How to source and shortlist {role_name}

Where can you find qualified {role_name}?

  • Professional network : Leverage your professional network and reach out to former colleagues, industry peers, and tech community members to ask for referrals.
  • Educational Institutions:
    • Universities with strong computer science or information technology programs.
    • Specialized training programs that offer certifications in database management, such as Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) or Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate.
  • Company Career Pages:
    • Posting the job on your company's career page ensures it reaches candidates who are specifically interested in your organization.
  • Role-Specific Job Boards:
  • Geography-Specific Job Boards:

What are the best practices for headhunting {role_name}?

  • Personalized Outreach:
    • Customize your outreach messages to highlight why the candidate would be a great fit for your company and the specific database technologies they will work on.
    • Mention specific projects or tools from their profile that align with your job requirements.
  • Leverage Referrals:
    • Encourage current employees to refer qualified Database Developers.
    • Offer referral bonuses to incentivize participation.
  • Engage in Industry Events:
    • Attend database-focused conferences, webinars, and meetups.
    • Network with professionals and distribute information about the job opening.
  • Showcase Unique Selling Points:
    • Highlight any opportunities for certifications, involvement in cutting-edge database projects, or unique company benefits.

"Find Talent Quickly" – Leverage Headhunting and Referrals

How to shortlist candidates?

Once you have started to get applications from applicants, a thorough screening process and shortlisting of prospects will help you make the most of your time spent with the most qualified ones. 

Automated shortlisting tools :

Automated screening quickly filters out unqualified candidates, saving time for manual review. This allows the manual process to focus on the most promising candidates, ensuring the best ones are considered for further evaluation.

Screening questions to auto-shortlist based on predefined criteria

like qualifications, location, experience, and skills. Either use job board or use an ATS such as whitecarrot. Here are some questions for {role_name}

  • How many years of experience do you have with SQL and database management systems (DBMS) such as MySQL, Oracle, or SQL Server?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Less than 2 years of experience.
  • How many years of experience do you have with performance tuning and optimization of database queries?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Less than 1 year of experience.
  • Are you located within [specified location] or willing to work remotely?
    • Auto-reject criteria: Not located within the specified region and unwilling to work remotely.

Skill based question to auto shortlist candidate

Analyze the skill test data to automatically shortlist top-performing applicants. (recommended screening test time - 15 minutes). Here are some skill test questions for {role_name}

SQL

  • Question 1: What is the purpose of an index in a database?
    • Options:
      • To store large amounts of data
      • To speed up data retrieval
      • To manage database security
      • To back up data
    • Correct Answer: To speed up data retrieval
  • Question 2: Which SQL command is used to remove a table from a database?
    • Options:
      • DELETE
      • DROP
      • TRUNCATE
      • REMOVE
    • Correct Answer: DROP
  • Question 3: What does the SQL JOIN clause do?
    • Options:
      • Combines rows from two or more tables based on a related column
      • Removes duplicate rows from a table
      • Sorts the result set in ascending or descending order
      • Groups rows that have the same values in specified columns
    • Correct Answer: Combines rows from two or more tables based on a related column

Database Design

  • Question 1: What is database normalization?
    • Options:
      • The process of backing up a database
      • The process of organizing data to reduce redundancy
      • The process of encrypting data
      • The process of indexing tables for faster access
    • Correct Answer: The process of organizing data to reduce redundancy
  • Question 2: Which normal form is considered optimal for most database designs?
    • Options:
      • First Normal Form (1NF)
      • Second Normal Form (2NF)
      • Third Normal Form (3NF)
      • Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF)
    • Correct Answer: Third Normal Form (3NF)
  • Question 3: What is a primary key in a database table?
    • Options:
      • A field that uniquely identifies each row in a table
      • A field that can contain duplicate values
      • A field that is used to store passwords
      • A field that is not indexed
    • Correct Answer: A field that uniquely identifies each row in a table

Performance Tuning

  • Question 1: What is a query execution plan?
    • Options:
      • A step-by-step outline of how the database engine will execute a query
      • A backup schedule for database queries
      • A security protocol for running queries
      • A method for indexing queries
    • Correct Answer: A step-by-step outline of how the database engine will execute a query
  • Question 2: How can you improve the performance of a slow-running query?
    • Options:
      • By adding indexes on columns used in WHERE clauses
      • By removing all indexes from the database
      • By increasing the number of columns in the query
      • By running the query during peak hours
    • Correct Answer: By adding indexes on columns used in WHERE clauses
  • Question 3: What is database partitioning?
    • Options:
      • The process of dividing a large database into smaller, more manageable pieces
      • The process of combining multiple databases into one
      • The process of encrypting database tables
      • The process of backing up a database
    • Correct Answer: The process of dividing a large database into smaller, more manageable pieces

Note - Auto reject candidates if scores less than 70% in this section

One way video interview

Recruitment Bullet

Use tools like hirevue, whitecarrot.io to ask candidates pre-recorded questions about their experience and skills.

Recruitment Bullet

Use sample question given in scorecard.

Collect other information 

Recruitment Bullet

Collect data from shortlisted candidates, such as salary expectations and visa status.

"Shortlist in Seconds" – Use our CV scoring feature to get top candidate recommendation

Manual candidate profile shortlisting:

Recruitment Bullet

Thoroughly review the CVs of the top scoring candidates from the automated process

Recruitment Bullet

Look for evidence of the required skills, experience, and achievements

Recruitment Bullet

Review the candidate’s portfolio or GitHub repositories to see examples of their work.

Schedule recruiter calls with the candidate

Recruitment Bullet

Use a tool like calendly or whitecarrot to allow candidates to self-schedule calls based on your availability

Recruitment Bullet

Confirm the call details (date, time, dial-in info) with the candidate via email

What questions to ask in the recruiter phone screen?

Recruitment Bullet

 Use scorecard for rating candidates for recruiter

Recruitment Bullet

Sample scorecard : 

Criteria Rating (1-5) Comments
Experience with SQL and DBMS
Knowledge of Database Design
Performance Tuning Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Cultural Fit
Work Sample Test
Recruitment Bullet

Check for consistency in responses from the candidates.

Recruitment Bullet

Record such scorecards in an ATS like whitecarrot or use google doc