Using SQL in Analysis Work

Context

Analysts often use multiple tools together rather than relying on a single platform. Interviewers ask this question to understand whether you can use SQL effectively for data extraction, cleaning, summarization, and handoff to reporting tools.

Core Question

Explain how you use SQL in your analysis work, especially alongside tools like Excel or Tableau. Your answer should cover:

1. What kinds of analysis tasks SQL is best suited for
2. How you use SQL to clean, filter, aggregate, or reshape data
3. When you would use SQL instead of Excel or Tableau
4. How SQL fits into an end-to-end analytical workflow

Scope Guidance

The interviewer is not looking for database theory alone. They want a practical explanation of how SQL helps you answer business questions efficiently, prepare reliable datasets, and support dashboards or ad hoc analysis. A strong answer should mention common query patterns, trade-offs between tools, and how SQL improves accuracy and scalability.