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Casey works with the International DB2 User's Group (IDUG), and became president of that organization from 1996 to 1998.
CASEY:I have been working with relational databases since 1983, predominantly with IBM DB2. Since I have a master's in theatre, it was a little bit of a transition to go to computer science! I applied myself to learning on the job and began writing technical articles in 1990. At that time, I also started working with the International DB2 Users Group (IDUG) and became president of that organization from 1996-1998.
CASEY: Currently, I have co-authored a proposal looking for a publisher. This book, Database Design: Principles, Practices and Parables, tells life as it is in the computer industry. It is a practical guide to building the foundation for information systems that businesses can use. By giving the readers a straightforward methodology, as well as the principles behind them, this book readies any database designer to build systems that delight their business customers.
CASEY: As one person who works with me said, I read prodigiously. I subscribe to several trade magazines and do some web surfing. The most important thing I do is participate in conferences. My IDUG experience enabled me to understand world wide trends and directions, as well as technical problems that people have. It's been a very important asset that has allowed me to maintain a network of people to use as a sounding board when I have a problem. .
CASEY: The Information Technology field reallychose me. I was living in New York City, one of a great number of "undiscovered actors," gong to auditions and taking lessons. I chose not to wait table to make a living, but to be a temporary typist in the offices around the city. One of those assignments was in the Information Technology department of ITT Worldcom in the Wall Street area. I spent the next few months uncovering and typing documentation that the previous typist had buried in hopes it would go away. They eventually hired me to run their project planning system and my life in Information Technology began.
CASEY: Too often, résumés come to companies that are complete with lists of software (such as, DB2, Java, C++) for which the résumé writer feels the company is looking. If an applicant has taken a course or read a book on that topic, on the résumé it goes. In an industry that is changing constantly, this can make sense, however, it then becomes difficult for the employer to hire the appropriate talent. ReviewNet tests help separate the wheat from the chaff and let an employer know the skill level he or she is hiring.
CASEY: When I was interviewing people to become DB2 Database Administrators (DBAs), I had developed a series of questions that pretty much let me know the skill level and interests of the applicant. Because database administration is a complex topic, some applicants may have had several years of skill, butspecialized in one area, such as SQL tuning. Others became "table jockeys." They could create a database quickly, but had neither the skill nor the interest to understand what they were doing. The test I wrote helps companies determine skill level and areas of expertise in a cost-effective manner.
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