Friday, November 29, 2019

History, Uses, and Skills Surrounding SQL

History, Uses, and Skills Surrounding SQLHistory, Uses, and Skills Surrounding SQLStructured Query Language (SQL) isthe fruchtwein widely implemented database language, and knowing it is of value to anyone involved in computer programming or who uses databases to collect and organize information. SQL can beused to share and manage data, particularly data that is found in relational database management systems, which include data organized into tables. Multiple files, each containing tables of data, also may be related together by a common field. Using SQL, you can query, update, and reorganize data, as well as create and modify the schema (structure) of a database system and control access to its data. Much of this sounds like information that can be compiled in a spreadsheet, such as Microsoft Excel, but SQL is intended to compile and manage data in much greater volumes. While spreadsheets can become cumbersome with too much information filling too many cells, SQL databases can hand le millions, or even billions, of cells of data. Using SQL, you could store data on every client your business ever worked with, from key contacts to details about sales. So, for example, if you wanted to search for every client that spent at least $5,000 with your business over the past decade, an SQL database could retrieve that information for you instantly. SQL Skills in Demand Most organizationsneed someone with SQL knowledge. According toGooroo, nearly 20,000 such jobs are advertised monthly, and the median salary for a sttte that requires SQL knowledge is about $84,000, as of 2018. Some positions that require SQL skills include Back-end developer A person in this positionmanages the inner workings of web applications, as opposed to a front-end developer, who manages what the application looks like and how it functions for users. Back-end developers work under the floorboards, so to speak, making sure the application is designed and functioning properly.Database administra tor (DBA) This is someone who specializes in making sure data is being stored and managed properly and efficiently. Databases are most valuable when they allow users to retrieve desired combinations of data quickly and easily. For that work, someone needs to make sure all data is stored properly. Data analyst Someone in this position analyzes data, perhaps looking for relevant trends in a particular industry. An analyst might be presented with a particular question and tasked with finding the answer. A simple example might include identifying which clients historically spend the most money on advertising during the third quarter of a fiscal year. That knowledge would allow a sales department to efficiently target clients at the right time.Data scientist This is a position very similar to that of a data analyst, but data scientists typically are tasked with handling data in far greater volumes and accumulating it at much higher speeds. MySQL Common software used for SQL servers includes Oracles MySQL, perhaps the most popular program for managing SQL databases. MySQL is open-source software, which means it is free to use and is important for web developers because so much of the web and so many applications are built on databases. For example, a music program such as iTunes stores music by artist, song, album, playlist, and more. As a user, you can search for music by any of those parameters and more to find what youre seeking. In order to build an app like that, you need software to manage your SQL database, and thats what MySQL does. History of SQL In 1969, IBM researcher Edgar F. Codd defined the relational database model, which became the basis for developing the SQL language. This model is built oncommon pieces of information (or keys) being associated with various data. For example, a useranthroponym might be associated with an actual name and a telephone number. A few years later, IBM began working on a new language for relational database manag ement systems based on Codds findings. The language was originally called SEQUEL, or Structured English Query Language. Dubbed System/R, the project went through a few implementations and revisions, and the name of the language changed several times before finally landing on SQL. After beginning testing in 1978, IBM started developing commercial products, including SQL/DS (1981) and DB2 (1983). Other vendors followed suit, announcing their own commercial SQL-based offerings. These included Oracle, which released its first product in 1979, as well as Sybase and Ingres. Learning SQL It typically is easier for beginners to learn SQL than it is for them to pick up programming languages like Java, C, PHP, or C. Several online resources- including free tutorials and paid distance learning courses- are available for those who have little programming experience but want to learn SQL. Formal university or community college courses also will provide a deeper understanding of the language. Some of the free tutorials includeW3Schools SQL Tutorial,SQLcourse.com, and CodecademysLearn SQL and a course onanalyzing SQL business metrics. Options for paid distance-learning courses include the International Webmasters Associations (IWA) Introduction to SQL (Using Access) or Introduction to SQL (Using MySQL). IWAs SQL courses are only four weeks long, but the presence of instructors and weekly assignments make them more structured than self-learning tutorials. Useful books on SQL for beginners include SQL A Beginners Guideand SQL in a Nutshell.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Law Firm Management Skills Legal

