Robert DiFilippo is a senior database administrator at Metrics Marketing, where he develops and tests codes to optimize database systems and manages data solutions for clients. He has more than 10 years of experience in planning, coordinating and managing database systems and has worked with clients such as Midas, PNC Bank and Regions Bank. His areas of expertise include application development, database architecture, database design and optimizations. DiFilippo received a degree from Kent State University in physics with a minor in computer science, and is also a certified DBA [database administrator] with additional training and certifications in Java scripting and networking. DiFilippo has been featured on the Metrics Blog and Cleveland.com.

Why did you decide to pursue this career field?
I was originally interested in physics, but having a background in computers did well on my resume and for me in my job. I just kind of went into computers, but it soon became a passion because by having computers you can essentially do what you need them to do. I also went into this field because there was a high demand for people that knew how to work with computers.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field?
I have a minor in computer science, so that was a great start to get to know the field and the industry. The best experience and training I received though was hands-on and actually working on a desk with a computer and being told or asked to solve a problem or help with a computer. The more I was asked to solve a problem or to fix something, the better I got at working with computers and the work eventually just becomes easier. 

What types of classes and projects did you have to do?
The courses I took taught and revolved around the fundamentals of computer science, learning languages, and how learning logics and principles with the rest of the concepts were connected. Some core classes included data, data structures and programming fundamentals, which were all valuable. Additionally, it was important to learn computer hardware and what computer chips actually did, the circuits, and machine and assembly languages of the machine. For example, each type of computer has a language that manipulates the information and to get data out of the database. SQL is a very important language to learn in database administration. The more knowledge you gained and learned about machines, the more the rest of it made sense.

How did your education help you in your career?
I believe that experience is the best thing that helps you grow and advance in your career, but education provides you with that two- to four-year educational experience that most companies and businesses want. Even most entry-level positions want experience and that's hard to learn if you didn't go to school for it. I consider the education a shortcut to learning the hard way and for helping to learn things that you'll need later. So I see doing the schoolwork and education related requirements as a quick and better way to gain experience.

What was your career path like in this field? 
I started off looking for programming and networking jobs in the IT industry. But the languages and technology change very rapidly and you are constantly having to learn new machines and new languages. Networking was very useful and I did that, but as the Internet exploded and allowed businesses to attain information on clients and customers, they needed to be able to store that information somewhere, and that's where databases come in. I knew that they would need to get access to this data, so I moved to this side of the industry—databases.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work in your position?
Database administrators should be able to maintain fast recovery plans, think critically and work quickly in the event that failures or issues occur with little or no notice. A knowledge in the field is surely needed and for advanced positions, deep knowledge and understanding of databases and database structures is needed because you want to normalize data in order for it to operate faster in smaller compartments.

What do you do on a typical workday?
A typical workday consists of checking systems and making sure everything is up and running the way it should be. The rest of your day generally consists of writing programs and automating systems. You are likely presented with something that needs to be done on a regular basis and create ways to automate tasks, program them and test them. Once it's all tested and you know it works, then you work to optimize it. You're pretty much doing something manually to plan to solve an issue or problem and you create, test and automate plans.

Do you plan to advance to another position within your career field? 
I'm at the top so I'm kind of staying here. I could go to a bigger company, but I'd like to stay in mine. The next logical steps would be something like a CTO [chief technology officer], or something where you have a group of senior officers who are making technological decisions for larger companies.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job in your field?
A person is this field should be very meticulous and patient. Often, there is not a specific answer for your problems and you will need to come up with solutions, and you'll make 10 to 100 mistakes before you come up with a solution, so you'll need patience to keep trying. And even then, when you find one, you'll need to go back and organize to make sure you can use it again so that it can save you time in your next problem.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
You need experience in this field. If you're in a career and you want to switch and test what this industry is like, you're gonna have to go back down to start at the entry level. People think technology is booming and they want to start a career in it right away, but you need to work your way up. Certainly, with the right drive and ability, you can move up quickly with dedication, but know that you need to work at it. I would recommend recruiters—they can get you into the industry because they have relations with big companies and can really help you with exposure and familiarity. In addition, doing contract work is a great way to gain experience.