I am so excited about the new job that I’m starting on July 5th! I’m joining the Field CTO office at Snowflake as a Principal Architect, Data Performance. In this role, I’ll be tackling the thorniest performance issues that clients or potential clients encounter while spreading knowledge about Snowflake performance in the organization. This role combines my deep love of data and performance, gives me so many new things to learn with great mentors, and lets me leverage my skills in documentation and content creation.
I had multiple offers in the end. I have such an amazing network to help me explore work in several different directions, and to be able to really explore what direction I want to go with my career. The offers that would have kept me working with Db2 were on the lower end of the range of compensation I was considering. Most of the non-Db2 positions I was considering were technical writing and content creation. I once again strongly considered making writing and content creation (about data) my full time job. In the end, I love content creation, but I’ll find a way to do it no matter what other work I’m doing. I may still jump ship from tech to technical writing someday, but it’s just not time for that right now.
This is the second opportunity I’ve had in the past year and a half to switch data platforms at a very senior level. I have some idea of how precious this kind of opportunity is. I know from my last attempt that it’s a lot of work and a bit risky. I wanted to give deep data work in an area other than Db2 more of a chance, and not let Shopify’s decision to lay me off really scare me back into comfortable territory. I don’t guarantee I won’t be back to Db2 someday. I still love Db2 and think it is technically a great product. I also firmly believe this position gives me the opportunity to work with the deep technical aspects of performance that I’ve always loved in the same general areas where I’ve built my career. I also see how the graduate courses I took in data analytics will really benefit me in this role.
I want to encourage my readers to not be afraid to try new areas and think how your skills might apply in different directions. It is easy to feel like you only qualify for certain jobs on technology you’ve worked with, but as I explored, there were a number of areas where I could apply my skills, particularly with the contacts and reputation that I’ve built for learning and improving myself. You’re capable of more than what’s on your resume.
This blog remains an area where I’m going to keep sharing technical content. If I do share anything about Snowflake, it will not be as a representative of the company, but only my own personal opinions.
Good luck on your new career change.
Congratulations and thanks for encouraging all of us!
Congratulations on the new job and career change. Like my friend said, when your employer “Invites you to seek employment opportunities elsewhere” it can be traumatic but I’m glad you landed on your feet.
Your articles have been life savers and I wanted to thank you for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It has really helped me and I’m sure others out a lot.
I am so happy for you Ember…that is great news!! Congratulations!! I will reiterate what OC says above…I have been reading your articles for years. You and others on datageek have been a big help and an inspiration to keep learning the skills necessary to be a DBA in today’s world.
I’m not at all a DBA (not even a DB developer), I am working as a consultant mainly for a US software primarily used for data warehouses. Funnily enough I’ve been working on other technial areas for the past 22 years (of which I spent 16 years at the software vendor), I’ve never done any data warehousing myself.
Anyway, I’ve collected a good lot of technical experience with that software, and so I more than understand your wish to share your knowledge and experience with other people. This exactly resembles what drives me trying my best to help other people get along with the software better. You are one of those persons who inspire me to continue helping others.
In fact your blog helped me a LOT during the past week. After trying to set up Db2 for my company for six weeks I happened to find your blog, and a few hours of shuffling through some of your DB2 Basics posts enabled me to understand how to set up DB2 and get it up and running within two days. And I desperately need this knowledge for one customer who have to upgrade their software environment while upgrading Db2 from v11.1 on AIX to 11.5 on Linux. Now thanks to your blog I have managed to get our own systems up and running with Db2. Honestly you saved more than only one day for me and my colleagues.
So I hope you will have as much fun and challenges with Snowflake as you had during the past decades. How much I long to read what you write about Snowflake… 🙂