Saturday, March 27, 2010

SQL - most used skill/tool/thing

In interviews the interviewer usually asks about what tools or languages I used in my past job. My resume lists a few. So that means I'm good right? Well not quite. The resume shows what I have experience/exposure to, but not the level of competence. Hopefully this post will answer that question a bit. The one that I feel most comfortable with would be SQL. Just plain good 'ol SQL. Not 'MySQL' or any variation thereof (although I would have no problem using MySQL or any other tool that is similar). SQL.


In the past I used it if not daily then every other day. Usually it was just simple statements like:

SELECT * FROM tbl_doctors WHERE LNAME = "SMITH" AND phy_type = "podiatry";

Or perhaps something like this if a user had accidentally 'deleted' an object from the program. They would see it as gone from the program, but it wasn't actually deleted from the database. It was now just invisible to them and thus not available.:

UPDATE tbl_Eye_objects SET col_Avail = "1" WHERE col_ID = "1E00976" AND col_surgery_req = "no";


That is what's considered simple by my definition. For what it's worth the example is short and to the point, but still effective. In the above example the names of the tables and columns were changed but you get the idea.


SQL is something that I liked quite a bit. Hopefully SQL will be a part of my next job and I'll be able to build it as a skill even more.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Is it Me?

Ok. So the IWD sent me a notice in the mail that my benefits are will run out soon (ie, next week).


yay?


Not really, and since I already got an extension I am unsure as to whether or not I'm eligible for another. Perhaps I have to file another unemployment claim. Or maybe the gov't. has passed a bill extending benefits again? Either way, this stinks. If you're unemployed, or have ever been out of a job then you know what I mean. They (the ubiquitous 'they') say that jobs are supposedly the last things to come back at the end of a recession. Well, what the heck?


Like fasion, music, and other trends living in the midwest means that those things trickle down to us usually late in the game. And economically speaking, jobs are no exception to that rule. Man, this is the opposite of fun. I hope it ends soon.


Am I missing something? Maybe it's me?

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Resume - now with more Google Maps

Oh Google Maps, how I adore you. now I have yet another format in which to create my Resume/CV. Personally, I think it's kind of cool. My wife on the other hand..... not so much. Oh well, I'm going to live out this short spanned moment of nerd triumph. Click below to see the 'virtual resume'