title: Database optimization: What's faster searching by integers OR short strings?
body: <p>I am wondering about a basic database design / data type question I am having. </p>
  
  <p>I have a porjects table with a field called "experience_required". I know this field will be always populated from one of these options: intern, junior, senior, or director. This list may vary a bit as time evolves but I don't expect dramatic changes to the items on it.</p>
  
  <p>Should I go for integer or string? In the future when I have tons of records like this and need to retrieve them by expeirence_required, will it make a difference to have them in integers?</p>