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Because the DBA role is
unique and highly technical, not just anyone can make a snap decision to become
an Oracle professional. Employers will hire Oracle professionals who have
demonstrated a commitment to pursuing a career as a database professional, and
the resume is the best way of all to weed-out dilettantes and those who want an
Oracle career solely because of the high pay.
Finding the dedicated
Oracle professionals
I?ve been a full-time DBA
for more than 25 years, and I?ve seen a natural laissez faire evolution of
Oracle database talent. Prior to the Internet, database magazines carefully
vetted their Oracle authors and only those with a proven track record were
chosen to publish on Oracle technology. If you examine the roster of the top
Oracle authors in the late 1990's, we see that the cream rises to the top, and
only the worthy Oracle professionals were published.
As an employer, it's easy
to examine the work history of any Oracle job applicant and get an instant gauge
of their dedication to database administration as a profession.
In today's era of massive
server consolidation, the Oracle DBA job role is changing dramatically, and
successful Oracle professionals must have a solid grounding in ancillary
technologies such as database design, infrastructure and security.
The threat of the
Internet
While the Internet has clogged the
search engines with garbage from all over the world, it's nice to see that
quality still counts, and that the American Dream is alive and well within the
Oracle community.
The trend toward Oracle offshoring has proven to be too risky, and those
?bargain? remote Oracle providers are sometimes just ?fronts? for a data theft
ring.
It has become
an absolute requirement to use foreign DBA's wisely, and ensure that your all of
your Oracle support is within the
USA,
where you can have the protection of our strict data theft laws and no risk from
the nightmare of foreign jurisdictions.
The web is
full of suspicious DBA's, many of whom work in countries with unenforceable data
theft laws. There are some tip-offs for spotting marginal Oracle professionals:
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They do not publish their real-world contact information.
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They avoid mention of their academic background and qualifications.
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They obfuscate their job histories and resume.
Being
noticed in a crowded market
Burleson
Consulting is one of the highest paying Oracle consultancies in the world, and
we have very
rigorous hiring policies because our clients demand Oracle consultants with
impeccable credentials. Fortunately, the next generation of Oracle gurus are
not hard to find. They have the
stellar educations, publish
insightful blogs, snag opportunities to
publish, and
share their research. They strive for prestigious degrees, awards,
publishing opportunities, certifications and challenging job opportunities.
They are easy to spot because they are characterized by a "can do" attitude,
zeal and enthusiasm, and they all have polished
communication skills.
In the
mid-1990's, I was giving an Oracle keynote presentation at a conference when I
noticed a High School kid in the front row taking feverish notes, and hanging on
my every word.
After my
presentation, this fellow leapt up and commanded my attention with
question-after-question on
how to become an Oracle DBA and how to distinguish himself as an Oracle
Guru. He told me that he was in High School and that he decided that he was
going to be the next Don Burleson! He said that he had driven for two-days to
hear me speak and wanted my advice on how to distinguish himself as an Oracle
professional. I was impressed, and I told him that there was no secret to
success in Oracle, and that hard work, above all else would distinguish his
Oracle career.
This was not
the last time I would see this young fellow. Since that fateful day, he got a
job as a senior instructor at Oracle University, became the world's youngest
Oracle ACE and Oracle Certified Master, and wrote several books on Oracle
technology.
Today, I'm
proud to have
Steve Karam on my staff, and Steve has rightfully earned his place among the
highest paid Oracle professionals in the world. Steve's Oracle blog 'the
Oracle Alchemist? has a huge following, but Karam's success is not solely a
function of his job experience; it's more about his professional zeal, his drive
to always be the best, natural traits that distinguishes him among other Oracle
professionals. It's quite true; the cream does rise to the top.
Related notes:
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