.
[Watch the Show Here]