Can I, too, become an overpaid Oracle DBA

Hi,

Over the past few weeks, I have basted myself Hotsos: "Method R", the profiler and the whole nine years. I've uploaded trace files to their website, and used the profiler reports to pinpoint and optimize processes. Along the way, I've stumbled across evidence that makes me question if I should be bill my clients $550 US / hour, rather than the 1/10th or thereabouts (depends on the current US/CAD exchange rate) I currently bill.

Let me explain ...

I have almost 25 years of experience in the computer field. It all started in 1981 with a 6502 assembler and lots of late nights throughout high school.

In 1989, I got my start with Oracle developing the prototype for "Oracle Spatial" on a "borrowed" Microvax II at a research center in Darmouth, Nova Scotia. (See
http://www.mar.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/science/review/1996/Forbes/Forbes_e.html for more information.)

A few years later, I learned C++ and wrote Truetype Explorer (http://www.unicode.org/onlinedat/resources.html). My most recent project was a reincarnation of a portion of Oracle's spatial engine I rewrote in Java. It is currently hosted at (http://216.58.12.214) and cranks out Canada road maps in a vector format (they're the most accurate available anywhere, but quite ugly).

Since 1998, I have worked as a consultant with a large brokerage house in Toronto, Ontario. During this time, I programmed in PRO*C and PL/SQL, did analysis, testing and everything else short of project mgmt. I also do some DBA work now and then (my current task is to evaluate Hotsos' and their method).

Which gets me back to my original question:

While reading about Hotsos, I got onto threads about Cary Millsap which begat Tom Kyte. I soon realized much of what I knew about Oracle performance tuning was flat wrong. Humbling. I then stumbled across this article

http://asktom.oracle.com/pls/ask/f?p=4950:8:::::F4950_P8_DISPLAYID:38264759390157

Which begat Mike Ault and Don Burleson. I visited their web site, and felt comfortable again: they spoke of Oracle tuning as I remembered it before Cary & Tom. Then I saw Don's billing rate: $550 / hour.

So, perhaps Mike and Don are the nicest guys and treat their clients nicely, but I do that too. And, at Don's insistence, I can wear a suit and comb my hair, ride a horse, etc.

So, is there some reason why I, too, can't command $550 / hour ?

Seriously, I notice that when someone is some combination of DBA / Oracle / Expert / consultant (or all four) their billing rate goes through the roof. And if they've written a book, their rate goes up even more. It's like putting a rocket under your bank balance and lighting the wick.

Am I selling myself short?

Thankyou

Kevin
Aspiring to become an "Expert Oracle DBA Consultant"[:delete:] and author" Received on Mon Apr 25 2005 - 22:48:19 CDT