Database Manager

Database Manager qualifications to look for

Database Managers manage the organization, storage and access to company information. They also gather user requirements to design and test databases.

Your top hire will have a Computer Science degree along with work experience as a Database Developer or Database Administrator. 

Key skills include the expertise of SQL and familiarity with .NET Framework, JavaScript, HTML, and Oracle. 

It’s important to test candidates’ knowledge of data privacy and recovery procedures. Consider including a written assignment in your hiring process to find your A-player hires.

Keep an eye out for candidates who have: 

• Solid analytical skills
• Good communication skills 
• A team player attitude
• An understanding of users’ requirements
• Experience building databases 
  

If the Database Manager role in your company involves managing a team, don’t forget to evaluate candidates’ leadership skills.

Top tip: Hire candidates willing to grow by making sure their personal career goals align with your company's mission.

Problem-solving interview questions

• You need to train a new team member on database maintenance procedures. What’s your first step? 
• Explain how a big data model helps us understand consumer behavior.
• Is it a good idea to run a test on a live database? Why or why not?
• What security measures would you take to protect our databases from external threats?
  

Role-specific interview questions

• What are key measures to identify if a database server is running properly?
• Walk me through the most effective way to store and access files in a database.
• Walk me through the process of transferring data from Microsoft SQL Server to MySQL.
• When do you backup a database? Describe the process you follow step-by-step.
• Explain the difference between T-SQL and PL/SQL.
  

Behavioral interview questions

• When have you implemented a solution that improved data storage? What was the solution?
• Have you ever struggled to understand or implement users’ requirements?. What did you do?
• What’s a project you’re most proud of? What were the obstacles and what did you learn from it? 
• How do you stay current with database technologies? What publications do you read?