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Professional Development

Become a Presenter, Change Your Life

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development, Writing and Presenting

I began presenting on SQL Server two years ago. At the time I was a Senior Database Administrator. My workdays were spent getting ahead of the next big performance problem in an environment where software changes rolled into production like gangbusters. I was under a lot of pressure to be super-technical, stay on top of…

How to Pick a SQL Server Conference

Last Updated February 12, 2017

#SQLPass, Writing and Presenting

As a consultant and speaker, I’m lucky enough to go to a crazy number of SQL Server conferences. Here’s what I think of each mainstream conference out there – who they’re for, and who they’re not for. PASS Summit Length: 3 days Pre-Cons Available: Yes, many Videos Available Online: Yes, but only for paid attendees…

The Presenter’s Bill of Rights

Last Updated December 1, 2012

Writing and Presenting

Bad news: you don’t have any. You THINK you have the right to all of this stuff: A working screen for a projector (as opposed to one that’s hung up in the ceiling and won’t come down) A working projector A functioning bulb in the projector A stand for the projector within cord’s reach of…

Your First Good Job Isn’t In the Newspaper

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

Right now is an incredible time to do what you love. Bear with me for a second and watch this one-minute video from Red Bull: It’s full of people doing what they love. These people are at the top of their game, but more importantly, they’re sharing their game with others, inspiring and entertaining them.…

Punch harder.

Wanna Get Your FreeCon This Friday?

Last Updated February 13, 2017

Blogging, Professional Development

When I first started going to conferences, I thought all the value was up on the screen. I took copious amounts of notes in every session. I asked questions. I paid close attention. When the sessions were over, I packed up and went home, eager to implement what I’d learned. Of course, reality set in…

Who’s Going to Hire You? Seriously.

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

I got my start in the hospitality business by working at distressed properties. Distressed is the polite term that hotel management companies use when a hotel is in financial trouble, has health violations, and nobody in their right mind would stay there. Thankfully, there are a lot of tourists who are not in their right…

Today BrentOzar.com Turns 10 Years Old

Last Updated February 13, 2017

Happy birthday to my first post from May 7, 2002. BrentOzar.com circa 2001 1,782 posts and over 12,000 comments later, I feel like I’m still winging it, but it’s time to stop and think about the lessons I’ve learned over the last decade. This web site has turned into a consulting company that supports three…

And yes, a lot more people came in.

Writing Better Conference Abstracts and Presentations

Last Updated May 13, 2014

Writing and Presenting

The conference season is coming – let’s get you a speaker slot. Before you submit an abstract, do your research. Here’s some of my past posts about presentations and abstracts: How to Write a Conference Abstract – the real goals of a session abstract is to get the right people into your room and keep the…

Brent Ozar Talks SQL 2012 and MCMs on RunAs Radio

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Microsoft Certified Master (MCM)

Richard Campbell’s RunAs Radio podcast is a relaxed, fun discussion between IT professionals like sysadmins and DBAs who have to manage infrastructure. Richard’s a hoot to talk to, and I really like hanging out with him. I think that comes through on the podcasts, too – I could spend hours chatting with him, and the…

What’s Stopping You – from Snooping?

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

No, this isn’t a touchy-feely inspirational post that talks you into taking leaps and bounds in your career. I write those every now and then, but that ain’t today. Instead, today’s post is about a question: what’s stopping you from snooping in your company’s data? You, as someone with a lot of database access, have…

Three Things You Should Never Say in a Technical Interview

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

Did I say that out loud? When preparing for a technical interview, most people forget to think about how they answer questions. Even though you’re focusing on technical topics, make sure you avoid some simple statements that could spoil your chances to land that job. #3: My Coworker Was an Idiot Whether or not it’s…

SQL Server Certifications: What to Take and How to Prepare

Last Updated April 14, 2017

Professional Development

Whether you’re already a database professional or would like to become one, you’ve probably thought about getting certified in SQL Server. Do you need to be certified? What certifications are available and which should you take first? How should you prepare for the exams? Kendra Little is a Microsoft Certified Master in SQL Server. She’ll…

SQL Server Interview Questions and Answers – Book Review

Last Updated December 9, 2018

Book Reviews, Professional Development

I read a lot of technical books – stuff on SQL Server, VMware, storage – and they all start to blend together. Within the first few pages of reading SQL Server Interview Questions and Answers by Pinal Dave and Vinod Kumar, though, it jumped out and grabbed me because it’s really different. This is gonna…

From a trip to DC

What 2012 Work Scares You?

Last Updated February 14, 2017

Professional Development

Right now, this very moment, there’s an ugly piece of work tapping on your shoulder – and I don’t mean your boss. Or bacon. Bacon works too. You agreed to do it months ago during the 2012 planning sessions, but you never really expected January 2012 to arrive. Now that it’s here, you’re starting to…

Consulting Lines: SQL Server Needs a Dog

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Consulting Lines

SQL Server isn’t lonely, but it needs a dog. In today’s Consulting Lines series post, I’ll share my very favorite consulting line of all – one that makes people laugh while illustrating a point. The Situation: Bob the Button Basher My Blitz script helps me quickly spot SQL Server settings that have been changed from…

3 SQL Server Book Review Short Takes

Last Updated February 13, 2017

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately on the SQL Server front. I’d like to thank all three authors and publishers for providing these books for review. Securing SQL Server by Denny Cherry Paperback – Kindle Denny’s a jack of all trades, and a Microsoft Certified Master of SQL Server to boot. I’ve had the pleasure…

Data Driven Promotions: How DBAs and Developers Should Ask for a Raise

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

The Women in Technology lunch and panel discussion at the PASS Summit last week had a great topic: negotiation. When it came time to Q & A, I knew exactly what topic I wanted to introduce. How Should You Prepare to Ask for a Raise? It’s funny this was my question, because I don’t need to…

Consulting Line: “What problem are we trying to solve?”

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Consulting Lines

The problem with being a Microsoft Certified Master is that people come running up with Master-level questions. I field a lot of very advanced questions completely out of the blue, and I can’t help but raise an eyebrow. Deckard: “After answering forty-two questions from the Voight-Kampff test, what’s the pupil size of a Nexus-6 replicant?”…

Sample DBA Resumes

Last Updated February 12, 2017

Professional Development

Nobody knows who I am. Yes, I know, you think I waltz into restaurants without a reservation, get the best table in the house, and Rick Bayless brings the food out himself. In reality, sooner or later, everybody asks for a resume. (Except Rick Bayless. He just asks for money.) Managers don’t read blogs, so…

Yes, I used pink Post-It notes.

Book Review: SQL Server Hardware by Glenn Berry

Last Updated February 13, 2017

You probably only buy a couple of SQL Servers per year. You probably just tell your sysadmins, “I need a 2-socket server with 32GB of memory,” and then you just assume everything’s okay. Scratch that. Let’s be honest. It’s just us here, you and me, so I can be frank. You don’t trust those bozos. …