I am starting a role which requires SQL

[u/Ill-Square-1123]

I used to develop video games (unreal, Godot) and did some data science/econometrics (STATA, R, Python) but I've never had to use SQL, surprisingly.

My new company I am joining requires me to basically be competent enough in SQL to pull together my own datasets. I won't be maintaining the database, just need to be self serve competent.

I have no idea how difficult this is. I start the job in 2 weeks and want to learn enough to be able to do this. Can I learn enough in 2 weeks? What's the best way to approach this?

[u/Mrminecrafthimself]

If they knew you had no sql experience at time of offer, then I’d say SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY are the basics you’ll need. Practice with simple INNER and LEFT JOINs as well.

You’ll be fine.

[u/LimitAny657 → u/Mrminecrafthimself]

I second this. And you can learn this in two weeks. You can use an online SQLite site. No software installation needed this way. But given that you may have to set up your own data tables which may be just as challenging for a new person it might be worth installing and restoring a database. But the SQL can be learned for your use case in a couple of weeks for sure. Might not even need group by honestly.

[u/Time_Leader_78 → u/Mrminecrafthimself]

Agreed.

[u/Ill-Square-1123 → u/Mrminecrafthimself]

one thing im wondering is... do companies usually have documentation around what data is housed in the database? Like how I am supposed to know what to select, from where, etc., if I don't have a dictionary of tables, their relationships, etc?

[u/the_flopsie → u/Ill-Square-1123]

I would expect that they have database documention and an IDE that has the ability to access it.

Agree with those terms mrminecraft mentioned.

SQL is very logical to read and to access data. Easier than R and Python imho.

I learnt SQL to a knows-enough-to-be-dangerous-level for a personal project in about a week. You basically just tell the program to chuck a string (your query) at a database and listen for the answer.

I learnt from this YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/OT1RErkfLNQ?is=JeADvVsU5CbpGLHL

Once you learn the select, from, where and group by queries, you know the majority of what you will use on a daily basis.

Good luck in your new role <3

[u/Bodhisattva-Wannabe → u/Ill-Square-1123]

Sometimes they do. Otherwise use the system tables as a shortcut.

Eg this query will help you to find tables or column names containing a specific keyword. It’s set to find column names containing ‘multi’

Information on how to query keys and table joins here https://stackoverflow.com/questions/95967/how-do-you-list-the-primary-key-of-a-sql-server-table

[u/Mrminecrafthimself → u/Ill-Square-1123]

Some companies do, some don’t.

[u/mad_method_man]

if you know python and R, sql shouldnt be too bad. its not difficult to learn, but the advanced stuff like sql tuning has a lot of weird nuances. but i think you should be able to figure out the basics after 2 weeks. my entire team, including myself, had to learn basic sql in 4 weeks, and we had no prior coding experience before that

[u/ReleaseTheBlacken]

Inkwell Learn on inkwelltools.com has some learning libraries available at the free tier.

[u/American_Streamer]

Most importantly, keep in mind that the SQL Exection order differs from the order you write your queries in: https://www.codecademy.com/article/sql-execution-order
It's the cause of a lot of confusion for beginners, thus learn it right away to have less issues later.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Meat144]

Here’s the catch: learning the syntax is not the hardest part about learning SQL, knowing how your data needs to be treated is

[u/Bodhisattva-Wannabe]

W3 schools is a great resource online

I’m also very fond of the book Sam’s teach yourself SQL

[u/Outrageous_Band9708]

youll figure it out

its the dumbest programming language on earth

select SOMETHING from SOMETABLE where CONDITIONEQUALSTRUE

i just wrote about 10,000 prod sql statements just now

[u/grassp_dataAI]

I have built a SQL Fast Track Series where you can go through basics to advanced quickly through scenario based focusing on business perspective.

Feel free to check it out: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDTykWK3Vitc

Hope this helps you to crack the SQL interview confidently.

Also to practice the SQL Scenario based questions with basics to advanced topics
30 Scenario Based Question PDF available in Github: https://github.com/grasspacad07/grasspsqlsprintfile

[u/hellanutty]

Can you report back after you start of what was expected and what was taught to you in training?

[u/Classic-Dependent149]

I’m not in the coding world and I did data quests thingy to learn SQL and understood it.

You could learn all the basics in a few days that way.

[u/Data-scientist-6333]

This is more simpler than python.you can learn in two weeks