Skills
Database Administrator Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in database administrators, and how to build and show them.
Database Administrators need technical skills such as sql, database platforms (sql server, oracle, postgresql), and backup and recovery, plus people skills like attention to detail and problem solving. They also use tools such as SQL Server Management Studio and Oracle tools.
Technical (hard) skills
- SQL
- Database platforms (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL)
- Backup and recovery
- Performance tuning
- Security and access control
- Cloud database services
People (soft) skills
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
- Calm under pressure
- Communication
Tools, equipment and technology
- SQL Server Management Studio
- Oracle tools
- PostgreSQL and MySQL
- Cloud consoles for AWS, Azure or Google Cloud
- Monitoring tools
- Scripting languages such as PowerShell or Python
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how database administrators put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “SQL” and “Database platforms (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL).”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “attention to detail,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our database administrator glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Database Administrator training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.