Did you know that over 132,000 database administrators are in the United States?

If you too aspire to become one in the future, you must know about data platforms and other related information. But without experience, you won’t have an idea of what skills to develop. At worst, you end up not getting your preferred career because of it.

Don’t feel discouraged yet.

With this guide, you’ll learn about the essential SQL skills you must learn. That way, you become an effective database administrator. Read on and find out more:

1. Database Fundamentals

To effectively know what SQL is, you must become an expert on the concept of databases. Know its purpose and how it helps companies organize and data more practically. That way, you’ll have a better appreciation of the database’s role in making companies function better.

This knowledge sets the foundation to help understand SQL’s functionality. It’s especially when you’re using it to benefit any of the millions of small businesses located in the country.

2. Purpose of Tables and Indexes

These concepts are the primary building blocks of SQL. A good comparison to a database is a library, with tables as books. Indexes, on the other hand, function like the old-fashioned file-card cabinets to aid you in finding the books you’re looking for.

It’s a fundamental skill to understand what tables and indexes are, as well as their functions. Knowing their actual operation is a more advanced skill. Regardless, having this skill helps in manipulating data within your database.

3. Basic SQL Syntax and Conditional Filters

Understanding any programming language requires you to learn its syntax. When applied to SQL, it means you must know how to make a query. This ensures you find the information you’re looking for.

For example, learning the most basic SELECT and FROM commands is a must. It’s because these keywords are part of a query that searches for data from tables. It’s a necessity because of the precise nature of SQL.

When using SQL for database management, the smallest of errors can lead to big problems later. That’s why you must get the syntaxes right. It means avoiding keyword errors and misplaced quotation marks to name a few.

Also, you need not pull all records from a column when querying for information. In most cases, your queries will get specific data. Understanding the query structure aids to write more complex commands to extract your desired information.

Examples include the WHERE clause along with OR and AND for table filtering. To organize the data you pulled from the table, use GROUP BY and ORDER BY. After learning this, you’ll know how to write almost all basic queries.

4. Joins and Subqueries

The data you’ll work with aren’t necessarily within the same table. In most cases, it won’t be the case, that’s why mastering joins is a necessary skill. This allows you to merge data from various tables, making it easier to analyze various datasets.

Four types of joins exist in SQL: inner, left, right, and full. Mastering this requires knowing what type to use, as well as the code necessary to execute it.

Subqueries are queries found within another statement, functioning similarly as joins. Use these to link data across various tables. When done right, they’re more efficient compared to joins because it simplifies the data extraction process.

5. Understand How Indexes Function

Database indexes exist for faster queries. Indexes instill order onto data tables, making it easier for you to get your desired data. Knowing the purpose and mechanics behind index creation gives you more ideas on how to use them effectively.

To make the most out of this feature, learn the subtle differences between clustered and non-clustered indexes. You must also know how indexing adds data structure. To top it off, learn the guidelines for making efficient indexes.

6. Learn PHP and How to Work With Popular Database Systems

SQL is a programming language without a database system. It means you must work with systems like MySQL or PostgreSQL to store data for later use. The good news is both are open-source and available for free.

While you’re mastering these, pick up PHP along the way too. It might be an odious ordeal to learn another programming language, but it makes things easier. Gaining a degree of PHP mastery allows you to interact with lots of popular SQL database programs such as MySQL.

If you use these two concepts in tandem, you can build almost any type of website. This is an important skill to learn when you want to become more valuable to the company you’ll work for. Besides, learning something new is always great for enriching your career.

Not sure about using COALESCE in PostgreSQL? Check this guide here to learn more.

7. Execution Plans

This serves as a visual representation of your database engine’s query execution. With this, you have a sneak peek under the hood. This means you get an idea of how the information gets processed by your database management system.

With execution plans, you’ll learn more about a query’s efficiency. It’s one of the primary tools when you troubleshoot an underperforming or slow query. Understanding this concept enables you to finetune your queries without compromising its performance.

Honorable Mentions

These are some advanced concepts you must learn when you master the basics. It’s especially important if you’re planning to run an SQL server.

Backup Databases

This is critical since it’s a contingency in case your current database gets corrupted or damaged in any way. Thankfully, lots of backup types exist. It’s only a matter of knowing which to use.

OLAP

Online Analytical Processes is a class of database applications allowing faster data analysis. This includes innovative methods going beyond the simple two-dimensional spreadsheet. It takes lots of skill to implement, but it’s worth the benefit of gaining insight into various businesses.

