How To Write A Database Administrator Resume That Converts

The competition for Database Administrator jobs is quite high these days. Companies are more reliant on data today than ever before. There’s high demand and the pay is quite good, too. Average salaries for Database Administrators in the US is around $93,000 annually.

This means there’s a ton of competition for DBA jobs. In situations like this, even a small edge over the competition is worth putting some effort into.

A good resume is exactly that — an opportunity to stand out. A great resume isn’t just a list of what you’ve done in your professional life. It’s an opportunity to present yourself as the perfect candidate for the job.

So, in this blog, we’ll take a look at exactly how you can do that. We’ll go over the structure of the resume, what to add, what not to add, and much more.

Let’s get started.

How to write an amazing database administrator resume

Choose the right format:

Thanks to the innumerable resume template-selling companies, you have a ton of choice when it comes to the design of your resume. In fact, one look at these formats and you might be forgiven if you think that your resume looks quite boring.

But boring is what you want.

Here’s a tip — Do not, whatever you do, choose an overly complex resume format that has a ton of design, fancy fonts, and novel formatting.

ATS cannot read any of these. (More on this later).

For now, remember that boring is good.

Your resume should look organized and uncluttered, with ample white space to give the reader's eyes a break.

Use a professional, easy-to-read font, and maintain consistent formatting throughout. Bulleted lists are a great way to present information clearly and concisely.

The best resume format is one where each section is separated by a horizontal line and not much else is there to see. That’s the format you want.

To make your resume easy to read, ensure each section is clearly labeled and easily distinguishable from others.

Use bold or larger text for section headers and keep your bullet points succinct. Also, remember to use plenty of action verbs and quantify your achievements whenever possible.

Finally, remember to keep your resume to a maximum of two pages. That’s if you have more than 10 years of experience. For anything less, one-page resumes are perfect. Hiring managers often skim through resumes, and anything longer might not get the attention it deserves.

Write a compelling summary

A summary is a short, succinct introduction to your candidature. It should, in two or three sentences, tell the recruiter what’s amazing about you. Summaries shouldn’t be too long. And they should make an impact. The idea is to get the recruiter interested in your resume.

Mind you, you may not need a summary. If you’re a fresher or if you’re moving from another field, you should be writing an objective and not a summary.

A career objective states what you hope to achieve whereas a professional summary emphasizes what you can offer to a potential employer.

It should highlight your key skills, experiences, and achievements in a succinct and engaging way.

Now that you know what to use, what do you actually write?

To start off, understand that you need to tailor your professional summary to match the job description.

Use keywords from the job description and highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position you are applying for.

This not only shows that you are a great fit for the role but also helps your resume get past Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) which many companies use to filter resumes.

Examples:

Suggested: Resume mistakes that every recruiter notices

Know what skills to add

The skills section is where you have a chance to demonstrate that you have what it takes to succeed in the role, whether you're a DBA newcomer or an experienced professional.

Again, it’s all about customization. Refer to the job posting to identify the skills that the employer is seeking. While it might be tempting to list every skill you have, remember that relevance is crucial.

Then, add context. Instead of merely listing your skills, where possible, give examples of how you've used these skills in practice. This can be particularly impactful when detailing your technical skills.

For instance, instead of just stating "SQL," you might say "Developed complex SQL queries to improve data retrieval speed by 20%."

Finally, don’t forget to include soft skills. While technical skills show your ability to handle the job's practical aspects, soft skills demonstrate how you work and interact with others. Balance is key.

Take a look at our in-depth guide to see what are the skills and responsibilities of database administrators in 2023

Examples:

Work experience — highlight what the company is looking for

This is the heart of your resume. It’s here that most resumes are rejected. So, how do you get it right?

The first step is to describe your past work experience effectively. Start by listing your roles in reverse chronological order.

For each role, provide the job title, the name of the company, the period of employment, and a list of responsibilities and achievements.

Use action verbs to start each bullet point. This makes your resume more dynamic and compelling. For instance, instead of saying "responsible for database management," you could say "managed multiple databases."

In addition to action verbs, use quantifiable achievements wherever possible. Numbers speak louder than words on a resume. Instead of saying "improved database performance," say "enhanced database performance by 30%."

And again, you need to tailor your work experience to the job description. In fact, tailoring your resume to match the job description is a huge factor when it comes to creating a resume. You can find more tips on tailoring your resume to match the job description in our in-depth article.

Examples:

Education and certifications:

The education and certifications section of your resume may not be the first place potential employers look, but it's still a vital part of your DBA resume.

It provides further evidence of your qualifications and shows that you're committed to your professional development.

When including education, list any degrees you have earned, the school you attended, and the dates of completion.

If you're a recent graduate or the degree is directly relevant to the position, you might also include any significant projects or relevant coursework.

