TSQL Tuesday #150: My First “Why am I even here?” Job

Thank you Kenneth Fisher for hosting the May month of T-SQL Tuesday. Kenneth wanted us to write about our first technical job.

As I mentioned in my previous T-SQL Tuesday post here, I was a Pharmacy graduate who loved technology. As I decided to change my career into IT, I applied for masters degree in computer technology and finally made it to graduation.

After I completed my masters degree, I felt like I can easily do any job related to computers. I was wrong! I didn’t know at the time that “Degree’s doesn’t matter”.

I had my initial struggles to find a DBA job as everyone was looking for an experienced candidates who can fit their requirements. I took many interviews and failed. One final day, I got an offer for a DBA position in a company (I am not naming it here) after attending an interview for Junior DBA role. I was on the Cloud nine.

Everything is cool, right? No, not as I thought it would be.

On the first day into the company, they gave me an ID card with my happy face picture on it and under it, my job title as “.Net Developer”.

Wait, what?? A developer?

Well, I was in the same shock as you and don’t really know what to say. I tried contacting the management to know why I was placed in a complete different position when they interviewed me for a DBA position. I did not receive any useful information from them. Now, you know why I am not naming the company 🙂

I was angry in the beginning but thought I can learn and survive. You may ask, how can you survive when you know nothing about that technology? Remember, it was my first tech job ever. I was scared and worried if I will get an another job soon if I resign. I tried understanding and learning the code but it was very hard to catch up. I know that job was not for me and always wanted to get a job as a SQL DBA.

I am not an accidental DBA but a planned one who ended up in an accidental developer position 😛

I was looking for a DBA job while I was still working in this developer position and fortunate enough, it did not took long enough to be placed as a Database administrator in another company.

Since then, I am a SQL DBA who love working with SQL Servers and Databases.

Being a Women in Tech, I faced my challenges in my career but I never thought of changing/moving my career from IT. That’s what I always loved and that was the main reason why I changed my career from being a Pharmacist to a SQL DBA.

From the core of my heart, I always believed “Everything happens for a reason”. This mindset has helped me pass through those initial challenges I have faced moving my career in to IT.

All the past experiences has taught me and helped me to be where I am today as a Women in Tech.

If I turn back and see, I know I made the right decision 🙂

Thanks so much for reading!