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Database Administrator Interviews

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Database Administrator Interview Questions

"Database administrators specialize in ensuring the safety of the client's data. Candidates should be well-versed in database design, security, and backup. Expect a technical-based interview that will test your ability to restore or find a file, manage databases, and increase the efficiency of a backup. Excellent organizational and communication skills will show that you are the right fit for maintaining the company's database."

Top Database Administrator Interview Questions & How to Answer

Question 1

Question #1: Tell me about your experience with AI.

How to answer
How to answer: Artificial intelligence is becoming more important in database administration. The hiring manager is assessing your skills in this area. Talk about data administration projects in which you used machine learning, developed an AI infrastructure, and deployed AI algorithms. If you have no on-the-job experience, talk about an industry event or a project you worked on independently that involved the use of AI.
Question 2

Question #2: A senior colleague disagrees with you. How do you handle this?

How to answer
How to answer: A database administrator must collaborate with IT professionals, such as data analysts and senior managers, to administer the database and ensure data accessibility. Show the hiring manager that you can work effectively in a team, resolve conflicts, and communicate persuasively with your answer. Provide a strategy involving a series of behavioral steps. Develop your strategy in advance, ask a professional contact for feedback on it, and revise it if necessary before your interview.
Question 3

Question #3: Tell me about your experience managing cloud data.

How to answer
How to answer: More companies are migrating their on-site databases to the cloud, and the hiring manager wants to know whether you have the skills to operate a cloud-based database. Provide expertise examples in this area. For example, talk about working with specific cloud storage systems, such as AWS; transitioning on-site company data to enterprise cloud; managing and securing cloud data; and improving how data interacts with distributed apps.

3,444 database administrator interview questions shared by candidates

First I talked with the hiring manager on the phone and answered questions--typical phone screen. I was interviewed from onsite, and I talked to two managers. During the first interview, I was asked questions about my resume and talked about the structure of the company and the department in which I would be working. This was approximately one hour. After this, I talked to the second manager and he asked me "What will you do for the company if I hire you?' Then he asked me "If you had to take a test on Java, and the results would determine if I hire you, would you take it? I said "Yes, I will take it right now." He said, "Confidence, that's what I like to see" Then he called the other manager and told him to get the Java test. The test questions were straight forward. They went something like this: "What does the extends keyword mean and what does implements keyword mean?" "What is and interface? When would an interface be used?" Then there was a simple SQL query question. Then "What is a singleton?" "Are memory leaks possible in Java?" "What is serialization?" These are the questions I remember--there were three or four other questions.
avatar

Senior DBA

Interviewed at Final Search

3.4★
May 28, 2019

First I talked with the hiring manager on the phone and answered questions--typical phone screen. I was interviewed from onsite, and I talked to two managers. During the first interview, I was asked questions about my resume and talked about the structure of the company and the department in which I would be working. This was approximately one hour. After this, I talked to the second manager and he asked me "What will you do for the company if I hire you?' Then he asked me "If you had to take a test on Java, and the results would determine if I hire you, would you take it? I said "Yes, I will take it right now." He said, "Confidence, that's what I like to see" Then he called the other manager and told him to get the Java test. The test questions were straight forward. They went something like this: "What does the extends keyword mean and what does implements keyword mean?" "What is and interface? When would an interface be used?" Then there was a simple SQL query question. Then "What is a singleton?" "Are memory leaks possible in Java?" "What is serialization?" These are the questions I remember--there were three or four other questions.

How many databases do you manage? What steps do you take to troubleshoot a database and/or application problem? How would you check for hung processes? What type of Data Dictionaries have you implemented? What items are in your Disaster Recovery Plan? What is your backup strategy and the RTO, RPO of those databases? What type of software to DB integration's have you worked on? There are many other database positions with other companies, why do you want to work for ULS? Why are looking to leave your current position?
avatar

SQL Database Administrator

Interviewed at Urban Lending Solutions

2.2★
Nov 18, 2015

How many databases do you manage? What steps do you take to troubleshoot a database and/or application problem? How would you check for hung processes? What type of Data Dictionaries have you implemented? What items are in your Disaster Recovery Plan? What is your backup strategy and the RTO, RPO of those databases? What type of software to DB integration's have you worked on? There are many other database positions with other companies, why do you want to work for ULS? Why are looking to leave your current position?

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