Learn SQL Skills Today!

These are the necessary SQL skills you must learn to become a great database administrator. Use these to guide your learning experience.

Of course, mastering SQL and other languages and tools doesn’t end with these 7 skills. To learn even more coding tips and tricks, we encourage you to continue reading our in-depth tech guides right here!

Leads are the lifeline of any successful sales organization. It doesn’t matter what you’re selling or who you’re selling to – in order for a company to be successful and generate revenue, it has to have a number of leads that will convert into customers.

With an abundance of leads, however, comes a curious caveat – what sales organizations don’t want is a plethora of leads that aren’t going to convert into customers. That just wastes their time on poor-quality leads.

Consequently, one has to first qualify leads to ensure that they are actually serious about becoming a potential customer, before spending a lot of time trying to engage with and close that lead into a sale.

In this article, we’ll teach you how lead qualification works.

Persona Fit

The first thing to consider with lead qualification is persona fit. One thing that your marketing team should already have built out is an ideal customer persona. Think of this persona as a profile of your most ideal customer that is ready to buy on the spot.

The persona will include a variety of factors stretching from geographic location to gender to age. In the event that you sell to businesses (a B2B company), then your buyer persona would be of a company and encompass things like headquarters location, company size, company industry, and the like.

To qualify the lead, it should meet some minimum requirements in the persona. For instance, if you only work with customers in the United States, no lead that comes in from Europe can be considered a marketing qualified lead.  

Interest Demonstrated

Another way to qualify leads is to take a look at the interest that they have demonstrated. You don’t want to spend a lot of time following up with leads that simply don’t have a lot of interest in the product or service that you are selling.

There are a few different ways to gauge interest, and the ones you employ will vary based on your industry. You could leverage marketing automation to track their browsing history – have they spent a lot of time on your website? In addition, if you add them to an email list and send them email broadcasts, email opens and link clicks could be an indicator of demonstrated interest.

Last but not least, another way someone could demonstrate interest is by reaching out to initiate sales conversations. These are likely to be your hottest leads.

Budget Existent

Finally, your lead also has to have the budget to buy your product or service. It doesn’t matter how interested they are if they don’t have the capacity to pony up the cash. But you get qualified leads that fit your general customer profile, have demonstrated interest, and are willing to come up with the cash, then you’ve got deals just waiting to be closed.

How to Qualify Leads

There you have it! Now that you know how to qualify leads, your sales team can be much more effective in chasing the deals that they know have a high chance of closing.

For more general business advice, check out the rest of the website!

Buying your first home is a daunting, terrifying — but exciting time! It’s a time when you can think back about all the things that brought you to a point when you can settle down. It’s also an opportunity to look ahead and wonder what the future may hold for you, your family, and your finances.

Your first home mortgage will dictate a lot of what the future holds for you. Choosing a bad loan can have devastating consequences down the line, and cost you more than money. However, if you do your research and trust experts, you will be able to find a loan that works with you and prepares you for better things ahead.

Keep reading below to learn more about what you should look for in your first home mortgage, and how to be a responsible home buyer.

Your First Home Mortgage Should Make You Question Things

If you’re not at least a little scared about buying a home, then you should rethink if you’re ready for one. It takes a lot of responsibility to own your home, and not everybody is ready for it. A house will challenge more than just your finances — it will also drain your mental health.

You should be wondering if your job is actually secure enough to fund a mortgage. You should also ponder whether you’re ready to settle down into a place for several years. Are you ready to spend time away from friends if they move away, and are you ready to repay something that may take decades to wipe away?

What is Your Financial Situation Actually Like?

The most important thing you should ask yourself about is your financial situation. Most people already have a secure and stable job by the time they apply for a mortgage, or that’s what it seems like. You should think about your financial situation beyond your immediate experience.

Is your industry stable and is your company going to last for the duration of your mortgage? Will your family be happy in the location you picked, and can you find other work if you need it? Questions like these should all be answered before getting a mortgage.

First Time Home Buyer’s Have Special Advantages

If you’re buying a home for the first time, then you’re in luck because you have access to special advantages. First home buyer loans often come with federal supplements and advantages to help you get your first home. They can help you meet the required amount for a down payment, and even help you get better interest rates.

All you need to do is speak with a financial expert about what you qualify for. Many can be found through your bank, or online.

Congratulations on Buying Your First Home!

If you’re about to take out your first home mortgage, then congratulations is in order! You’re about to take the next step and settle down into your new life. You’ve done what man others couldn’t have managed to find a place where you can be happy,

Congratulations!

