Database Administrator Resume Sample

Database administrators create systems to maintain and secure sensitive information and provide access to important datasets.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), database administration (DBA) jobs are projected to grow by 8% from 2020-2030. With many openings resulting from retiring workers, increase your chances to pursue this lucrative career in a variety of fields like retail and healthcare with a solid database administrator resume.

1. Open with an engaging database administrator resume summary

Whether you’re writing an entry-level database administrator resume or a senior database administrator resume, you’ll need to quickly show hiring managers you’re a qualified candidate. Usually, they don’t have time to read through every detail of every application they receive.

Start your resume with a strong professional statement summarizing your relevant skills, experience, and accomplishments in 3-4 sentences to convince employers to read it to the end.

Here’s a database administrator resume summary example summarizing the candidate’s most relevant experience:

The candidate in this example demonstrates their most significant experience in the very first sentence and follows it with additional expertise to establish themselves as a qualified candidate.

In the third sentence, they briefly explain what kind of role they’re seeking while emphasizing how their experience will benefit the company.

In three short sentences, a hiring manager has all they need to decide whether the candidate meets the basic requirements of the position they’re applying to.

Adding a well-written summary to your own resume is a great way to position yourself as an ideal candidate for the database admin job you’re applying for.

2. Enhance your resume with key database administrator skills

With responsibilities like maintaining database recovery infrastructure and monitoring company databases, database administrators need both hard skills, such as a solid foundation in database languages like Structured Query Language (SQL), as well as key soft skills like problem solving and communication.

Here are a few examples of other hard skills to list on your database administrator resume:

Hard Skills

• Procedures
• SQL
• UNIX
• Linux
• Oracle
• Windows OS
• HTML

Depending on the type of DBA position you’re applying for, you’ll need to stress some skills more than others.

For example, one position may require you to maintain and optimize a database for higher performance while another requires you to integrate a database into applications. Read the job description carefully to pinpoint the company’s needs and the skills required to meet them.

In comparison to hard skills, soft skills are more difficult to measure, but they’re highly sought after by employers.

Here are some soft skills you’ll need as a database administrator:

Soft Skills

• Analytical thinking
• Communication skills
• Problem solving
• Organizational skills
• Attention to detail
• Creativity
• Interpersonal skills

3. Include your relevant certifications

Getting an industry-recognized certification will improve your chances of landing a job as a database administrator, regardless of whether you’re new to the field or if you already have a couple of years of experience.

Get one of these certifications to strengthen your database administrator resume:

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification 
• Microsoft DP-900 exam certification
• MongoDB Database Administrator
• Oracle Database Administrator Certified Associate
• Oracle Database Administrator Certified Professional
• IBM Certified Database Administrator
• SAP Certified Application Associate (Reporting, Modeling, and Data Acquisition with SAP HANA)
• Teradata Vantage Administrator
• Oracle Database SQL Certified Associate Certification

If you’re new to database administration, consider getting a Microsoft certification. Microsoft offers a range of SQL server certifications suitable for both entry-level and experienced database administrators. Meanwhile, if you have some work experience already, consider IBM’s database administrator certifications for Linux, UNIX, and Windows.

How to list certifications on your database administrator resume

Where you should list certifications on your resume depends on the requirements of the job. If they’re highly relevant to the position, mention them in your resume summary.

If you have no more than one or two certifications, list them in your education section or along with your skills. In this case, change your resume skills section to specify you’re also including certifications, like in the following example:

Having only one certification to date, this candidate chose to list their certifications in their skills section along with the date they earned it to give hiring managers a better idea of their level of expertise.