Navigating your way through the IT world can be confusing, especially when you don't have the formal degree with a specialty that you have worked towards. There are any number of ways to go (software, databases, support, QA, etc.), and under each of those umbrellas there are any number of roles. Not to mention, those roles change as tech changes or as ideas on value change.
For me, a classically trained Geologist ("I happen to hold a bachelor of science degree in geology... And my greatest contribution to the field of science is that I never entered it." - Colin Powell) working in the IT world, I didn't really know where I was headed. I started as a Data Analyst looking at Licensing Support Network documents, worked my way into report writing (before it was termed Business Intelligence), then became a Business Intelligence Analyst who specialized in the inner workings of the tool, and shortly after worked (see: weaseled) by way into a Database Administrator role. I jokingly say weaseled, but as I mentioned in an earlier blog, my company allowed me to apprentice in the role for about a year before I was officially given the title, and while I was by all means junior but never had that notation attached to the title, after another year of working as a formal Cloud Database Administrator, I was told I was no longer junior--I'll take that as a win.
If you asked me what I do in my everyday, it would in no way match what a database administrator does at a large company or in a government facility; Startups are a completely unique world. I help to administer the BI portion of our software, manage the communication and issue/bug resolution for said software, bolster our internal Support and Business Intelligence teams when they need help solving a complex problem, and of course my various tasks as a DBA (test new database offerings, cleanup, data modification, data mining, scripting for automation in the database, creating stored procedures, and addressing issues). It is basically a 'help where you can' mentality, which definitely offers up more paths for your career just simply on the option to try new things.
In the database world alone there are various career paths, some new and some established, but all very problem-solving centric: Data Scientist, Database Administrator, Database Programmer, Data Engineer, Machine Learning Engineer...and the list goes on. Depending on your level of interest in the "side skills" you could go any number of ways. Statistics, math, coding, machine learning, algorithms, and any number of other emerging technologies could play a part in where you move within the realm.
All in all, I didn't know what I wanted to specialize in when I started, and I can't honestly say that I do at this point either. I saw a vacancy at my current employer that I thought I could fill, so I went for it. I do know that my favorite part of the job is the problem solving and peer helping. Issue with the product? Let's look in the database. CRM acting funky? Let's see if some bad data made it into the system. I truly enjoy helping people solve their problems and thrive in the startup environment because I can be that 'jack of all trades.' That doesn't lend itself well to a single career path, and it can be overwhelming on some days, but perhaps the days of the defined position are gone? The evolution of roles like the Data Scientist prove that employers want you to be able to bring many skills to the table, especially in a young, thriving company.
There are very few things that I would say I am an expert in (the BI tool), while the rest I learn as I go and build upon the skills that I have in order to make good happen where I can. Something that has helped me along the way is to remember to utilize all of your options. Don't get stuck on one tool because you think that is the tool you should be using for the role or because your senior only uses that tool, and remember, the results are truly what matter, not how you got there. Most of the time in the database world, anything you build will not stand the test of time. Problems are different and technologies evolve--nothing is stagnant, including the role you hold right now. Don't get hung up on building the end all be all solution to the problem, or being the ultimate <insert role here>. Get to the solution, then look back and see if you can 'productize' what you built for future use or if you should just keep on trucking. If we keep learning, neither ourselves or the positions we hold will become stagnant.
Author's Note: If you are interested in a more detailed look at how I grew (and am still growing) my skills with each change of role, feel free to check out my LinkedIn profile.
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