Reply to: What to learn for the next upturn

[PM-Junkie]

I'm about to be benched. After reading all this, I'm not looking forward to it.

But of course you have at least 12 months' funds squirrelled away, and a plan B to work on - so it's not a problem.

Right?

[Pogle]

What are these Cognos, BOBJ and SqlServer things of which you speak? Surely you mean Oracle and OBIEE?

Sadly never had a chance to get to grips with the Oracle BI stuff, i expect I will some day, but Oracle is defiantly my db of choice

[oracleslave]

You could try getting hold of SQLserver 2005 or 2008 and learning all the BI software (ETL , reporting etc) which comes with it - inside out and upside down. Read and inwardly digest Kimballs " The data warehouse lifecycle toolkit"
and try and get a gig doing BI.

The SSIS stuff with SQLserver 2005 was not a bad attempt at an etl package, I haven't looked at 2008 yet, but I'm assuming its improved. I've noticed over the last couple of years an increase in demand for these skills as basically you get them 'free' with your database. Compared with the prices for Cognos, BOBJ & others they are a bargain and smaller businesses will be keen to use them.

What are these Cognos, BOBJ and SqlServer things of which you speak? Surely you mean Oracle and OBIEE?

[ribble]

Business Intelligence seems to one of the ones that is going to remain quite boyant through the downturn. So good advise from Pogle.

Once you've learn't you will definatley need some experience so best to get a gig doing SQL Server & BI stack.

@Pogle: I'm currently designing and implementing an end to end solution at the moment and using SQL Server 2008 and they have definatly started polishing it off when compare to 2005. SSIS is much more robust for sure.... SSRS is far more flexible and much prettier as well.

[Pogle]

My guesses would be

- Business Intelligence
- Enterprise Planning and Budgeting
- Information Security

You could try getting hold of SQLserver 2005 or 2008 and learning all the BI software (ETL , reporting etc) which comes with it - inside out and upside down. Read and inwardly digest Kimballs " The data warehouse lifecycle toolkit"
and try and get a gig doing BI.

The SSIS stuff with SQLserver 2005 was not a bad attempt at an etl package, I haven't looked at 2008 yet, but I'm assuming its improved. I've noticed over the last couple of years an increase in demand for these skills as basically you get them 'free' with your database. Compared with the prices for Cognos, BOBJ & others they are a bargain and smaller businesses will be keen to use them.

[bren586]

Upping your rate on a regular basis - does not make you a money grubbing contractor but actually a sound and professional business.

[lightng]

Tell me about it. Am having to get a begging bowl out and beg agencies for work. Have even told an agency to consider me for a trainee forensics role paying a salary half of what I am on now. I almost feel sick.

I'm about to be benched. After reading all this, I'm not looking forward to it.

[pmeswani]

It's deader than a very dead thing even if you are already working there.

You have to fight to get most companies to take security seriously to begin with, right now they just see it as an expensive overhead that can be sorted out when things pick up.

Tell me about it. Am having to get a begging bowl out and beg agencies for work. Have even told an agency to consider me for a trainee forensics role paying a salary half of what I am on now. I almost feel sick.

[Tensai]

Disable SIDD broadcast on the wifi - that's me secure -

Or SSID?

Doubly secure, fortress TykeMerc

[kula]

Info security

I've been trying for an info sec role since November and still out of work.
If my SC hadn't lapsed things would be different, but in the commerial sector its deader and than a dead thing.

[TykeMerc]

Disable SIDD broadcast on the wifi - that's me secure -

Or SSID?

[scooterscot]

Disable SIDD broadcast on the wifi - that's me secure -

[DaveB]

It's either me or the market is dead at the moment unless you are already in this space.

It's deader than a very dead thing even if you are already working there.

You have to fight to get most companies to take security seriously to begin with, right now they just see it as an expensive overhead that can be sorted out when things pick up.

[MrMark]

Learn one of the following:

1) shoe-shining

2) Fries facilitation in a McDs

3) Escort duties.

[AlfredJPruffock]

How about - invade a county on a pack of lies then earn yourself a fortune in the USA doing after dinner speeches to assorted sadists ?