Law Firm Management Skills LegalLaw Firm Management Skills LegalRunning a successful law practice requires not only the right legal talent, but top management skills as well. Great leadership is key to an efficient, highly productive legal kollektiv. Staff loyalty, an invaluable asset in such a competitive profession, also needs the nurturing of a good manager.So what makes a successful leader? Inspiration and intuition can be part of effective law firm management. But developing these skills also requires time, commitment and engagement.1. Keep your feet on the groundDont let yourself become detached from the steps needed to build strong teams of people and maximize their value to your organization. You can strengthen your firms health by placing a priority on retention, reduced hiring costs and training. Another way to be a better manager is to think creatively and try new methods of professional development and training. Consider establishing a mentoring program at your firm. Show ing a younger law professional the importance of client and employee relationships keeps you fresh and anchored to the personal elements of law firm managementand can instill a better sense of teamwork among your staff.2. Delegate moraUltimately, practicing theart of delegationcan build confidence and morale in your law office. Empowering your legal team members to handle more duties can free up more of your time to focus on big-picture matters crucial to your firms goals. Delegation is tricky for some. It requires a level of trust in your team that may feel uncomfortable at first, but stick with it. When you realize how much your up-and-coming stars have to offer the team as a whole, youll be glad you shared the burden.3. Get educated about law firm managementLeadership training courses and othercontinuing legal education (CLE) opportunities aregreat ways to develop your management acumen. Youll learn about subjects ranging fromemployee conflict resolutionto managing growth, all in a way thats tailored to your schedule and needs. Many schools even offer group ratesif you know other partners or managers who may be interested.Remember, its up to you to choose the path of building strong teams of lawyers and maximizing their value to your firm. Even in an extremely stressful environment, you can opt to improve your law firm management skills andreapthe rewards of growth as you go. A little investment in your management technique now can propel your firm to being a more efficient, effective and satisfying place to work.FIND YOUR NEXT GREAT HIRE

Thursday, November 21, 2019

5 Brand New TED Talks That Will Inspire You to Do Better Work This Year

5 Brand New TED Talks That Will Inspire You to Do Better Work This Year5 Brand New TED Talks That Will Inspire You to Do Better Work This YearTED talks can inspire you to do your best work, reach for the stars, or even try a new way of tying your shoes. With the 2016 TED Conference wrapped up belastung month, the folks at TED have gone to work putting some of the best talks theyve hosted recently online. Delivered by a TV mogul, the leader of a study on happiness thats been running more than 75 years, even the creator of yarn bombing, their talks are filled with ideas for upping your game for the rest of 2016. Theyll improve everything you do, from your relationships to your job wertzuwachs to your creativity to your ability to converse, especially about politics. They can even add years to your life.Here are five guaranteed to make you feel motivated, energized, and ready to take on the world 1. Taking Time to Play Makes You More Inspired at WorkThe legendary Shonda Rhimes created the TV hits Greys Anatomy and Scandal, and is involved with three or four network series every season. Thats a lot of work, and when its going well- when she feels engaged and enthusiastic and at zu sich creative peak- she calls that the hum. But one day the hum stopped, and try as she might, she couldnt get it to start again, she explains in this deeply honest talk.Rhimes was bereft. But she was also a single mother whod promised herself to say yes to everything asked of her that year. So when her toddler asked her to play as she was on her way out the door, instead of leaving she said yes and stopped to play for a while. And she promised herself that from then on, if humanly possible, she would stop and play whenever her children asked her. (As she points out, any child will get bored in 15 minutes or less, so it wasnt a schedule-crusher.)It was a great thing for her family, and to her surprise, by taking the time to play for a few minutes with her children, Rhimes brought the hu m back to her work, as well. Its a great lesson for our overworked, overcommitted, always-in-the-zone times.2. Good Relationships Make You Happier- and Healthier- Than Wealth or FameWhat makes people happiest? To find out, Harvard University began tracking a group of its male students- and a comparable group of young men from Bostons poorest neighborhood- and it continued studying them for 75 years, taking medical tests to determine their health and asking detailed questions about their lives. In this thought-provoking talk, Robert Waldinger, the studys current head, says the evidence is in and its incontrovertible. Although most of us (including the studys subjects) believe achieving wealth and fame will make us happiest, its actually the quality of our relationships that determine both our well-being and our longevity.3. Frustration Inspires CreativityWhat should you do when your creativity flags and youre feeling really stuck? Try tying your dominant hand behind your back. This l ogic (although not this specific advice) comes from a fascinating talk by economist Tim Harford, who notes that the best-selling solo piano doppel-lp of all time came about when a brilliant pianist was obliged to play on a really terrible piano.The legendary musician and producer Brian Eno uses this knowledge to his advantage too, forcing musicians to do things like play each others instruments when they get creatively stuck. Apparently, the tougher things are, the more we rise to the occasion.4. Doing What You Love Can Become a Career When You Least Expect ItMagda Sayeg is a textile artist, but she didnt set out to be one, she explains in this brief and colorful talk. In fact, she was a math major, but one day, out of a desire to relieve the endless gray and hardness of a modern urban environment with something colorful, soft, and fuzzy, she wrapped a steel door handle in knitted fabric. Then came a stop sign post that proved to be highly popular.Before she knew it, the yarn bombin g movement was born, and she had started it. And given her life a whole new direction in the process.5. You May Have Less Time Than You Think to Do What You Care About MostMaster procrastinator and Wait But Why blogger Tim Urban knows a lot about leaving things until the last minute. But when it comes to the most important things in our lives, which often come with no deadlines, this habit can really harm us, as Tim explains in this funny and thoughtful talk. Starting a business, making your relationship better, getting out of a relationship that isnt working, and spending time with the people we care about most are just a few examples of things we might never get around to because they have no deadlines.That would be a real shame.So spend a little time watching these powerful talks, and use them as inspiration to make 2016 the year that you create the life you really want.More From Inc.5 Traits of Incredibly Inspiring LeadersThe Surprising Source of Inspiration for Brilliant IdeasT hese Are the Most Inspirational Videos Ever Made