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RE: Skill Sets - This may be a dumb question

From: DENNIS WILLIAMS <DWILLIAMS_at_LIFETOUCH.COM>
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 2003 09:30:11 -0800
Message-ID: <F001.00558CEE.20030225093011@fatcity.com>


Lisa - You can always answer questions on this list to keep your hand in. I wouldn't sweat it too much. I agree with you that the harder skills like Oracle show up better on a resume. But frankly you can still put Oracle on your resume for a LOOOONG time and be perfectly truthful. And if they want to discuss it in more detail, then you'll have a ready response prepared. In the current economic climate the smart idea is to take what you can get and be glad. Personally I take each job assignment as a challenge to learn what I can. In a year you will either a) decide you love the new position b) be reassigned c) find a better DBA position because the economy will have perked up.

Dennis Williams
DBA, 40%OCP, 100% DBA
Lifetouch, Inc.
dwilliams_at_lifetouch.com

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2003 10:34 AM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L

Hello everyone,

Well I've been "reassigned". I was responsible for the completely messed up Peoplesoft Oracle/AIX environment but management here decided that it was more important to separate a husband and wife that both work in the same department, and assigned one of them to be primary support in this environment instead of me. (sshh: The new person who is primary doesn't know a thing about Unix.) My primary job is now suppossed to be data modeling and data warehouse/mart design, moving on into Problematica (er, Informatica) development into a Sql Server database. I will not be the admin on the Sql Server database. My new boss referred to this as "database architecture". ?? What? They have already decided what they want done and just want someone to take the pretty pictures and implement them with unrealistic deadlines.

The main reason why I am upset is because it seems to me that data modeling is such a "soft" skill. I am concerned about keeping my skills up to date and keeping my hands in an Oracle environment, whether it's a mess or not. Seems to me that data modeling alone isn't something that can land you a new job or really spiff up your resume. I think that having a finite list of skills (Oracle, Unix, Windows 2000, Erwin, Project, crap like that) is more what employers search for, and is what HR depts can easily deal with.

Am I wrong? This job pays well and working for a huge company has it's benefits, if you can deal with the bureaucracy similar to what is described in the 1st paragraph. And I know in this market I am just lucky to have a job.

And please tell me if I'm whining. I may just need a KITA. Who knows anymore...

Lisa Koivu
Oracle Drink Beer Again
Fairfield Resorts, Inc.
5259 Coconut Creek Parkway
Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA 33063
Office: 954-935-4117
Fax: 954-935-3639
Cell: 954-683-4459

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Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.net
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Author: DENNIS WILLIAMS
  INET: DWILLIAMS_at_LIFETOUCH.COM

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