Oct 15, 2009

Blog your way to becoming a better DBA



One of the most rewarding aspects of Blogging is that the content you share and publish has the potential to help others in your community but have you also considered that Blogging can actually make you a better DBA?

You see the act of blogging itself provides a number of subtle benefits for your professional development.

Why should you Blog about SQL Server?

Here is just a handful of the many reasons why you should be blogging about SQL Server:

Expand and enhance your knowledge

Writing about a subject solidifies your understanding of it. If you are going to publish content for the benefit of others then you need to ensure that you get your facts right. Carrying out research into your chosen subject will not only ensure you validate your Blog content but will also improve your knowledge and understanding of the subject matter you cover.

Establish your own personal brand

Blogging can enable you to define your own online presence and professional brand. Become known among your peers as a knowledgeable SQL Server professional that is serious about contributing towards and nurturing the community.Should a potential future employer search for your name in Google and they almost certainly will, you can ensure that they are presented with content that demonstrates your expertise and highlights your contributions to the community.

The Philosophy of Give and Take

The more content you contribute to the community the more you can potentially develop your own knowledge. It’s win/win for everybody.

"Over Here! SQL Guru Over Here!"

"Over Here! SQL Guru Over Here!"

Become a SQL Celebrity

Your contributions to the SQL Server community and your efforts to help others really are appreciated. You may not have the paparazzi chasing after you down the street from Starbucks but you can be certain that there are people out there who appreciate your work.

Grow your professional and personal networks

Blogging provides the opportunity to interact with peers in your chosen subject area. It can be a springboard to opening doors and provide the opportunity for you to meet and build new relationships with a wealth of interesting people.

Develop your communication skills

Blogging consistently will without a doubt improve the quality of your writing. Consider that a fundamental requirement of a SQL Server professional is to have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively to a variety of audiences using the written word. Whether it be email, technical documentation or report writing, blogging can be used to hone your skills in this area.

Blogging is just the beginning

The more you interact with the SQL Server community the more paths you will discover to contribute via and the more versatile a professional you will become.

Some other great ways to contribute to the sql server community include:

  • Presenting at a local SQL Server User Group.
  • Mentoring other DBA’s both within your organisation and externally.
  • Writing articles for SQL Server Central or other technical focused websites.
  • Participating on SQL Server Forums. Check out my Top 5 SQL Server Forums to get you started.

For further reading why not take a look at:

  • Brent Ozar’s article series: How To Start a Blog
  • Thomas La Rock has a wealth of articles on SQL Server professional development.

    • Start Blogging today! Your SQL Server users will thank you for it.

    Related posts:

    1. How To Live Blog an Event
    2. How To Be An Expert At What You Do
    3. Jump Start Your SQL Server Learning Today (T-SQL Tuesday)
    4. Top 5 SQL Forums