I'm a data engineer and I learned SQL before I learned python. I started out as a marketing specialist (mostly working in Google AdWords), then I graduated up to BI Analyst, and eventually to data engineer. I've picked up 100% of my python in my current job.
What did you think of Python, and was it difficult to grasp the differences between the two languages/paradigms? I ask because, for myself, any general language I pick up (Ruby,Python,JS,R), I have a good idea of underlying concepts like memory pointers and garbage collection, even if it's all abstracted by the language. With SQL, I have an incredible ignorance of the most basic programmatic concepts, like how to define variables or custom functions. The deepest underlying concept I have of SQL is that it has a query planner that does all the thinking for me.
Yeah, the learning curve was pretty steep for me. I've been learning some C# for my job, and it's been a lot easier after learning basic Python. SQL is kind of weird in the sense that starting out is very very very easy, but mastering it is incredibly hard. I've been writing SQL everyday for about 3 years and I'm still blown away with what the SQL experts at my company can do with the language. I see presentations at conferences that make me feel like an absolute beginner.
