Thomas LaRock (blog | twitter) recently blogged about setting up a PASS Orientation Committee for the upcoming PASS Summit. He shared his ideas of instituting something that would encourage more interaction between PASS Summit attendees:

 

most importantly we can get these people to build a connection with someone else which is going to result in a more positive Summit experience and make it more likely to have those persons return next year.

 

I think it's a great idea.  Anything we can do to encourage networking and community would make the summit much more valuable to everyone.   There are plenty of people who are extroverts online who are introverts when it comes to in-person socializing and networking.  Being introverted doesn't have to mean lonely, though.

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Karen Lopez: Musings on Data, Process, and Architecture SQLCruise

Yesterday I spent the day at the Southern Florida SQLSaturday. SQLSaturdays are free SQL Server training events made possible by sponsors in the data-related industry. It's amazing that volunteers can pull of a conference-like event for 375+ people and not have to charge them a dime. Breakfast, coffee, lunch and after party were all free. An amazing thing, this culture of FREE.Check to see if there's a SQL Saturday coming to your city at www.SQLSaturday.com.This SQL Saturday had 600+ registrants, with about 375 attending. There were 9 tracks to choose from and like most conferences I had a tough time choosing sessions. I knew many of the speakers and attendees from Twitter, so these sessions reminded me quite a bit of DAMA/EDW sessions....

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In my previous post, I wrote about how SQLCruise sponsors are going to reach a lot more people than just the 15 cruisers/attendees.

Who are the sponsors? (pulled from the SQLCruise website)

 

 

 

 

 

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Karen Lopez: Musings on Data, Process, and Architecture SQLCruise

In my previous post, I wrote about my plans to embark on a traincation on SQLCruise.

Like all these events, the sponsors have been fabulous, going well beyond what normally they might do for a regular 15-person event.  Why? Because their "reach" has expanded well beyond those 15 people.  Each person involved with this event has been promoting it.  Everyone who follows us on Twitter and Facebook has been exposed to this event and the sponsor's products. I'm guessing that's more than 100,000 people.  The impact the sponsors have had on the success of event is so important that I'm reserving a blog post for them, coming up next. 

I mention this because I think it is a real game-changer for how companies interact with their current and future customers.  It used to be that vendors only wanted to sponsor...

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Karen Lopez: Musings on Data, Process, and Architecture SQLCruise

In just a week I'll be leaving for some SQL Server training.  But not just normal hotel conference room, bad coffee, 8-straight hours of slides-type training; this is the inaugural SQLCruise.  SQLCruise is being given by Brent Ozar (twitter...

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Lately I've been helping clients find employees/contractors and helping friends find jobs.  I'm not in the job helping business, but I do have many years of experience screening resumes for clients and pointing people to opportunities  I thought I'd share with some some of my most valuable job finding tips.

Before I get to the details, I'd like to point out that I'm not really going to make a distinction between employment and contracting in this post. The tips here, for the most part, can apply to either type of job.  In addition, the market itself treats both contractors and employees the same.  Contract versus Permanent really involves legal, tax, and accounting issues more than anything.  There are significant financial differences between the two, but that's another post.

 

1. The best jobs often never get posted or sent to an agency for placement In 25 years I've never gotten a job or a contract via responding to an ad. I know people who have done that successfully.  It just...

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I'll be speaking at DAMA Portland (Oregon) on Tuesday, June 15 on:

Data Modeling Contentious Issues (back by popular demand!)

and

5 Classic Data Modeling Mistakes & How to Avoid Them

Visit the DAMA PDX website to register.

Standard Insurance Auditorium 900, SW 5th Avenue, Portland, OR 97204

 

Technorati Tags: Data Modeling,Presentations,Speaking,Karen Lopez,Mistakes,Contentious Issues.

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I will be presenting at DAMA Puget Sound (Seattle) on Wednesday, June 16 on:

Managing Reference Data and Codes Do you leave the management of reference data, codes, and enumerations up to developers or users?  If so, you could be adding more risk than you are aware of!  In this presentation, Karen López demonstrates tools and techniques for managing reference data and codes, includes ten success tips for keeping models and code values in sync. When presenting this topic to DAMA chapters, she has found the discussions can be surprisingly contentious - join us for a great debate!

Visit the DAMA PS website to register.

Best Western Executive Inn - 200 Taylor Ave N, Seattle, WA

Hope to see you there.

 

Technorati Tags: Reference Data,Data Modeling,Codes,Risk,Tools

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