h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is this overdoing it for the 'Any other info' section of a job application form (online).

Guidance on form says "This section should set out your reasons for applying, skills and experience, other interests and activities as appropriate to the post for which you are applying."


"As a current employee of the University I have found the environment to be stimulating and rewarding. This post is an opportunity for me to employ the skills I have learnt to the benefit of the University and provide me with the opportunity to continue to develop myself within the environment of the University.

In my career to date I have worked as a DBA (with Mid Tier), Developer and Support Analyst. I have installed, configured, developed and maintained databases, application servers and the applications that run on them. I also have held roles as a Team Leader and in Project Management.

This breadth and depth of experience has allowed me to understand better how each area impacts on the other. This is particularly import with the role of DBA which of necessity impacts the developers and support staff in an organisation. My experience of the different roles enables me to better understand the requirements and problems that the database community has in their daily tasks and how changes and improvements in database technology can aid them with their work.

My time working within the university has enabled me to gain an appreciation of how the university works and what the strengths of the organisation and its approaches are. At the same time my experience of varied commercial environments - including manufacturing, utilities and government - allows me to bring new approaches and techniques to bear on the issues and tasks involved.

Together this means that I can bring a varied toolkit of techniques and methods to bear on any issues and opportunities provided; thus ensuring that the best system is deployed and maintained to give the database and mid tier user community the best platform for them to work on."


Basically, I've got the relevant skill, I *really* want a permanent post here, oh and I ain;t just a DBA but I've done the other tasks that depend on the DBA as well.

(for those not in the know, a DBA is the techy who makes sure the database is up and running, patch and optimally configured. Usually DBAs only have DBA experience, not of those who use the system)

Personally I think you really have to work at it to *over do* and application. I've received several that were swimming in it if you know what I mean.

I would hire you if you had the paperwork to back all that up!

Good luck, break a leg.

Looks good to me!

The only thing I'd question is the expression "held roles", which seems a bit awkward to me. "Held the posts of" or "had roles" might work better.

'This is particularly import?'

suggest change the sentence para 4 to eliminate 'are' at the end eg 'how the university works and an understanding of/ insight into the strengths of the organisation and its approaches.'

Sounds good to me!

Looks good to me bar the fact that I think you mention the word 'university' too many times in the first sentence or two for my taste. (maybe change the last comment to '... in that environment.'

But that's a very minor quibble and it reads very well otherwise.

cheers all, much appreciated!

It is just to get past the interview selection process, the biggie is going to be the technical interview which will be quite difficult as I know who is asking the questions. I've been interviewed by him twice before (he's my current departmental boss) - first time successfully, second time not.

OTOH I happen to know someone else here is going for early retirement so there should be another permie post coming up soon if this doesn't pan out.

Other than the few little tweaks the others have already pointed out, I don't think this sounds overdone or anything. I'd hire you! Except I don't work in that department.

cheers PC! And the commute to your end of the world would be a little too far I think

well, application is in, fingers crossed and all that

Fingers crossed!