Voice of the DBA

Tag: career

  • Career: Talk To References

    As we try to get through these strange times in the world, I am starting to see a bit more career movement in 2021 than I saw for much of 2020. Whether this is companies starting to hire more and get back to work or people getting tired of their routine and looking for new positions, I’m seeing more people changing jobs.

    Networking has been a great way for people to find good jobs, but you might not have someone that can help you for any particular job. Instead, you might lead an employer along by giving them references that you pick. While some employers might not ask for them or look at them, you can emphasize their importance and value in your career during any interviews, which might convince someone to call them.

    Preparation is Key

    In addition to you being ready for an interview, it is helpful to contact your references and help them get prepared.

    Give them a call, catch up on life, and be sure to remind them of things you did well or want them to emphasize in any call. Giving them a thing or two to think about puts those thoughts in their mind. When a potential employer calls a reference, they can be distracted or otherwise occupied. The things you’ve talked with them about will cue them to highlight what you want them to say.

    There is some good advice in this column, and it’s what I’d do if I needed a new job. It’s also similar to discussions I’ve had when someone has asked me to be their reference. We usually spend 5-10 minutes ensuring that we’re on the same page and I am ready to highlight what’s important to them.

    I don’t mis-represent people, but I do want to focus on the things that are helpful to advancing their career. It’s helpful for me to be prepared, as a colleague and friend.

    If I don’t feel someone is qualified, I’ll tell them and let them decide if they still want me to be a reference.

    Every bit of help you can get in a job search is good. There is a lot of competition out there, so keep working on your network and remember to use it when you are seeking new employment.

  • WIT Mental Health and Wellness Videos Posted

    I was honored to speak at the WIT Mental Health and Wellness day last week and found myself caught up in the other presentations the rest of the day.

    The playlist is available, and there were a few I missed that morning, so I have some other videos to watch when I take a break from work.

    I highly recommend you taking time to watch a few, especially The Power of Laughter and How I Deal with Depression.

  • Goal Progress for April 2021

    I set goals at the beginning of the year, and I’m tracking my progress in these updates during 2021.

    As I look at goal progress for 2021, I’m going to follow a similar pattern as last year. I’ll give myself a current grade and report on overall progress in of the areas where I set goals.

    Current Grade: C

    I haven’t spend enough time on things. Life has gotten busy as I get into the thick of volleyball coaching, spring chores, and then some coping. I have been reading a touch more, but not enough. I should be done with this book and I’ve let it drag.

    Reading

    The goal was 4 books (3 non-fiction, 1 tech). Here’s the current progress:

    Technical Skills

    I’m solving the Advent of Code three times.  I’m also studying for certification. In terms of work here, I did do some coding, but not enough. I’m behind here and #7 is daunting, which slowed me a bit.

    • Certification –  AZ-900 – 5%
    • Certification – DP-200 – 0%
    • Skills – T-SQL – 2020 Advent of Code – 5/25
    • Skills – Python – 2020 Advent of Code – 6/25
    • Skills – PowerShell – 2020 Advent of Code – 5/25
    • Skills – TBD

    Projects

    I had a few projects for myself. Most of January was supporting SQL Memorial as well as doing some SQL Saturday/Data Saturday stuff. So far things appear to be working fine.

    • SQL Saturday Foundation – 70%
    • Support events: I’m speaking at an event and submitted to more.
    • Speak at the 3 local user groups, at least one live presentation – 0%
    • Help organize a Denver/Colorado event, live or virtual – 10% (conversations)
    • Complete my Power BI Volleyball report – I know lots of kids will use this, so I need to get it done – 20%
    • SQL Memorial – 80%

    The SQL Saturday stuff has eaten some time as I try to plan, work with a lawyer, and more, but it’s not moving enough.

  • Getting Started Remotely

    My middle kid is about to graduate from college and is starting to look for a job. I suspect he won’t have too much trouble, as an aeronautical engineer near the top of his class, but I do think that it’s going to be more challenging to find employment than it was two years ago. Though likely better than last year.

    While my employer has continued to hire people throughout the last year, we definitely know it’s been a challenge for some of them to get up to speed, build relationships, and get productive. It’s likely easier for technical people, especially for those with experience, but not necessarily easy for those just getting their careers going.

    If you were starting your career now, I’m sure many of you would be better prepared than when you did begin. I’m wondering if there were things you might recommend to those getting started if they were doing your job. Tips, tricks, or habits to build?

    I was listening to a few people recently talking about this topic, and they gave advice that I followed early on. Keep working on your skills, growing your knowledge and ability to be better in your field. If you’re a programmer, practice and learn more about how to better build systems. If you are on the admin side, be sure you are learning to script and manage with code, rather than GUI clicks. If you are in some other area, like marketing, learn to better analyze what you do and how to manipulate data.

    No matter what, the one thing I always recommend to others is to learn to present an idea clearly to others. Communication, both written and spoken, is a prized skill, and one I find lacking in many people. Being able to present something in a coherent and cogent manner is important.

    Along with that, I emphasize the other half of communication. Learn to listen well and process what others say. This is as important as being able to present your ideas, especially in today’s world where much of our communication occurs with fewer body language cues and less context.

    Steve Jones

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