This One SQL PDF Got More Love Than I Ever Expected
I created a PDF with the top 50 SQL questions for interviews — and was blown away by the love it got. Here’s what’s inside, how it’s helping analysts land jobs, and what’s coming next
I didn’t expect this.
I really didn’t.
Last week, I quietly published a small resource I’d been building for months:
“Top 50 SQL Interview Questions for Data Analysts.”
No fancy launch. No clickbait. Just a simple PDF created from years of experience in real interviews — my own and my peers’.
I made it because I saw too many smart people lose opportunities simply because they practiced the wrong kind of SQL. Tutorials taught them syntax, not strategy. Blogs gave them examples, but not context.
So I compiled 50 medium-to-hard SQL questions, the kind that:
Show up in real interviews
Actually test your thinking, not just memory
Use modern SQL concepts like window functions, CTEs, pivoting, and performance tuning
Then something unexpected happened…
The Response? Wild.
Hundreds of data analysts started downloading the PDF.
I got DMs from folks in India, the UK, the US — even one from someone in Nigeria who cracked a remote role just days after studying it.
One message hit me hard:
“I’ve been stuck in interview loops for months. This PDF didn’t just give me questions. It taught me how to think in SQL like a real analyst. Thank you for creating it.”
Honestly? That made my week.
Why I Built It (And What I Learned)
I’ve spent the past decade in data. Written thousands of queries. Hired analysts. Been grilled by CTOs. I know what it feels like to open a SQL prompt and freeze because you don’t recognize the trick.
I also know how different it feels when your mental muscle memory kicks in and you write elegant, efficient queries that just work.
This PDF is my attempt to hand you that muscle memory.
Not by dumping hundreds of random LeetCode-style problems.
But by selecting just 50 that matter, explaining them well, and giving you the thinking patterns behind each one.
What You’ll Get Inside (Subtly Sliding This In 😄)
Without going full sales mode, here’s what’s inside the PDF:
✅ 50 real-world SQL questions for data analyst roles
✅ Detailed explanations + query answers
✅ Concept breakdowns: joins, window functions, subqueries, and more
✅ Tricks to spot performance issues before the interviewer does
✅ Mental models to solve variations of the same question
It’s built to help you stop guessing, and start answering like a pro.
🔗 You can still grab your copy here → Get the PDF
To Everyone Who Supported It — Thank You 💙
I see every share, every repost, every DM. Whether you bought it, studied from it, or even just told a friend — thank you.
I know SQL isn’t always the sexiest topic.
But it’s still the foundation of data. It’s the skill interviewers use to filter talent. And it’s still the most common place where talented analysts get rejected.
If this PDF helped even a few of you cross that hurdle — it was worth it.
What’s Next?
A few things are in the pipeline:
A free walkthrough session of 10 hardest questions
An advanced version focused on optimization & architecture
A SQL job simulation challenge (yes, with datasets and deadlines)
If you’re interested in any of that, drop a ❤️ or follow me here on Medium or on X [@analystuttam].
And again — thank you for the love.
Let’s make interviews less scary and queries more fun.
P.S. If the PDF helped you, consider rating it or sharing with someone prepping for their big break. 🙏
If you enjoy reading. You can Buy me a Coffee.
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