Why Programmers Need to Learn SQL If You Want a Job in Data?

SQL is a language that enables storing, retrieving, and manipulating data in databases.

SQL stands for Structured Query Language, which is a programming language used to communicate with relational databases. The acronym is pronounced like the word sequel, but some people will just use the three letters S, Q, and L. Although there were precursors to the SQL language as early as the 1960s, relational databases didn't hit the market until the 1980s. In 1979, Oracle became the first to incorporate an SQL language into its relational database construct. SQL does have its distracters who consider it to be too slow and lacks the eloquence of other programming languages. Despite its critics, SQL has become the standard language for querying and manipulating data stored in a relational database. SQL is a fourth-generation language, meaning it is a scripting language that does not require compiling to run. Like most fourth-generation languages, SQL requires an interpreter that translates rather than compiles code. Instead of being a programming language for building websites, apps, or software, SQL is a language that enables storing, retrieving, and manipulating data in databases. Like other programming languages, SQL has its markup. This makes it necessary for a programmer to learn SQL markup before they can use it effectively. Besides markup, another feature unique to database programming is the concept of tables. A database may be represented as several tables. Each table has its number of columns and rows and represents a set of data.

Types of SQL Jobs

SQL has a lot of career options in the business domain as well as in the data science sector. When data is of interest in the gap analysis, SQL can be used to find gaps in data such as dates or number sequences. A thorough gap analysis is a critical piece of any business analysis; therefore, a good understanding of SQL can be an essential tool for Business Analysts. A Data Scientist is someone who is an analytical expert and utilizes their skills in both business, technology, and social science to find trends and manage data at a massive scale. A strong grounding in some of the fundamental tools of analysis (i.e., some combination of SQL, R or Python, Hadoop, Excel, D3, and Java/C/C++) and the theoretical basics that underpin analysis (e.g., statistics, data warehousing principles, accounting, general numeracy) are great. Knowing SQL is a fundamental skill required to be a good Software Engineer. Furthermore, Software Engineers with SQL knowledge are more likely to get paid more than their peers that do not have any SQL know-how. Software Engineering roles require SQL skills. So, getting a grip on SQL is becoming almost an indispensable requirement for landing a Software Engineering job. A Database Administrator (DBA) manages the database software to store, organize, and access data successfully. DBAs usually oversee a team of SQL developers and need to be skilled with computer programming, software engineering, and data architecture. A DBA's function is to analyse an organization's data management, input, and security requirements, by helping develop processes that support access and information security for the data stored within SQL Server databases. While a SQL Server DBA only writes code on specific occasions, they do play an essential role in optimizing SQL queries and overseeing backups, audits, and data replication to ensure that SQL databases remain accessible, secure, and stable.

Salary of SQL Professionals

SQL Server Database Administrator salary in India ranges from ₹ 4.0 Lakhs to ₹ 10.3 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 6.0 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 1.9k salaries received from SQL Server Database Administrators. The average SQL server dba salary in the USA is $107,500 per year or $55.13 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $97,133 per year while most experienced workers make up to $142,106 per year. The salaries of SQL Data Analysts in the US range from $52,500 to $107,330, with a median salary of $93,597. The middle 50% of SQL Data Analysts make between $85,000 and $90,000, with the top 83% making $107,330. SQL Server Developer salary in India ranges from ₹ 2.0 Lakhs to ₹ 11.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 4.6 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 348 salaries received from SQL Server Developers. Apart from experience, location also matters when it comes to database developer salary levels across the US. For example, Atlanta offers an above-average pay rate for SQL developers: 22% higher than the national average presented by PayScale, to be precise.

