To be a .... careers advice sought!

[marystewart78]

Hi folks,

I'm currently an IT trainer in Microsoft Office programs and Web Design and have a fair amount of software knowledge but would like in the future to be a DBA or Software Developer - any suggestions on what experience, qualifications, programming languages would be best for me do do either of these jobs ....

Thanks,

Mary

 

[Pauldohert]

I can only suggest thinking of a job you want to do and maybe a compnay you want to work for and seeing what they are looking for - either by asking directly or by looking at job ads or asking a specialist recruitment agency.

 

[statsman]

I agree.

"The Interview" is where people usually make or break when going for a new position.
If you know anyone who works in HR, enlist their support. Find out the kinds of questions they might ask in an interview.

 

[pono1]

In no particular order, programming languages to consider learning: C#, Java, VB.NET, C++. DBs: Oracle, SQL Server.

 

[Len Boorman]

Since you have a backgrounding in web design then perhaps the .Net languages along with Database design to move into the field of Web front ends to Databases. Sounds simple but I think that getting the two bits right is not so easy. Often I think one bit is good and the other is a bit flaky in my experience.

Management thinks Web is wonderful and databases are old technology. What they do not understand is that Databases are the core technology behind most things. So being good at both I think would be a good way to go.

Whatever you choose it should be something you enjoy. That is probably the main criteria.

All these guru's on the forum actually enjoy what they do....most of the time anyway.

L

 

[dan-cat]

Management thinks Web is wonderful and databases are old technology. What they do not understand is that Databases are the core technology behind most things. So being good at both I think would be a good way to go.

Following on from this, you need to know that web/database integration work is a thankless task. I've been involved in a long-term project where the HTML/Images are controlled by a seperate contractor while I link this 'presentation' to the current datasource.

Management are far more interested in the 'icing' rather than how their projects actually work. If your work is perfect, nobody notices, if it isn't then nobody is happy.

However on the bright side they have no concept/interest of how data integration works so they leave you alone most of the time as long as they are happy with your timelines.

 

[Pauldohert]

Following on from this, you need to know that web/database integration work is a thankless task. I've been involved in a long-term project where the HTML/Images are controlled by a seperate contractor while I link this 'presentation' to the current datasource.

Management are far more interested in the 'icing' rather than how their projects actually work. If your work is perfect, nobody notices, if it isn't then nobody is happy.

However on the bright side they have no concept/interest of how data integration works so they leave you alone most of the time as long as they are happy with your timelines.

Your not doing to bad then - we generally have - a business critical db - and then a totally bespoke web presence for variuos departments (idiots) who want one.

Not one of the web presences ever thinks of talking to the db before building a standalone miniscule one table version of the db, this is then replicated numeroud times through departments - and are all updateable online - though linked to nothing.

Then the db people - always after the fact - are asked to link to these speadsheet web offerings - all 10 of them holing the same data in variuos ways. - Which of coourse we never do - as a new totally ill thought out web offering will be foisted upon us at any moment.

A good manager of IT projects would be a good career! - Though usually its the poeple at the top who make these decisions who have no IT knowledge in fact no logic or common sense either.

Mt tip for a good career - a full lobotomy.

 

[Len Boorman]

Your not doing to bad then .

Understand completely

There is a fundamental failing to undertsand the difference between Excel and Access.

many, I believe, think that Access is another type of multi page Excel Book

Yes DBA is a thankless task ...but really good fun

L

 

[dan-cat]

Yes DBA is a thankless task ...but really good fun

L

This is the most important point. If it's not fun to you then don't do it 'cos the role can be quite lonesome *sniff*

 

[kidrobot]

Understand completely

There is a fundamental failing to undertsand the difference between Excel and Access.

many, I believe, think that Access is another type of multi page Excel Book

Yes DBA is a thankless task ...but really good fun

L

I hate to say it but, I personally think Access in some aspects can be considered an advanced Excel package. If there is no GUI for the user and all they ever see is queries or data I think they are led to believe it is an advanced Excel.

 

[Pauldohert]

I hate to say it but, I personally think Access in some aspects can be considered an advanced Excel package. If there is no GUI for the user and all they ever see is queries or data I think they are led to believe it is an advanced Excel.

aye - horizontal lines vertical lines and some typing in the middle.

 

[pono1]

This is the most important point. If it's not fun to you then don't do it 'cos the role can be quite lonesome *sniff*

Mmm. Without money in return, I'd be doing other things... Not greedy, just need to pay bills...

 

[tehNellie]

There is a fundamental failing to undertsand the difference between Excel and Access.

many, I believe, think that Access is another type of multi page Excel Book

Recognise that in my company, more scary is that we have a SQL server db that I try to keep up and running that seems to have been designed along similar principles.

Getting people with no interest in DBs to stop looking at the data like it's a spreadsheet is hard work and something I don't help with by supplying a lot of their results in Excel

 

[Len Boorman]

There is a fundamental failing to undertsand the difference between Excel and Access.

many, I believe, think that Access is another type of multi page Excel Book

I think I will design a system whereby horizontal and Vertical lines are not shown and exeryting is presented in an arc except of course Forms and reports. Then maybe people will realise there is a difference between Excel and Access

Think I will call it Arcess

 

[Pauldohert]

An access joke! Whayhey!

 

[Salient]

This is the most important point. If it's not fun to you then don't do it 'cos the role can be quite lonesome *sniff*

But you get to have lots of meetings with yourself. Currently have about ten requests for friggin data extraction, there goes my net surfing

If wanting to be a DBA, then you really will have to look at one of the big iron commercial databases, Oracle for example.

 

[MrsGorilla]

I think I will design a system whereby horizontal and Vertical lines are not shown and exeryting is presented in an arc except of course Forms and reports. Then maybe people will realise there is a difference between Excel and Access

Think I will call it Arcess

Hahahaha. Nice to see someone still has a sense of humor in the 'cooler.

 

[Alc]

I think I will design a system whereby horizontal and Vertical lines are not shown and exeryting is presented in an arc except of course Forms and reports. Then maybe people will realise there is a difference between Excel and Access

Think I will call it Arcess

Just so long as it doesn't clash with my own (patent pending) system, whereby all forms, graphs, etc are to be produced twice the required size.

I plan on calling it Excess.

 

[Rabbie]

ROFL. If you design them at half the required size will you get them at the required size?

 

[Len Boorman]

We could call the package Axcess

Could be on a winner here