(Continued from previous part...)

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DBA? (3)

WHAT LEVEL OF DBA DO I NEED?
DBAs range from DBBS level (Database Baby Sitters) to full-charge DBAs. What level do you need? If you place a full-charge fire breathing DBA in a job where all that they have to do is monitor an older version of Oracle and ensure backups are taken they will soon tire of the job and leave. On the other hand, if you hire a DBBS for a position where initiative, drive, tenacity and troubleshooting skills are critical you are asking for trouble. Be sure that you get the right candidate for the right job.

A Database Baby-sitter usually has a good looking resume that is full of projects and jobs involving Oracle. However, most of these jobs will have involved third party applications that were pre-installed and only required monitoring. If they can't answer in-depth questions concerning the DBA_ views or the V$ tables then chances are they are DBBS rather than DBA level candidates. Another key indicator is a lack of knowledge about the Oracle utilities such as import, export and the tuning tools tkprof and explain plan. A final indicator is lack of knowledge concerning the DBA task related DBMS_* packages.

If all that you need is someone to monitor a third part database application via a pre-configured monitoring tool and only take action when the tool tells them a problem has happened, then hire a DBBS. You will waste a DBA and no one will be happy if you get an over qualified person into a low level job.

If you need a full--charge DBA, don't hire a DBBS unless they show the curiosity and tenacity to use deep--end learning to pull themselves up to the level of a full DBA. Deep--end learning is like when someone is thrown into a pool at the deep end to learn to swim. Usually there won't be time to send them to the multitude of classes required to give them full knowledge so they will have to learn as they go. Get them involved with the Oracle forums and user groups and purchase whatever references they require.


DEVELOPING QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWS
Interview questions should be diligently researched and the expected answers listed. Where open ended questions are used the interviewer should have the level of knowledge required to judge the answers correctness. The questions (in the next page ) should be broken into categories and each should be assigned a point value based on either a scale such as from 0-5 or according to difficulty. At the conclusion of the interview technical ability evaluation should be based on the results from these points. Your interview questions should be reviewed by technically competent personnel for accuracy and applicability. In addition you should include questions that are "open-ended" such as "Tell me the most challenging problem you have solved to date?", or "What is the one item that you have developed that you are most proud of (in Oracle)?"

PRE-QUALIFICATION OF CANDIDATES
Candidates used to have two sources for Oracle knowledge; experience and/or Oracle Corporation training classes. Experience speaks for itself and can be judged as to depth and level. Training was only as good as what the candidate put into it. The candidate could either gain much from the experience of Oracle training if they took the will to learn and curiosity with them to class, or, they could take nothing away from the class if they practiced passive learning. Since Oracle training was not graded everyone received certification regardless of participation. Now many vendors offer Oracle classes. Indeed with the plethora of classes available it is difficult if not impossible to judge the quality of training a candidate may have received. One item that will assist hiring managers is the recent introduction of the Oracle Certification Exam offered by Sylvan Learning Systems. This exam tests candidates knowledge in all areas of the DBA skill set. The test was created by battle tested DBAs and in order to pass a candidate will in almost all cases have to have had actual experience as an Oracle DBA and will have to have knowledge from multiple Oracle references. The test was developed by over a dozen experienced DBAs and has been certified against hundreds of DBA candidates. While obtaining an Oracle certification from this exam is no absolute guarantee that a candidate is fully qualified it can be used as an acid test to separate the wheat from the chaff. Always check a candidates references. Speak to previous employers if possible and find out about a candidates past work history. Many people will interview wonderfully but won't function in the job.

(Continued on next part...)