Being a Database Administrator (DBA) has many disadvantages. Here’s a collection of quotes from various emails and articles I have recently read.

DBA Disadvantages

• It’s hard to get your first DBA job. DBA jobs are difficult for a newbie to get, because a lot of employers look for people with at least a few years of experience.
• It’s hard to graduate from junior to senior DBA without changing companies.
• It is hard to get into this career. A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for a DBA career.
• Most DBA positions are on-call, and the on-call work can be exhausting. Sometimes your called in the middle of the night to fix a problem that reoccurs after working on the problem for 12 hours earlier in the day!
• Frequently on Call – Most organizations only hire one or two database administrators creating situations where they may always be on call. Upgrades, patches, and migration of data also occur late at night to minimize impact to normal business operations requiring database administrators to work overnight frequently.
• Some DBA positions have tons of responsibilities, but no authority to change things for the better i.e., you’re stuck maintaining a broken system.
• High Level of Accountability – There is truly little room for mistakes in the world of data management. Lost information can result in significant costs to a company, fines from government agencies, and loss of consumer confidence and satisfaction. This creates a high level of stress.
• This job is extremely stressful. If you make a mistake that ended up costing the company loads of money, you’ll be one of the first to get the blame and even lose your job.
• Eye strain and carpal tunnel are constant dangers.
• Impostor’s Syndrome – Highly technical roles take a toll on employees in information technology. Many suffer from impostor’s syndrome as a result. This is a condition in which an individual feels anxiety about their ability to perform in a role because of unrealistic self-expectations. This comes from comparing their knowledge and skill set to others causing feelings of inadequacy.
• Requires Continued Education – Database administrators must always seek to increase their knowledge and improve their skillsets. Falling behind on continuing education may result in losing relevance as technology advances.

Articles

• https://www.brentozar.com/archive/2021/03/what-does-a-database-administrator-actually-do/
• https://mentoryes.com/my/careers/database-administrator
• https://themightydatabaseadministrationwebsite.weebly.com/disadvantages.html
• https://www.owlguru.com/career/database-administrators/
• https://www.careerherd.com/database-administrator/

I give these articles and emails on disadvantages of DBAs a thumbs up. Right?

This article first appeared on Retireddba.com: https://retireddba.com/

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