1. Depends on the company/part of the country and the economy.
2. State your experience with other databases. Once you get Oracle up
and running at home, add that so they know you have installed it (IMHO
installing on Linux is more impressive as it is very close to unix, but
doing it under windows is better than nothing.) Don't say "looking for
entry-level Oracle dba job" in your mission statement.  Say something
like "looking for the opportunity to move my proven database design and
administration skills to a new level with Oracle" or something to that
extent.
3. If you are good at self-study, Oracle has online learning that
appears pretty reasonable ($99/month or something like that).  But get
yourself an Oracle installation to practice on first.
4. Quite possible to get a job with self-study and training.  Passing
your OCP tests will help you get that first job.  After that it is nice
to put on your biography when you submit papers to present at the
conferences and user groups.
6. I'm not in the office today, but I'm sure someone will correct me on
the title, but the two books I think are great are
a. Oracle 8i dba from Oracle Press. I think that is the one that has a
great example of real-life paper to database that explains things very
well.
b. DBA 101 by Rachel Carmichael (and others). I haven't had the chance
to read it yet, but I've got a friend who is an aspiring dba so I've
looked at it and he really loves it.  And since I'm a big fan of
Rachel's work, I have to recommend it.
8. Well, I have been working with databases for many years. But my
first Oracle job was an accident.  I was hired for other skills that I
had and the day I started my new manager said "the Oracle DBA is
leaving. You've got a lot of database experience on your resume. Want to
be our Oracle DBA?"  The rest is history.  My advice to you is to get
Oracle installed and decide on a project that you can use and maintain. 
I built a contact manager using an Access front-end.  I kept learning
new ways to improve the design and adding new features.  Besides coming
in very handy for job searches, it gave me something to discuss when
networking and someone would hear that I worked with databases and ask
what I had worked on recently.  I would also recommend looking up a
local user group (start at www.ioug.org and click on the User Group
link). Attend and make friends. These will be your peers and if you're
lucky, you may find someone that will become your mentor.  They may not
be in a position to hire you, but they (we) are generally connected to
the pulse of the hiring market and know when someone is looking to
expand or hire a replacement.  They can also help you learn new things
and correct any misconceptions you have.  At the social portion of the
event (most user groups have conversation time) find someone who has
been a dba for a number of years and ask them if you can talk to them. 
Explain what your understanding of something is and then pay attention
as they either correct you or add to your knowledge.  Before you know
it, you will be sitting in an interview and the interviewer will ask you
to explain how to use pctfree and you will know from your conversations
and testing.  

Good luck.  
  

Stephen Andert
Scottsdale, Arizona

>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 12/31 2:00 AM >>>
> Questions for a Database Administrator: 
1. What is the average salary range for an entry-level DBA position? Or
a 
position for someone who is just starting out as a DBA?

2.  In a job resume, should I request an entry-level position or would
that 
set me up for no phone calls?

3.  What are some steps I should take to becoming a DBA w/ the
background 
that I have (ie. generated databases w/ MS Access)? 

a) Recommended training/education in Los Angeles area?

b) Where do you recommend I study & is online training valuable?

4.  If I could learn Oracle software on my own through Independent
study 
(books & reference sites), could this be sufficient enough to go about
to get 
a job?  

a)  Is the OCP certification necessary?

b) If I took this independent study route instead of formal training
from 
like a vocational school, would the steps to getting a job (or even my
OCP 
certification) be the same?  Or would it be more difficult without
formal 
training?

5.  What are some valuable books and resources to aid in my training? 


6.  How much does Oracle9i cost & would it be worth it to get since i
want to 
learn?  Are there evaluation copies out there that I can get my hands
on?

7.  What are the basic introductory courses/resources/training I could
do to 
learn or get started in DBA training?

8.  Basically, please list the steps you took to become a DBA (starting
with 
education/training to job entry) and how you sould suggest I should go
about 
starting to learn the fundamentals and then more in depth?

Thank you!!  I really appreciate your help!!  

Please, write to me @  

[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

thanks!!
smiles & happy new year 2002!!!!


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Author: Stephen Andert
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