Required Education

Learning SQL doesn't require prior programming knowledge, so it's great for beginners. Devote a couple of weeks to these four steps, and you'll be on your way to your dream analytics career. You'll need to understand the basics of SQL syntax, including the functions SELECT, FROM, WHERE, GROUP BY, HAVING, ORDER BY, and LIMIT. The different SQL dialects use very similar syntax, with a few exceptions. With SQL, the order of written code differs from the order of execution. So, you'll need to understand proper query structure and the order in which queries must be written. You can learn how to use SQL in production even before accessing a database. The best way to learn SQL is with hands-on courses that introduce core concepts and get you familiar with SQL code. I may be biased, but DataCamp's Introduction to SQL course is a brilliant overview—it's the first course in our SQL Fundamentals skill track. W3Schools' SQL Tutorial and Khan Academy's Intro to SQL are also excellent. The best way to master SQL is by practicing in your environment—so you'll need to install a database. If your company already uses a database, you should go through the proper channels to install it on your system. You can also install a free database, like PostgreSQL (PGadmin), SQLite, or MySQL; or follow our step-by-step tutorial on how to install SQL Server. Then, you'll need some data to play with. Preferably, you'd use real data from your company so you can start exploring data that matters to you. Alternatively, you can download a public dataset through Kaggle or freeCodeCamp Open Data. So many roles today require SQL knowledge, and coding daily is the best way to become an expert. Before you start applying to jobs, you can plug any gaps in your SQL repertoire with DataCamp's Data Analysis in SQL skill assessment. As you're applying to positions, make sure to tailor your resume to the role to stand out.

Experience

To build a career in SQL, the developers and engineers must have a Degree in Computer Science and Engineering. They must also have an excellent understanding of T-SQL programming and Microsoft SQL Server. Transact-SQL (T-SQL) provides a robust programming language with features that let you temporarily store values in variables, apply conditional execution of commands, pass parameters to stored procedures, and control the flow of your programs. Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS) that supports a wide variety of transaction processing, business intelligence, and analytics applications in corporate IT environments. The SQL developers should also have good knowledge of HTML and JavaScript. It is also necessary for them to have experience with SQL Server Reporting Services, SQL Server Analysis Services, and Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is a server-based report generating software system made by Microsoft and used as a solution for companies who need to build custom reports from a variety of data sources, such as SQL databases and other external sources. Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services is an online analytical processing and data mining tool in Microsoft SQL Server. SSAS is used as a tool by organizations to analyze and make sense of information possibly spread out across multiple databases, or in disparate tables or files.

Skills

Among its skillsets, the programming language is the most important one for SQL-related jobs. Ideally, professional SQL developers should have experience working in a development environment like Oracle SQL Developer. Other programming requirements vary across organizations. For example, you might be supporting applications written in Java, C++, and C#, so knowledge of these will help you collaborate with other teams. When working with MySQL, you almost certainly need to have experience with PHP. Likewise, familiarity with the .NET framework is useful, especially if you specialize in Microsoft SQL Server. A background in Unix is another big plus. You should be skilled at the command line, so understanding Bash or Windows batch scripts is another way to help your resume stand out. Specialization is often key in getting a top SQL database developer job. Oracle remains the world's most popular database environment, mainly due to its support of larger data structures. The open-source MySQL is prevalent in web development, while many other businesses prefer to work with Microsoft SQL Server. The job seeker must aim to become an expert in one system rather than dabbling in multiple database environments. Bolstering your knowledge with certification can be advantageous. Two recommended designations for the SQL database developer role are the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer: Data Management and Analytics or the Oracle Database PL/SQL Developer Certified Professional. Employers also value soft skills in IT team members, with communication being one of the most important. This position requires working with colleagues across the IT department — from applications developers to network engineers — and with third-party vendors, such as cloud service providers. Additionally, digital transformation and the advent of data analytics sometimes require SQL developers to collaborate with experts from other business units. It's not uncommon for marketing, operations, and other teams to come to you with questions or concerns regarding their data needs, such as data capture and running business intelligence reports. If your goal is to become an SQL developer, one path to grow the skills you need is to start as a database administrator (DBA). Those coming from a software engineering background probably already know a little about writing SQL queries. Focus on gaining practical experience with database environments like Oracle or MySQL, and try designing your databases from scratch.