Certifications, especially those relevant to database administration, are incredibly valuable.

They not only demonstrate your knowledge and skills in specific areas but also show your dedication to the field. Whether it's a Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate or Oracle Database Administrator Certified Professional, be sure to include these certifications prominently on your resume.

But what if you don't have formal education in database administration?

Don't worry. You can still include any relevant online courses or workshops you've attended. Also, emphasize more on your skills, experience, and achievements.

Examples:

Suggested: Interview Questions That Matter For Database Administrators

Make the most of the additional sections

Even with well-crafted skills, work experience, and education sections, there may be valuable aspects of your professional persona that are left uncovered.

This is where additional sections come in. By including sections like projects, languages, or volunteer work, you can provide a more comprehensive picture of who you are as a professional.

For DBAs, a projects section can be particularly valuable. Whether these are personal projects, open-source contributions, or substantial university projects, they provide concrete examples of your technical skills in action.

Be sure to detail what you did, the technologies you used, and any measurable impact of the project.

Language skills are another valuable addition, especially if the job description highlights the need for a specific language or if the company operates internationally.

Volunteer work, while not directly related to database administration, can demonstrate transferable skills, dedication, and a willingness to go above and beyond.

When presenting these sections, make sure they're relevant and add value to your resume. Highlight the skills used or gained and, where possible, relate them back to the job description.

Proofread your resume

Once you’ve created a great resume, it’s time to proofread. A lot of candidates, unfortunately, don’t spend enough time on this.

It is impossible to understate the importance of proofreading your resume. Seeing typos or basic grammar errors will definitely put off recruiters. A resume with glaring errors comes off as half-hearted or even careless. Obviously, that’s not the impression that you want to create.

So, here’s how to proofread your resume:

• Check for typos and grammatical errors: It might sound basic, but it's crucial. A simple spell check won't catch everything. Read your resume thoroughly and out loud to catch any errors that might have slipped through.

• Ensure clarity and consistency: Make sure your points are clear, concise, and consistent. Use the same tense, font, and formatting throughout the document.

• Check for relevance: After you've written your resume, go back to the job description. Make sure you've addressed all the key points and that your resume aligns with what the employer is looking for.

If you know someone who’s willing to look at your resume and give you constructive feedback, it’s the best thing. Other people don’t know your exact story. So, they’ll look at it from a different perspective. It can help you improve your resume greatly.

Keep updating your resume

The tech world, including database administration, is continually evolving.

To stay competitive in the job market, you need to show potential employers that you're keeping pace. Regularly updating your resume can help you do just that. Here's why it's crucial:

• Demonstrate growth: By adding new skills, experiences, and certifications, you show that you're committed to your professional development.

• Stay ready: You never know when a fantastic job opportunity might come up. Having an updated resume means you're always ready to seize the moment.

• Stay relevant: The needs of employers change over time. Updating your resume allows you to align with current job market trends.

How to update your database administrator resume:

• Regularly add new skills: If you've recently learned a new programming language or mastered a new database tool, add it to your skills section. This shows potential employers that you're proactive about staying current.

• Update your work experiences: As you take on new responsibilities or achieve new successes in your current job, make sure they're reflected in your work experience section.

• Include new certifications or education: Have you recently completed a certification course or attended a workshop? Make sure it's on your resume. It not only demonstrates your dedication but also gives you an edge over other candidates.

• Refresh your professional summary: As you grow in your career, your professional focus may shift. Make sure your professional summary stays aligned with your current career goals and aspirations.

A note about ATS:

Applicant Tracking System is a software that companies use to filter out candidates. ATS ‘reads’ the resume and the cover letter, and decides who moves on to the next round and who gets rejected.

Pretty much every company that you apply to will have an ATS software.

The way ATS reads is by looking for keywords. These are phrases that it’s trained to look for. Usually, these phrases are those that are in the job description.

This is why it’s so important to tailor your resume to match the job description. ATS uses the job description as the reference.

Also, ATS cannot read fancy fonts, columns in a resume, boxes inside resumes, and anything that’s not plain simple. This is why it’s best to use a traditional resume template with absolutely no frills. It’s easy for the ATS to recognize and read basic templates.

Creating an ATS-friendly resume actually involves so much more. If you want a more comprehensive article on this, read our guide on how to beat the ATS.

Conclusion

Writing a great database administrator alone won’t get you an amazing job, of course. You need the skills and the experience, too. However, a good resume will help your cause, more than you might probably realize.

So, make sure your resume is perfect before you fire it off to recruiters.

If you’re looking for database administrator jobs, check out Simple Job Listings. We only list fully remote jobs, most of the jobs we post pay really well, and a significant number of jobs that we post aren’t listed anywhere else.

Visit Simple Job Listings and find amazing remote database administrator jobs. Good luck!