Posted by I have left XTIVIA. This is nothing against XTIVIA or the wonderful people there, it’s just an evolution on what I want to do.
5 years ago, when I started at XTIVIA, it was the perfect place for me at that time. It allowed me to focus only on Db2. It allowed me to get experience with a wider breadth of environments than just OLTP databases. It has been a good 5 years. I have continued to work with OLTP databases, but have also worked with analytics environments, including BLU and some work with very large databases.
As any regular reader of my blog knows, I have been working to change my focus away from strictly Db2. The new position that I’m moving to will allow me to gain skills in other areas – other engineering areas and perhaps also in data solutions architecture.
While my current job and another one that I was considering would have allowed me to work on other RDBMS platforms if I really wanted to, neither one pushed me to, and neither one made doing so particularly easy.
They say you don’t leave a job, but you leave a manager, and that is simply not true in my case. I had excellent support from my manager, and still feel guilty for leaving him. However my role at XTIVIA by its nature included people management. I always suspected that I did not want to manage people, and my 5 years at XTIVIA confirmed that for me time after time. My worst days there were always related to people management. I refused to be a bad manager, and did not enjoy much of the work that it took to try to be a good manager.
I was lucky enough to convince a friend and someone I believe to be one of the best Db2 consultants out there, Ian Bjorhovde, to take over my role as team lead. I know he will continue to serve clients and the team with the same expertise, enthusiasm, dedication, and curiosity I have. I will continue to refer people to XTIVIA for Db2 support. I haven’t ruled out the idea of working there again someday. It is just not where I need to be right now.
I find it interesting that my job changes have rarely been about more money or about escaping a bad situation, but have been about finding the work that I find interesting and need next in my career.
I am leaving consulting for essentially the first time in my career to work for a regular employer. I am bursting with enthusiasm for my new role, which will make use of my expertise with OLTP Db2 databases while giving me opportunities to learn in a number of different technical directions. I’ll continue to go to IDUG NA each year. I’ll be at IDUG in Rotterdam, and will do my best to continue to speak at IDUG EMEA each year, but may not make it every year. I may increasingly make different choices on where I need to be learning. I’m looking for conferences and learning opportunities that support my move beyond Db2.
I plan to continue to blog about what I’m working on and playing with, as always. Writing has become a core part of my being, and I feel its loss keenly when I don’t blog for a while.
Congrats Ember!
Congratulations for moving towards your next adventure!
Congrats! You will do great in your new adventure.
I hope never have to say “I miss Ember’s interesting Db2 articles”
Wish you the very best Ember. You are a star.
Congratulations Ember and all the best for this move
Congratulations Ember, wish you the best.
I am sure you will do a great job! I wish you the best in your new challenge!
Can’t say thank you enough.
Congrats
I hope you will still make it to IDUG EMEA Ember; your presentations are always top-value
Congrats Ember. All the very best for your new Role.
Congratulations on the new job… I know you will excel at it, and in everything you do! Keep up the great work!
All the best Ember!
Congratulations on the new job!
Good luck Ember. Hope the new role is as fulfilling as you desire it to be.
Congratulations Ember!! Best wishes on your new endeavor.
Thank goodness the blogs you’ve written are here for us to continue to refer to. Great luck in your new endeavor and thanks so much for the stuff you’ve shared!