I’ve written before that you can make yourself indispensable by offering a rare and forward-thinking combination of skills. A unique blend of skills positions you as the ultimate hire. And even if you aren’t looking for a job, the blend strengthens your position. This is especially true for those at startups in non-technical roles like sales, biz ops, marketing, and even product management.
One really valuable add-on skill is a rudimentary knowledge of SQL. A lively conversation on Twitter argued for this (and also against because, well, it’s Twitter), and I come down on the side of agreement. (In his newsletter, Andy Mac makes the full case.) Understanding SQL has the potential to upgrade your ability to manipulate data with a number of different business platforms, moving from adequate to power user status. And never has data been more important in business. This can be a real career-booster.
What is SQL?
Standard Query Language or SQL interfaces with relational databases to extract data. Relational databases are databases that can intersect with each other. Longtime users of Microsoft Office may remember Access, which is a relational database program. Today, there are more user-friendly relational databases like Airtable. But structuring your retrieval of information from these databases is what SQL is all about. Having an understanding of SQL or the principles behind it can be immensely helpful in extracting or visualizing data from today’s widely used SaaS platforms like Tableau, Looker, Airtable, and Salesforce. The information you retrieve is only as good as the way you ask.
How deep do you need to go?
When thinking of adding SQL skills to your toolbox, consider exactly how you could benefit. This falls along a continuum. At one extreme, if you’re in job search mode and SQL makes a logical addition to your role, you might really dig in and earn a certification. SQL certification courses are offered everywhere from UC Berkeley to LinkedIn Learning and all sorts of places in between. There’s a lengthy list of courses here. At the other end of the spectrum, a very basic understanding of how SQL works may simply sharpen your skills on another platform like Tableau. For this, a couple of hours invested will pay off in your background knowledge. Start with this four-minute overview that breaks down SQL using Legos as an example. Then, Khan Academy offers a free tutorial, “Welcome to SQL.” Or check out one of the many SQL tutorials on YouTube like this one. Finally, if you want a fun way to get your SQL “degree” from Harvard, this engaging professor lays it all out in under two hours.
But I’m not technical!
No worries. You’re only going as deep as will help you do what you’re already doing. Think of it like this: We’ve learned how to effectively search on Google through experience. Not every query typed into the search bar yields equal results. Over time you’ve come to understand how Google works, and have intuitively refined the way you search, even if you don’t understand the algorithm. I’m making the very same basic case for SQL.
Continuous acquisition of new skills is a necessary part of work-life in 2021, and wise upskilling just makes you more valuable. What’s not to like?
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