Description
Nobody needs to learn how a car engine works in order to drive a car. The whole point of technologies like SQL is to allow you to focus on the business problem, and not worry about how the technical details are executed. This book will give you a practical focus on using SQL, and will steer away from unnecessary technical details that are likely not pertinent to your immediate needs. Much of the content revolves around hands-on exercises with real databases you can download so you see how concepts are applied. When you finish this book you will have practical knowledge to work with databases, as well as use them to overcome your business challenges.
How to Use This Book
This book is designed to teach the fundamentals of SQL and working with databases. Readers who have experience using Excel spreadsheets should find this material accessible but still challenging. Individuals who have not worked with Excel may be more challenged. It is helpful to be familiar with concepts used in Excel, such as rows, columns, tables, mathematical expressions (e.g., Excel formulas), and aggregate calculations (e.g., SUM, AVG, MIN, MAX, COUNT). These concepts will still be taught here, but some practical Excel experience will help expedite understanding. Basic computer literacy is required, and readers should know how to navigate folders and copy/paste files, as well as download and save files from the Web.
As you go through the material, have a computer on hand to practice the examples. While some people can learn by just reading, it is best to practice the material at some point to reinforce the knowledge.
Proficiency comes through repeated use and practice. In your job, it is likely that you will use some SQL functionalities heavily and others not as much. That is OK. It is more important to become proficient in what your job requires, and consult this book (or Google) as a reference when you need answers about an unfamiliar topic.
When working with technology, you are never expected to know everything. As a matter of fact, technology topics are so vast in number it would be impossible. So it is helpful to develop a degree of tunnel vision and learn only enough to fulfill the task at hand. Otherwise, you can get overwhelmed or distracted learning irrelevant topics. Hopefully this book will give you a foundation of knowledge, and afterward you can continue to learn about topics that are pertinent to you.
You are always welcome to reach out to me at [email protected], and I will answer any questions to the best of my ability. If you have questions about positioning your career with technical skillsets or have a SQL question, I might be able to help. I hope that this material not only augments your skillset and career opportunities, but also sparks new interests that excite you like it did for me.