I've been with Oracle for about 22 years now and I am ready to leave. I've lined up a few things and will be moving to a small consulting company, will be doing a very similar job to what I've been doing for a while. I'd like to see if someone who left Oracle after 20+ years can chime in here - what do you anticipate to be my biggest challenge as I join a different company.
Any opinion/feedback is very much appreciated.
Please let me know.
Oracle is ruled by fear. Hit your number or you will out. Metrics obsessed, cheat and lie. Sue if necessary. News company, work hard and you will be rewarded.
Witnessing the destruction of the enterprise sales force was painful. I could see the strategy of replacing us with the call center hubs. At the end when another core tech Sales Consultant was on the same call I was I knew my number was up. I have nothing against that young guy, he was sharp and had learned what he was taught.
But get into specific customization or the inner workings of the database or peripheral products like golden gate etc... or go below the surface and you could hear crickets when a customer asked a question. I'd pipe up and provide the answer plus relevant documentation.
In 2016 I was no longer assigned to a sales rep they had to find me and fill out a request form. My manager asked me to reach out to them and ask if they needed help. I did but grew tired of explaining my role to a new sales rep. I decided to use my free time to learn AWS, I got certified and then leaned MongoDB a good NoSQL database.
I took the last year to prep for a new job, updated linked in and began interviewing. When I got my severance check in July of 2017 I was well prepared and the last 30 days allowed me to select a good company to transition to. I was interviewing with AWS, Google, Pivotal, Pentaho and MongoDB. I snagged the first offer and did not regret it.
Life is good, I get paid more and my skills are much more well rounded. All of the companies above (aside from Pentaho) are filled with a good number of ex oracle employees. At a time when Oracle is dumping technical talent and replacing experienced workers with cheap labor, the rest of the market is snatching them up with zeal.
Its sad really. Oracle has been hemorrhaging good talent since MH started his tactics back in 2012.
I've left Oracle after 17 years working as a tech sales consultant. I'll give you my perspective on it (the TL;DR version is: I wish I had left way earlier than I did).
Oracle technology is incredibly outdated. It was only after I moved to another tech company that I realized how far behind I was... Oracle tech revolves so much around Oracle DB , ADF and Weblogic that it simply ignores modern frameworks. Even the PaaS stuff (the parts that are not ADF-based) use Javascript in a way to mimic the old development mentality. Unless you're leaving to work exclusively with Oracle technology, you'll have to accept the fact that you have a whole lot to learn...
The company I moved to actually has a good software that can actually help customers. I have to say I was shocked, after spending my last 2 years at Oracle basically trying to push PaaS to whatever customer happened to cross my way. This is, in fact, the reason why I finally decided to leave: at some point I asked myself "if I sell this product to this customer, will I be solving their problems, or mine?"
There is such thing as recognition for a job well done. There is such thing as a manager that says "my job here is to make you successful" and actually mean it. Another shock.
When I was interviewing, I told them how much I made at Oracle (in my best recent year) and they actually said "we'll be able to cover that easily".
The 2 prospect questions I dreaded the most back at Oracle were: "who else is using this product" and "we want to install it here and do a quick test". In my new job, we're compelled to offer trials and reference visits. And we actually have happy customers (yet another shock). We still have a quota, yes, but our activities are not driven by the forecast or a desperate need to sell anything to anyone.
The Oracle name is still very well known (not necessarily liked, though). Back then, I could call any company and say "Hi, I'm from Oracle" and they would at least take my call. In my new job, learning how to create awareness was an interesting challenge.
There is life and money after Oracle. You'll notice how different the real world is from the competitive presentations you've heard from Oracle PMs. Out here, everyone uses Azure, or AWS. When they talk about Oracle, it's either legacy (DB), SaaS, or something they're trying to get away from. I've only met 1 customer who is using a non-SaaS Oracle Cloud product, and they're not happy (needless to say, it was pushed to them as part of a SaaS deal).
I miss some of my colleagues back at Oracle. I definitely don't miss the predatory sales tactics or some of the vulture sales reps I had to work with. It's a good feeling when you're trying to solve your customer's problems, and they acknowledge that.
Hope it helps.
Oracle is not a terrible company and anybody doesn’t acknowledge that they sell some sound technology is not credible. Mismanaged ? Yes. Too much infighting ? Yes. Lack of focus and collaboration? You betcha.
It can also be too comfortable. Very easy to fall into that status call routine. During your tenure, you’ve had exposure to countless personalities, mangement styles and different technologies meant for different purposes. If anything, gives you perspective and an advantage outside of the O. Just leave the bad stuff at the door. If you’re not a sheep, you’ll do fine
Not mode is.... nodejs
Ty auto correct
It does not take long to learn the new stuff. I recommend getting the associate or solution architect level certification from AWS.
Learn a NoSQL DB like mongo db and something like mode is. It's way easier to learn than java and rdbms.
I am doing well, and quite happy. Better pay and benefits.
Leaving was one of the best things I did. better environment and pay! Lot's less stress and better technology! Guys, there is a much better life after Oracle.
If you were part of a close knit team at Oracle, and will be a sole expert in your new job, you will feel lonely. Large companies tend to produce am environment where you can give up and ask questions. Being part of a smaller org forces you to be more reliant on yourself.
not quite 20 years but I guess is not that different.
i changed 70% of my previous job activities so it's more complex. if you do almost the same job you will have an easier time.
I felt liberated of my manager and his manoeuvrings. had to learn the skills I was missing but for me definitely was the best move.
I left after 18 years. It was an adjustment but I have no regrets. I felt a little bit of grief around missing my team and what I was "used to" for so long (I'm a creature of habit), and it took a while to feel like I was "part" of my new company, but after a few months I adjusted.
On the first day you will feel big relief. You will see nicer people around. You will appreciate Oracle's best products and the worst managers . You will find lots of superficial people around. What you have learned in Oracle 10 years back in technology, business application is what people in other enterprise application company will be start talking about now. You will definitely miss Oracle, but the the life will go on....
you are walking easy on a treadmill and have just doubled the speed .. u need to run but have layers of fat pulling you back. Don't fall.
Being in Oracle 20 yrs is like being caught in a time wrap of Oracle culture. It shields you from some of the harsh realities but you end up less responsive and competitive.
Leaving Oracle can be a liberating experience but the initial days could be just terror. Expect the unexpected and prepare for the worst. Cast of the 20 yrs of baggage and make a fresh start.
Tell yourself that you are fresh out of college and just starting your career journey all over again. It will help.