Stretching too Thin

[James Hambrick]

So I have been in the market for awhlie and I guess to increase my chances of getting a job I have applied for C# jobs, PL/SQL jobs and Java jobs. My job currently I am a Database Analyst and I do support with some PL/SQL programming and some C# when needed.

Seeing as I do not do any of these as a full time job I don't know enough about any to get a job doing it specifically.

I know c# but not ASP.Net
I know Pl/SQL but not ETL or Oracle Forms/Reports etc
I know Java but do not know Spring,Hibernate or any of the other 10 things that are in the job descriptions.

I am having trouble choosing one, I really would like to get a job in Java but afraid that without actual work experience I will not be able to get the salary needed.
I am looking into trying for my OCAJP cert but afraid that will not help me get a non entry level job. My resume shows 7 years experience with Oracle and Pl/SQL with 2-3 years of C#. These years are not full time development. But the longer I go in this job that more Oracle experience and C# experience I get.

So what are the chances of getting a mid level Java job with just a Cert some good java example code, a good score on a company test and a great Interview? I just cannot afford to go back down 30k for an entry level job.

[chris webster]

James Hambrick wrote:...I know Pl/SQL but not ETL or Oracle Forms/Reports etc...

I know you're not aiming to stay in Oracle-land anyway, but just as a heads-up: stay away from Forms/Reports. There is work around in these, but it's basically legacy work and hardly anybody uses these for new developments. Forms is really tired and out-of-date, and Reports is - and always was - a pig to use anyway. Some people are using Oracle Application Express (APEX) for web applications to replace Forms (or occasionally older J2EE) applications, but this is a relatively small niche as far as I can tell.

So heading towards Java is definitely the better option.

In the meantime, however, if you're still going to be working in Oracle environments for a while, consider looking at modern ETL and/orBI tools, and data-warehousing. The Oracle tools are all available for download for free - you'll need to install Oracle 11g to be able to run them, so if you want to beef up your corporate bloatware skills you can do so at home. Oracle Data Integrator (ODI) is actually quite good as an ETL tool, but there are also open source options such as Talend or Pentaho. There are lots of jobs currently in ETL/BI/data-warehousing, so these skills would help you to stay in work in the corporate DB world. Also, there seems to be a trend towards a certain amount of cross-over between conventional data-warehousing/analytics systems and trendy new "Big Data" applications, so this could open some new doors for you.

Java is definitely a huge area for potential jobs, but it's worth keeping in mind what else you might be able to offer to distinguish yourself from thousands of other relatively inexperienced Java developers e.g. a solid database background is still surprisingly rare among Java developers I've worked with.

Finally, think about the skills areas that are on the rise, where you might be able to get in ahead of the rush e.g. the NoSQL database MongoDB is growing fast and is relatively easy to get started with as an ex-RDBMS application developer e.g. with free online training from MongoDB themselves.

[James Hambrick]

thanks, I did not know how to simulate the ETL requirement at home which is one of my sticking points. I have been looking for Oracle jobs with some C# or Java too. So I can get in with my Oracle experience and also do more Java/C#.

There always seems to be a job candidate that has a little more experience than me, been like that for 2 years now so i guess I'm in line until my skills are up to speed and everyone with more experience is already hired.

[chris webster]

One more thought - try the following books as a quick way to get a taste of newer technologies, so you can perhaps pick some less common options that you might find rewarding:

Seven Languages in Seven Weeks

Seven Databases in Seven Weeks

[Jeanne Boyarsky]

Where do you live? Entry level is more than 30K in most parts of the US.

My advice is to learn JDBC and Hibernate first. That way you can apply for back end developer positions. Some of those will have performance tuning or database admin as a secondary job skill. Since you are strong at those, it will give you an advantage over those who just know Java. The key is to know the Java database end too so they don't worry that you will only be able to help with SQL.

[James Hambrick]

I am looking for work in Atlanta. To be able to keep my house(1.5 hours away) until I can sell it while renting an apartment or extended stay hotel to save up money to move I will need a lot more money than I currently make. Plus the cost of living is different from where I live. I think the avg pay in my town is $36K while the avg in Atl is $70k(estimated by the recruiters I talk to).

I think I've just decided to stick with PL/SQL for my next job since I have the experience to get a mid level job doing that. Hopefully I can find one that has Java roles that I can move into. Or Preferably a role which is heavy PL/SQL and some Java/C#. Then maybe I can transition.