Survey: Career in SAP or ORACLE?

[D Maverick]

Hi, I just want to get your feedback / idea on this.

If you're currently an ORACLE DBA but was given an opportunity to be trained as a SAP Technical Consultant (no DBA work) and drop your career as an ORACLE DBA. Will you make the job / career shift?

I know that im not comparing apples to apples but given the 2 career paths. which will you take given the current global job market situation?

Hope you guys will participate in this survey. Thanks

[ggnanaraj]

Originally posted by D Maverick
If you're currently an ORACLE DBA but was given an opportunity to be trained as a SAP Technical Consultant

May I say that you don't need to completely drop Oracle DBA responsibilities, as SAP + Oracle adds more value to you, than just SAP.

Hope you know that there are training programmes in SAP to manage Oracle databases on Unix/Windows.

HTH.

[D Maverick]

Originally posted by ggnanaraj
May I say that you don't need to completely drop Oracle DBA responsibilities, as SAP + Oracle adds more value to you, than just SAP.

I agree but the job offer doesent include DBA work bec it its being managed by another group. Given this scenario, what will you choose?

Thanks for the reply =)

[grjohnson]

If it doesn't mean a drop in Salary I'd JUMP at the chance. I'd love to be able to change roles for a while (but I want to keep my current salary level.. of course ).

You'd NEVER lose your Current DBA skill, and a combination of SAP and ORACLE can only work to your advantage.

[julian]

Originally posted by grjohnson
If it doesn't mean a drop in Salary I'd JUMP at the chance. I'd love to be able to change roles for a while (but I want to keep my current salary level.. of course ).

You'd NEVER lose your Current DBA skill, and a combination of SAP and ORACLE can only work to your advantage.

I think that you will loose Oracle DBA skills if you do not use them 100%. I have heard Oracle DBAs complaining about this.

I was once offered a DBA job but it happened that they wanted to send me at once to SAP training. I rejected. I did not take that job. I am an Oracle DBA and that's it. Oracle is enough large area and I prefer to learn some other part of Oracle than SAP.

You cannot be both excellent SAP and Oracle admin. Nor you can be both Unix and Oracle admin. It is either or. The other option is a to be somehow good in both.

So, what do you choose?

[dknight]

I would gladly get ERP experience given the opportunity whether it involves DBA work or not.

Here, there is currently a very strong demand for SAP consultants and a very weak demand for Oracle DBAs. In addition, Siebel, Peoplesoft, and Oracle Apps pros with DBA experience are in demand.

There is a steady demand for SAP R/3 Admins that have a very good grasp of Oracle Administration and Unix Administration. An SAP freelancer (Admin or non Admin) can expect an hourly wage (in Germany) that is significantly higher than an Oracle DBA or Developer.

Check out www.jobserve.com to gauge the demand.

[ngdh]

If someone is offering good training in the current climate take it.

Assuming they have drawn up a lock in contract and the salary is OK, you could always revert.

Nearly all job posts I've seen recently require more than straigh Oracle, notably Websphere/Weblogic.

Being fairly new to the game I'd jump at the chance to expand my skill set, even SAP which is not all that popular in the UK because of cost.

Probably would be different for someone of Julian's calibre as I dare say he is well established with a wide circle of contacts.

In the end you have to make your own choices.

Best of luck Maverick

Nick

[jovery]

It's always useful to have additional skills, although it's important not to spread yourself to thin. Keep your focus on a particular area and you can use the additional skills you obtain as leverage for your next career move.

Good luck

[fulel]

what is SAP? how you will abbreviate this? is it like this "Scientific Advisory ....?" to be SAP professional what u have to learn? i'm new. i don't know abt it.

[ales]

Originally posted by fulel
what is SAP? how you will abbreviate this? is it like this "Scientific Advisory ....?" to be SAP professional what u have to learn? i'm new. i don't know abt it.

http://www.sap.com