Many types of database infrastructure exist, so you want to confirm that the applicant has the background that you’re looking for. Look for people who mention the specific database versions they’re familiar with, as well as a brief explanation of their experience level with each.
What to look for:

• Detailed information
• Years of experience
• Brief overview of duties

Many organizations are moving from a fully on-premises infrastructure to the cloud. You can discover which environment your candidate works the best in. If your organization intends on changing away from your current configuration, you can find out whether your interviewee can support your long-term goals.
What to look for:

• Strong understanding of infrastructure differences
• Flexibility
• Willingness to learn

This question tests the technical knowledge of your applicant and is directed at people you’re hiring for mid-level positions. Look for an answer that covers the basic concept and goes into some detail about its role in a database environment.
What to look for:

• Thorough understanding of this acronym
• Good communication
• Use case examples

You get an idea of how large of a data center the database administrator has worked with. If you’re a large organization looking for a DBA for critical systems, the applicant with small business experience may not work out well.

What to look for:

• Size of company
• Number of servers
• Type of server environment

Data loss is a high-pressure situation for a database administrator, especially if a migration project falls behind schedule. You get to see their thought process, how they handle stress and the strategies they use for disaster recovery.
What to look for:

• Level-headed reactions
• Detailed technical answer
• Examples of how they handle pressure

Big data technology is another rapidly growing area. Hadoop helps organizations work with massive data sets by splitting them into smaller sets and then consolidating the results. A willingness to learn Hadoop or existing experience may help your company use your data more efficiently.
What to look for:

• Subject matter knowledge
• Overall experience
• Desire to learn about trends and new solutions

A database administrator needs a strong process for identifying and addressing issues. While automated tools help lighten their load, you get to see their overall thought process and troubleshooting strategy with this answer.
What to look for:

• Solid process
• Willingness to use available resources
• Experience with addressing common issues

Losing company data is typically an unfortunate, but common occurrence that can happen to database administrators. This answer should help interviewers understand how the candidate handles this situation and if they have a process in place to successfully recover this data. Database administrators are expected to act quickly and logically in this high-pressure situation to ensure significant pieces of data are recovered and secured.

The candidate's answer should emphasize:

• Ability to think quickly in high-pressure situations
• A process for backing up and recovering data
• Critical thinking and problem solving skills

An answer to this question could look like this: