Certification hell!!!

[oracledbatobe]

I graduated recently with a degree specifically in Oracle from a local Com. college. I graduated with honors and have been trying to get an entry level position in DBA so I can work on my Certs for 9i. I have been working on the certs regardless and it's to a point where now everyone is going to 10g making all my studying somewhat useless.

Any chance interview I get always results in the same rhetoric. "It's great you got an education focusing on Oracle but we really need some with 5+ years expereince". Or "A specialization in yada yada would go great for you to get in with us at an entry level." I have reached a point that I'm convinced that I will NEVER get an IT job without 20 specialties and a 100 certs. How can I seriously get certified in Oracle as big as it is if I need to also be certified in Linux+, A+, Security+, Network+, ball licking+, ass munching+. Anyone with any of these alone is standing right next to me looking for a friggin job also.

How do you tackle Oracle if you can only work on it at home on a stand alone unit because noone will work with the book knowlege of SQL, Oracle structure fundamentals, etc. I belong to a local Oracle users group and it is a complete waste of energy being eveyone sticks in clicks of others they work with. I mean no one talks to anyone much less open the door for networking. They look at me like I'm going to mug them when I introduce myself. WTF! WTF! WTF!?!?!?! What a friggin waste of $20,000 education!

[oracledbatobe]

BTW, I have been at this for 2 years now since graduating in 2004. I have put 100's of resumes out not to get even ONE phone call. Is Oracle impossible to break into if you have no IT experience? I have to start somewhere and CANNOT work at CompUSA for peanuts and feed my kid.

[slimdave]

Where abouts are you?

[davey23uk]

maybe your resume is a bit rubbish

[gandolf989]

Maybe you are applying for the wrong jobs. Try applying for a help desk job at a place that supports Oracle. If your skills are good you will most likely move you into a DBA job.

[oracledbatobe]

Thank you for the advice. Help Desk jobs are not very common but since I have no experience in IT, my resume consists of Education (Degree recieved, honors, etc.), Components of Oracle 9i that I have been educated in, professional organizations (Oracle User's group), and a few of my past few jobs. Slimdave, sounds like you have the Howard Stern syndrome (invents everything). I got your documentation right here...

I apply to every help desk job I can with no real response. I thought my local Oracle User's Group would be a great networking spot. It tends to be a rehab meeting for people witth socail disorders, lol. But I keep trying. I guess if God's willing, then it will be. Davey23uk, I can send you my resume and you tell me what you think. I'm completely open for criticism...

[slimdave]

Maybe you should start by looking for a junior developer job -- DBA positions are some heavy responsibility that the companies generally take very seriously, as the DBA really does hold on of the company's most important assets -- its data.

[purirb]

Trick is to have some paid/unpaid experience(may be a school project) to get entry level work. Also, try for a developer job to start with, then you can move to DBA work. There is 1:5 ratio in DBA vs Developer jobs and do not underestimate developer jobs they pay many times more than DBA and are as critical.

[Mr.Hanky]

Tough spot you are in, I've been there too so I can relate.

I went to a local certification school that told us if we got a certification we would have no problem getting a job as a DBA, and this was pre Y2k, turned out to be a load of horsesh*t.

A friend of mine faked 2 years experience on his resume and landed a job, he managed to pull it off too but that is very risky. He is still working as a DBA now.

Me, well, I was on the help desk hating it big time. But while I was completing my certification I became friends with one of the DBA managers here at my company, he took a liking to my politically correct charm. So the long story short is that they took me in as a trainee initially. It worked out good for everyone cause they paid me squat that first two years but I was off the desk and working with Oracle so I was very happy. Now, it is 5 years later and I still don't know jack sheet.

As far as I know I am one of the only guys to break through with zero experience, well, the only one that didn't BS on his resume anyhow. I wouldn't throw in the towel though, from what I hear the market is opening up a bit. Offer to intern, tell them to take you as a trainee, developer, ball licker, whatever the fook you need to do to get those first couple years experience.

[slimdave]

Me, well, I was on the help desk hating it big time. But while I was completing my certification I became friends with one of the DBA managers here at my company, he took a liking to my politically correct charm. So the long story short is that they took me in as a trainee initially. It worked out good for everyone cause they paid me squat that first two years but I was off the desk and working with Oracle so I was very happy. Now, it is 5 years later and I still don't know jack sheet.

Mine was a similar experience -- "business analyst" -> help desk -> buddies with manager -> database job -> paid squat -> etc..

Some obvious differences though