However, there are still some challenges ahead, like caring for your home and repaying your mortgage. And for more advice on that, keep reading here!

Consumers scour the internet in hopes of finding the perfect product to meet all their needs. This attempt to be good financial stewards of their money gets undermined at every turn by major brands.

Corporate giants use planned obsolescence to make sure your dreams of product longevity are shortened to null. Check out this guide to understanding planned obsolescence and what it means for our environment.

The Forced Upgrade

When your appliances break, all you can think is how you’re going to make sure you buy the right version next time so it lasts longer. You consider the number of years it’ll likely last and divide that by the total cost hoping for some consolation that it’s only ‘X’ amount per year. 

But this logic implies that you actually know how long your product or service will last. Planned obsolescence says that your product will last only as long as the brand is ready to release a new model.

An average from 1970 or how long refrigerators last have nothing to do with today’s consumer market. Average product lifespans no longer matter and brands feel no shame about it.

There are some exceptions to this rule based on the type of product it is and it’s pricepoint, but things like cell phones can have new releases throughout the year. 

Apple never apologizes for it’s latest and greatest devices. It’s a forced upgrade people enjoy being a part of.

Less sexy forced upgrades usually include things you can barely afford or barely use. No one wants to spend more than a few minutes looking at a new printer when the old one no longer works.

You just want an occasional document printed at home for that rare occasion email isn’t possible. This forced upgrade you hate because knowing that it’s a printer feels like the right amount of information you should need before making a purchase.

Planned obsolensce isn’t just bad when it’s annoying though. It’s bad year round when you consider the impact to both your personal finances and the environment. 

No Take Backs

The biggest problem with planned obsolescence is that companies won’t take the item back. Apple’s attempt at a recycling program for old phones is at least a start towards realizing people have no idea how to upcycle and old iPhone.

But most companies won’t even acknowledge the waste. This is a major problem because it puts the ownice on the consumer to figure out whether it’s a good item for a landfill.

Without really understanding its components, you can’t really make a decision about recycling or trashing an item. There’s no chance that you’d have an alternative to say, reuse or upcycle an old fridge once it broke down.

At some point, you’d give up trying and resort adding more E-waste on environment. Companies can play a much bigger role in cleaning up their product waste.

They’re best equipped to understand how products can be reused and the safest method of trashing the item. Yes, consumers technically own the item once they bring it home, but once they’re sold something new (that they don’t need) the company needs to take responsibility.

That’s the cost of turning a profit. Creating perceived and planning obsolescence fills up landfills while companies are rewarded for creating waste.

Before you believe that people can simply refuse to buy anything new, here are a few ways planned obsolescence is forced on consumers. 

No Customer Support

You may have noticed that you can no longer can a company with questions about your older model electronics. You’ll get basic common sense support but not much more.

Big electronic manufacturers realized that helping customers fix old products is just bad business. After all, the best way to fix a broken washing machine is to buy another one, right?

Sales departments are available by phone, chat or email 24/7. But the service department has very limited contact information and even shorter hours.

Some brands have even started charging customers for technical help with their products. 

Customer frustration leads to new purchases every time. It’s much easier to rid yourself of the long hold times and failed troubleshoots than to just buy a new product.

Apple faced lawsuits for recent claims that it not only released new models every year, but made sure the software on older model phones sabotaged their performance. This means consumers had no choice after their internet or email slowed to a crawl to upgrade to a new phone. 

There’s nothing wrong with consumers wanting the latest and greatest models. But if a company is forcing you to spend, you’re trashing landfills with toxic waste at no fault of your own. 

Patented Parts

If you’re a Tesla owner, you know that service for your car is an exclusive activity. Or at least the company thinks so by not letting you use third party mechanics claiming patent protection.

It’s fair for the company to protect it’s intellectual property, but what does this mean for cars that are too expensive for Tesla to repair. The patented parts move means the company can declare vehicles total losses if they don’t want to foot the bill.

They can also pass on their overhead to customers so they’re more likely to see the value in simply replacing the car. This is forced obsolesce that leaves Tesla drivers with a hefty bill at the end.

Planning for Planned Obsolescence

Believe it or not, there are ways planned obsolescence makes everyone use. Manufacturers waste natural resources when precious materials are added to landfills.

Consumers overspend leaving them with little disposable income to stimulate the economy. The cycle goes on and on.

The best thing for anyone to do is move back to simple machines that we can service on our own without fail. For more information and tips, visit our blog for updates.