Example Career: Database Administrators

Career Description

Administer, test, and implement computer databases, applying knowledge of database management systems. Coordinate changes to computer databases. May plan, coordinate, and implement security measures to safeguard computer databases.

What Job Titles Database Administrators Might Have

• Database Administrator (DBA)
• Database Analyst
• Database Coordinator
• Information Systems Manager

What Database Administrators Do

• Test programs or databases, correct errors, and make necessary modifications.
• Plan, coordinate and implement security measures to safeguard information in computer files against accidental or unauthorized damage, modification or disclosure.
• Modify existing databases and database management systems or direct programmers and analysts to make changes.
• Specify users and user access levels for each segment of database.
• Write and code logical and physical database descriptions and specify identifiers of database to management system or direct others in coding descriptions.
• Develop methods for integrating different products so they work properly together such as customizing commercial databases to fit specific needs.
• Develop standards and guidelines to guide the use and acquisition of software and to protect vulnerable information.
• Work as part of a project team to coordinate database development and determine project scope and limitations.
• Review procedures in database management system manuals for making changes to database.
• Revise company definition of data as defined in data dictionary.
• Review project requests describing database user needs to estimate time and cost required to accomplish project.
• Train users and answer questions.
• Review workflow charts developed by programmer analyst to understand tasks computer will perform, such as updating records.
• Approve, schedule, plan, and supervise the installation and testing of new products and improvements to computer systems such as the installation of new databases.
• Identify and evaluate industry trends in database systems to serve as a source of information and advice for upper management.
• Develop data model describing data elements and how they are used, following procedures and using pen, template or computer software.
• Select and enter codes to monitor database performance and to create production database.
• Establish and calculate optimum values for database parameters, using manuals and calculator.

What Database Administrators Should Be Good At

• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

What Database Administrators Should Be Interested In

• Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

What Database Administrators Need to Learn

• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.