Junior SQL Developer

Career Advice
1

Hey all,

Looking for some advice. I have been told by someone in my development team that they are looking for a junior sql developer and that I should go for it. I have done sql in the past in school and recently did an intro to sql course where I knew most of the things it just took me a second to remember them but I have no clue what a Junior SQL developer job would entail…

Does anyone have any insight to what this would be like? Courses I could take to prepare me for this?

2

could you post the job requirements?

a google search for “junior sql developer” turns up a few hits - btw google job search is pretty nifty

generally “sql developer” seems to involve programming in a database procedural language - these PLs are specific to each database system - some embed a general purpose programming language like perl, lua or javascript - some are completely custom and proprietary - here’s the docs on postgres PLs

https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.6/static/xplang.html

1 Like
3

This is part of the job spec -

Day-to-day duties

• Troubleshooting system issues, facilitating speedy resolution and identifying trends

• Producing comprehensive documentation on issues and enhancement requests, while working closely with developers to implement smaller changes to systems using T-SQL

• Working with technical resources to resolve issues

• Monitoring and managing user requests and issues on the systems helpdesk

• Share / spread knowledge from development through to support

• Create reports using SSRS and PowerBi

Essential skills

• Solid t-Sql skills using SQL Server 2012 or above

• Understanding of Reporting and Integration Services

• Good analytical and problems solving skills

• Excellent communication skills, ensuring accurate documentation/articulation of systems and processes where necessary

• Capable of dealing with people at all levels of the organisation

• Ability to take ownership of issues through to completion

• A keen eye and an interest in technology

However speaking to the manager he has said - We are looking for someone who has used Sql Server , SSRS and SSIS before but not necessarily to an advanced level

I know how to write/read SQL queries in Oracle and MySQL and manipulate and merge tables.

4

You’d probably spend a lot of time writing Stored Procedures, investigating where slow downs are happening and what to do to fix it (index tuning, creating new indexes, etc) and database maintenance procedures (shrinking log files, backups, import, export to/from different formats)

MS have some material for Integration and Reporting services. It’s all on this page, plus some more.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/sql-server/sql-server-technical-documentation

You can install the FREE SQL Server 2014 Developer Edition on your Windows 10 machine. It’s just like the full commercial version, and get familiar using the SQL Enterprise Manager.
https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/dataplatforminsider/2016/03/31/microsoft-sql-server-developer-edition-is-now-free/

You need to signup for a Microsoft account to login.

Good luck!

EDIT: I see there’s a 2016 Developer Edition. I’m still using 2014, but either one should work for you.

5

Thanks for that, you mention investigating slow downs, index tuning etc that all sounds like what the DBA’s in my dept do and not the SQL developers.

6

yes - the job req does not suggest dba work at all

7

In my group we have Data and Web Developers. The Data Devs spend most of their time on the following. The job description sounds pretty close, but maybe at a lower level.

  1. Creating databases.
  2. Creating T-SQL statements and stored procedures.
  3. Performance tuning on databases, tables, views, and stored procedures.
  4. Creating reports in SSRS or other report creation tools.
  5. Creating SSIS projects for ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), data modeling and data cleansing.
  6. SQL Server management
8

I know 1,2 and 3 but not the rest. I have some PowerBI knowledge that I know the company is moving towards but it is very very limited. I have tried googling “How to” on SSRS and SSIS but not really finding anything.

9

You can start with these links
In “Group 2”, you will find various tutorials or courses from introductions to covering a very specific topic for SSRS, SSIS and PowerBI.

Group 1

Group 2

  1. Microsoft Virtual Academy
  2. Pluralsight
  3. Channel 9
  4. LearnNowOnline Webinar Archive
10

Thank you for this. I’ll take a look at them tomorrow.

11

Yeah, I am sure if a performance issue were traced back to an actual DB issue, you would work with a DBA to get it resolved. That’s how it works at my company anyway. Devs identify things that would make our code run more efficiently and we assign a ticket to a DBA to get it done.