RE: DBA - Job boundaries & perks

Sage advice from the 'DBA goddess'. Everyone should be as happy.

Cheers,

Earl

On Fri, 22 Dec 2000 05:21:20
 Rachel Carmichael wrote:
>The CEO of the place I am now, just asked everyone in the company (less than
>100 of us) to send him an email with our top 10 "best and worst" things
>about our site and the company. And he MEANT it. He'll read them all, and
>will actually listen and try to make changes where possible.
>
>At the staff meeting, when he handed out the bonus checks -- it was like a
>graduation. He called your name, you came up and shook his hand, got the
>check and EVERYONE applauded. We sang Happy Birthday to a couple of people.
>
>There is a LOT of work to do here. Long hours at times, work through lunch,
>work evenings and weekends at home. My junior DBA has to glare at me to get
>me away from my desk for a break. And I'm still barely running in place to
>keep up. And it gets frustrating at times (when I actually get 5 minutes to
>do my real work, and make an improvement I keep telling my boss "see what I
>can do when you let me do what I'm supposed to do?")
>
>I, like Jeff, took a pay cut to come here. And I've had offers since for a
>LOT more money. But the attitude of the people here, when I can get them
>some information from the database that they can't find, or when I speed
>things up, well.... an email saying "thanks, you rule" is why I stay.
>
>Tech is usually the "forgotten stepchild" of a company. No one knows who you
>are, what you do, and they only know your phone number to call and complain.
>
>Not here.... we do company outings, heck, we went bowling (and boy am I a
>lousy bowler -- and my teammates, kids half my age, just kept encouraging me
>and cheering me on). We know names and faces.
>
>Sometimes the perks are not tangible.... and usually those are the perks
>that are really worth it. I have enough money to pay my bills and buy myself
>the occasional toy. More money won't make me happier. Being appreciated
>does.
>
>
>
>Rachel
>
>
>
>>From: paquette stephane <stephane_paquette_at_yahoo.com>
>>Reply-To: ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com
>>To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L <ORACLE-L_at_fatcity.com>
>>Subject: RE: DBA - Job boundaries & perks
>>Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 00:21:04 -0800
>>
>>I worked in a startup at my previous client, my best
>>souvenir is wearing jeans at work.
>>My worst souvenir is the times when the owner came in
>>the IT room and asked the developpers to work in the
>>production environment to be able to deliver on
>>schedule.
>>Since the startup was owned by a major corporation, no
>>IPO so no future gold :-(
>>
>>
>>--- Jeffery Stevenson <jeff_at_mpv.com> a icrit : >
>>Well, I'm working a startup job now and I really
>> > like it. I essentially
>> > took a pay cut and the possibility of future "gold"
>> > is always nice, but the
>> > thing that convinced me to join this team was the
>> > work environment. A lot
>> > more freedom to be creative and get work done...a
>> > lot more input on the
>> > architecture of the system (where they actually
>> > listen and follow through on
>> > the advice!), and a lot more fun in the work
>> > environment (of course that
>> > could be that its a good group of people I'm working
>> > with). The future is
>> > really bright for this company, but even if they
>> > fold tomorrow (extremely
>> > doubtful), I'm having fun with my work and getting
>> > an opportunity to learn
>> > more, so it will have all been worthwhile. At least
>> > you have a lot of
>> > long-term DoD contracts you can fall back on in your
>> > area. :) BTW, Scott,
>> > how's the modernization of that personnel data
>> > system coming along?
>> >
>> > Jeffery Stevenson
>> > Chief Databeast Tamer
>> > Medical Present Value, Inc.
>> > Austin, TX
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > [mailto:Scott.Shafer_at_dcpds.cpms.osd.mil]
>> > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 10:57 AM
>> > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>> >
>> >
>> > Bill, at least you're still employed. I went after
>> > the startup dream and
>> > ended up with a pink slip when they folded up...
>> > Not a fun time.
>> >
>> > --Scott Shafer
>> > San Antonio, TX
>> >
>> >
>> > > -----Original Message-----
>> > > From: WIlliam Thater [SMTP:thaterw_at_telergy.net]
>> > > Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2000 6:26 AM
>> > > To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L
>> > > Subject: Re: DBA - Job boundaries & perks
>> > >
>> > > "O'Neill, Sean" wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > How do you protect your "private life" time from
>> > your role of DBA?. Do
>> > > you
>> > > > have formalised detailed job contracts with your
>> > employer covering such
>> > >
>> > > i'm supposed to have a private life? damn, obody
>> > told me. why am i
>> > > always the last one to know? as for my contract,
>> > i'm on call 24x7x365
>> > > including holidays and vacations. i hope you
>> > don't work for a startup
>> > > like me. i won't do it again, i was sold on the
>> > dream. i was stupid.
>> > >
>> > > and the only perks are that i get everybody else's
>> > cast of PCs and i get
>> > > to do all my own tech support.
>> > > --
>> > > Bill Thater Sr. ORACLE DBA
>> > > Telergy, Inc thaterw_at_telergy.net
>> > >
>> >
>>----------------------------------------------------------------
>> > > "Only two things are infinite, the universe and
>> > human stupidity,
>> > > and I'm not sure about the former." -- Albert
>> > Einstein
>> > >
>> >
>>----------------------------------------------------------------
>> > > --
>> > > Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ:
>> > http://www.orafaq.com
>> > > --
>> > > Author: WIlliam Thater
>> > > INET: thaterw_at_telergy.net
>> > >
>> > > Fat City Network Services -- (858) 538-5051
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>> > Author: Jeffery Stevenson
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>>
>>=====
>>Stephane Paquette
>>DBA Oracle
>>stephane_paquette_at_yahoo.com
>>
>>__________________________________________________
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>>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
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>--
>Please see the official ORACLE-L FAQ: http://www.orafaq.com
>--
>Author: Rachel Carmichael
> INET: carmichr_at_hotmail.com
>
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Received on Fri Dec 22 2000 - 08:30:48 CST