Techniques for performing database operations using vectorized instructions are provided. In one technique, a hash table build phase involves executing vectorized instructions to determine whether a bucket in a hash table includes a free slot for inserting a key. A number of data elements from the bucket are loaded in a register. A vectorized instruction is executed against the register may be used to determine a position, within the register, that contains the “smallest” data element. If the data element at that position is zero (or negative), then it is determined that the corresponding position in the bucket is an available slot for inserting a key and corresponding data value.