15 Aug 2023 Jill Thornhill Data-Driven Career Choices: Database Student Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make. A data-driven career is one of the best ways to secure your future; today's trend is to store and make use of more and more data in every field. In this article, I'll look at some of the choices available. We're living in an era where the quality and quantity of data is expanding exponentially. In almost any career you choose, you'll need to leverage data to make effective decisions. Read more 6 Jul 2023 Jill Thornhill Google BigQuery SQL Syntax: A Comprehensive Guide What is Google BigQuery? What can it do for your organization? Is BigQuery SQL a valuable skill? Where can you learn it, and where can you get some practice? Very few organizations today are not computerized. Many processes now make use of the IoT (Internet of Things), where all kinds of devices are networked and continually feed real time data into computer systems. The result is a vast amount of data available for decision-making. Read more 27 Jun 2023 Jill Thornhill How to Learn T-SQL Querying T-SQL is the dialect of SQL used by Microsoft SQL Server databases. Find out the best way to learn T-SQL querying with interactive online courses. In today's data-driven world, increasing your database knowledge is always a good choice. Microsoft SQL Server is one of the most popular databases nowadays. Knowing T-SQL – the query language of SQL Server databases –is often recommended as a worthwhile skill for careers in IT, business, or research fields. Read more 11 May 2023 Jill Thornhill Why Is Data a Valuable Resource for Your Business? How do you build an effective data resource and make it work for you? In this article, I'll look at why data is so important to any organization and how to make the most of your data resources. Bad decisions are almost always based on incorrect or incomplete facts. Good decisions keep your organization competitive. In a nutshell, that’s why data is such an important business resource. Ever since the dawn of civilization, our ancestors have known the value of information. Read more 20 Apr 2023 Jill Thornhill CTE vs. Subquery in SQL: What’s the Difference? What are Common Table Expressions (CTEs)? Are they the same as subqueries? When would you need to use CTEs? This article looks at the similarities and differences between CTE vs subquery. When I introduce a student to Common Table Expressions, their first reaction is “That’s just a subquery! Why do I need to learn that?”. Let’s answer this question by looking at what you can do with an SQL subquery and what extra advantages there are in using a CTE. Read more 23 Mar 2023 Jill Thornhill How to Practice Advanced SQL Online Want to go from intermediate to advanced SQL user? You’ll need to practice! Here are some ways you can practice advanced SQL online. You’ve seen how SQL helps you make data-driven decisions. Perhaps you’ve even learned some advanced features. But you’d like to become an expert—and for that, you need practice, practice, and more practice. Is it possible to get advanced SQL practice online? Taking SQL to the Next Level What is advanced SQL? Read more 7 Mar 2023 Jill Thornhill The Best YouTube Channels for Learning SQL SQL is not hard to learn, and YouTube tutorials are plentiful. Are online videos the best choice for you? How do you find quality YouTube channels for learning SQL? So you’re thinking of learning SQL? Maybe your job includes working with data, or maybe you’re looking to further your career by upping your skills. Good choice! But what’s the best way to learn? You may decide that an SQL YouTube tutorial is the best choice for you at the moment. Read more 7 Feb 2023 Jill Thornhill Top SQL Certificates in 2023 SQL is an essential skill in today’s data-driven world. Looking for the best SQL certificates to further your career can be confusing. This article gives some pointers that will help you make the best choice to fit your goals. Who needs an SQL certificate? If you can write advanced SQL queries, surely you can just demonstrate your skills at the interview and you'll be hired. Yes ... but ... you won't reach the interview unless the recruiter invites you. Read more 17 Jan 2023 Jill Thornhill Is SQL Hard to Learn? If you have no IT skills, how hard is it to learn SQL? Will it be too technical for you? Is it worth the effort? And where would you start? In this article I will answer those questions. As an IT consultant and trainer, I've often advised people to learn SQL. And, almost as often the reply has been, "Is it hard to learn SQL? Do I need technical or IT skills to learn it? Read more 6 Dec 2022 Jill Thornhill The Future of SQL Is it worthwhile to learn SQL? Or will a language that’s over 40 years old soon be outdated? Have relational databases been eclipsed by the advent of other database solutions like NoSQL? In this article, we answer these questions. Do you need to upgrade your IT skills? What should you learn first? The choice is daunting. If you're looking to the future, you obviously want to invest your time in something that's still widely used and will continue to be in the years to come. Read more