I Needed a Good SQL Course… So I Chose SQL Basics.

Why did I decide to take a SQL course? And how did I come across LearnSQL.com? It’s story time!

Did I ever think that my professional career would deal with databases? Absolutely not. It didn’t even cross my mind that it would happen. Let me explain why I started learning SQL … and how I got to where I am today.

Meet the SQL Newbie

I suppose few people have their lives planned from A to Z. Sometimes we have to learn new skills spontaneously. I didn't expect to have to take a SQL course. One day my life changed. I started to perceive technology differently and saw new opportunities.

Let’s go back in time. I’m 25 years old. I’ve just finished my studies and I’ve been working full time for six months. I have a master’s degree in business management. I’ve always been into business and the economy, and I saw a great potential for the development of enterprises in social media and on the Internet in general. So I chose a specialization related to the web and without any difficult technologies that I was afraid of.

Entrepreneurs have always been like superheroes to me – people with a mission, with practical skills. They’re brave, charismatic, creative, well paid. I really wanted to become one of them someday. Hence my chosen path: five years of university, then several years working for The Big Four, and finally out on my own as a small business consultant.

That was the plan, anyway. And then the Covid-19 pandemic thwarted my plans by coinciding with my graduation. A hard lockdown changed everything.

Instead of living in Krakow and working for a huge international company, I came back to my hometown. I started to work for a tiny creative agency, where I was hired as a copywriter.

I was supposed to create various types of text content - mailings, social media posts, sponsored articles. And although I never thought that I would ever deal with content marketing, I now have some experience that I will certainly use in the future. After all, the more practical knowledge and skills I have, the more operational my business will be.

Hey, Where Is the SQL in All of This?

One day at the very beginning of my journey in a new company, my boss told me about a new opportunity. He said, “We need you to learn SQL”. Just like that. I was wondering – why does a copywriter need SQL? Is Excel not enough?

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I had to learn SQL mostly to manage the company’s data, but also to write about it. As a technophobic newbie in love with books and words, I was totally terrified. I had no idea even about the SQL basics. I wondered ‘is SQL even worth learning?’ It all seemed so distant and unattainable. I started to doubt myself, fearing that I wouldn't be able to learn SQL.

Sure, I knew data analytics was crucial in today’s business. But until that moment, I thought that I’d be good using just analytical modules in some apps – without delving into technology, programming and other stuff I had no idea about.

Social media marketing is mostly about knowledge, intuition, analytics, and a few “clicks and tricks”. I’d never even thought of learning coding or taking an SQL course!

The business needs of the company I work for turned out to be a challenge. So I dug in and started learning SQL, then quickly realized that this was a great opportunity. Learning SQL may one day decide my professional career. Besides, SQL is my added value – another hard skill that broadens my horizons.

If my boy Sherlock Holmes was alive today, he would surely learn SQL. And that is motivating!

Starting with a Long, Long List of Websites

First, I tried to find some good websites about SQL for beginners. There were hundreds of sites to visit. It was so frustrating and time-consuming that every day seemed to bring a new crisis of confidence. Almost every website I visited contained the same information. It all seemed that SQL was an enigma that only an IT expert can grasp.

Now I can only wish that someone had given me these brilliant tips on how to learn SQL, how to learn SQL faster, and why music improves your work efficiency.

Remember, one of my goals was being able to write about SQL for my company. Of course, before I gained the appropriate knowledge, I did not write about difficult issues related to SQL. I started writing about effective online learning methods. I tested all these techniques on myself, which made my learning process even more efficient.

So there I was, mining the Internet to find out about SQL. And although there is a lot of information on the web, I had some problems absorbing what I was finding. In my opinion, “SQL for beginners” is hardly ever for beginners! No matter if you are an experienced data analyst or a newbie who wants to find out what SQL is, EVERY SINGLE PAGE CONTAINS SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTIONS. Or that was my impression, anyway.

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Sometimes simple things were described in such a way that it made me feel like I was reading a scientific study written in hieroglyphs. I didn't understand a word.

Eventually, I came to LearnSQL.com thanks to my boss, who encouraged me to read some articles from their blog. I read them and everything became simpler. I found a lot of great beginner-level SQL content. In the end, I gave up time-consuming and ineffective Internet searches. I stayed with three really cool sites, and one of them was LearnSQL.com.

I Found What I Was Looking For!

I quickly decided to take the SQL Basics course from LearnSQL.com. Just looking at the information page was enough to convince me. It showed exactly what the whole SQL course looks like. The course itself delighted me with its readability, funny comments (which differed so much from all those traumatic scientific descriptions), and practical examples.

SQL Basics was also my first e-learning course. I didn't know then that learning could be so entertaining. I felt that I was really learning and having a good, productive time.

But it wasn't always that easy. The first tasks of the SQL Basics course weren’t exactly problem-free for me. For the next (more complex) queries, I helped myself by taking some notes and using the LearnSQL.com cheat sheets. At that time, the fear that maybe learning SQL wasn’t a good idea again arose.  With each increasingly difficult task, I felt less and less confident. But I didn't give up.

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At one point, I also included YouTube tutorials in my learning. While all the topics in SQL Basics were well explained, I wanted to learn the basics even better.

Then I found this:

After some time, I realized that learning SQL is neither easy nor difficult; it takes patience and regularity. It’s not enough to sit down for a few hours at the computer and have a great time solving tasks. There is a lot of information to digest, so give yourself some time to systematize it all.

But… Learning SQL Should Be Easy!

Correct. But none of us are robots, and various things can make us less efficient. It happened to me too. But I felt so determined to learn SQL that I kept looking for ways to learn more effectively.

The LearnSQL.com blog and my own learning techniques have proved invaluable in this area. My doubt eventually passed and I decided to finish this SQL course, no matter what. I wanted to understand each of the issues, even if I had to spend a few nights on them.

I also started to look for and practice various focusing techniques. If it weren't for these techniques – as well as the blog articles and the practical tips and hints available in the course – I probably wouldn't be where I am. And I couldn't brag on my certificate!

If you want to get your own certificate and gain some really valuable knowledge – start the course now!

Completing SQL Basics is a guarantee that you know essential SQL functions. Prepare to learn about querying, aggregating, and grouping data. You’ll also learn different kinds of JOINs and learn how to use subqueries and set operations (I recommend you pay the most attention to this part).

You set your own pace; I can only suggest you take your time and take notes carefully. It’s good to use the  LearnSQL.com cheat sheets, but by creating your own learning aids, you absorb new knowledge faster.

And don't be afraid. I was scared too. And now I'm learning SQL from A to Z. Join me and let's learn together! Also, be sure to read Jakub’s SQL love story for more inspiration.

Why Should You Take an SQL Course?

If a copywriter needs a SQL course, so do marketers, IT people, analysts, engineers, and anyone who works with any kind of data. In today's world, business is based on information. There is data everywhere, and this requires the ability to draw conclusions from it.

SQL is another hard skill that may decide my future one day. Today I’m in a place I didn’t expect to be. Who knows where I will be in the next few years? Life writes its own scenarios. Each role requires prep. Knowing SQL is a great skill in many careers. So don’t be afraid of the future!