[powerpress]
Do You Have a Personal Trainer?
In WOxPod!, episode # 006 – “Personal Trainer” we discuss what you are doing to keep up on the skills required for working with SQL Server, things you can do, and why it matters.
Show Links:
FitOrbit Homepage – The online personal trainer service I use
MyFitnessPal Homepage – Where I sometimes track things, though now is more on FitOrbit
SQLRetreats Homepage – Get yourself some bootcamp and other training for your SQL Server career!
SQLCruise Homepage– Just add water to learn SQL in a small focused group.
SQLServerCentral Homepage – Lots of syndicated SQL blogs and articles
ToadWorld Homepage – Even more syndicated Blogs and articles about SQL Server!
Transcript:
You are listening to WOxPod!, episode # 006 – Who is your SQL Server Personal Trainer?
Today we discuss what you are doing to keep up on the skills required for working with SQL Server, things you can do, and why it matters.
Hey everyone, Chris Bell here. The WOxPod! podcast is produced for your enjoyment. Show notes can be found at wateroxconsulting.com/podcasts
Come back often feel free to add WOxPod! to your favorite RSS feeds, or subscribe on Android or Itunes using the link below. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, all which are linked through our website: WaterOxConsulting.com
Now let’s get on to the show.
3…
4… *grunt*
Oh, hey there. One second, let me finish this set…
54…
55… *grunt*
Whew! Nothing like a workout to get you pumped and ready for anything!
Recently I signed up with an online personal trainer service. I finally got to the point that I realized that I don’t push myself enough to eat right and exercise as much as I should. Being healthy matters a lot, and I’ve been bad and put it off for too long.
Plus I have a cruise coming up in 6 months, but that’s a different story.
But let’s talk about you a little, and how you work with SQL Server.
Do you keep training to keep up to date on the latest techniques and tools available for you to use, or do you just show up to work, sit down, and do mostly the same thing day after day after day.
You do know there is a huge distinct difference in 5 years of experience in SQL doing the same thing day after day, and 5 years of doing all sorts of things in SQL right?
We are in an industry that is not conducive to those that don’t make the effort to continue to work and develop their skills.
This begs the question of how you keep your career in shape?
Are you like the person that can just Bing or Google a diet and exercise routine, setup a gym at home, buy the right foods and there you have it, no need for any external influences on what you are doing. I tell you , there are some people like that, but they are few and far between.
Or are you more likely to need that extra push of a structured diet, a gym with a trainer to tell you what to do, and someone to hold you accountable for keeping up with things.
I used to think I was more like the first, the lone wolf, able to do it myself. But recently when reflecting back on times that I was in shape and doing well, I found it was as when I was on teams or in a structured environment with others to be accountable to. I tried using myfitness pal for a while, and it was fun, but didn’t stick enough for me. I recently went and joined FitOrbit.com and got a trainer selected and am starting a new journey to get physically into better shape and health. I’m hopinh that having someone to be accountable to, other than me, will help keep things going.
How about the health of my career. Well, that’s always being worked on. I started just reading books, then took a couple of boot camp style courses online and passed certification exams. I then learned about SQL Saturdays and started attending those, and other focused training events like SQL Cruise. And yes… that’s the cruise I mentioned earlier.
The fun thing with doing these activities to keep my career moving along, is that I found myself starting to try to help others too.
I started presenting at SQL Saturdays. Boy, if you want to learn a topic well, start teaching it to others. The questions alone will make you start looking more into the topic. I also did some work for LearnNowOnline and recorded a “How to be a DBA” series of courses for them. I also started recording videos of my own and posting them on my website. I also setup SQLRetreats.com, a new site that is quasi-launched right now, that will eventually host information for SQL Server training days, bootcamps, free training events and more!
Nowadays, I try to blog more and do this podcast. I even got syndicated to some great places that you can learn all about SQL Server at. Be sure to check out SQLServerCentral.com and toadworld.com. Both syndicate a lot of blogs and articles from all over our community.
It worked for me. At least I feel it did. I keep learning more every day and continue to share as I learn.
How about you? What can you do?
Well, visit the sites I just mentioned. Read up on things. Practice as well. If you don’t have your own copy of SQL Server, developer edition is fine, and play with it regularly you are missing out on a HUGE opportunity to continue to advance your career.
If you aren’t comfortable pushing yourself, you have lots of options there too.
You can sign up for SQL Server boot camp training at various locations, or even online.
You can even look for a mentor if you need a person to help fine tune your learning experience to what will really work with you. I know I have a couple of mentors helping with aspects of my professional career not directly related to SQL Server, but to other aspects of the business and such. Having that real person on the other end of the conversations really helps keep the accountability alive.
I’m sure if you ask around the community, you can find people more than willing to step up and help you get your career moving along.
So, why does this all matter? Simply put, there are a lot of people out there vying for limited numbers of jobs. Many a time I get called into places to help out where inexperienced, or just plain bad, people caused a lot of issues. If you take the time to make sure not only yourself, but your career path as well, are in good shape and healthy, there is a world of opportunity waiting for you. You just have to get up, break routine, and work to go find it.
And that’s the show! Thanks for listening.
If you have any Questions or suggestions of topics or people to talk to email us at [email protected] or hit me up on twitter at @CBellDBA.
Until next time, keep yourself and your data safe!