Query output, is an input for another query does - not work

I want to use the return of one query as the input for another.

When I run them individually they work fine, but when I combine them in one, it does not work.

The individual queries are:-

select ja.id 
from job_applications ja 
join users u 
on u.id = ja.user_id 
where u.email='xxxxx@gmail.com' 
order by ja.updat开发者_JAVA技巧ed_at desc 
limit 1 

The output being

308480

and when I use this value as an input for another query I get my desired result

select * from delayed_jobs dj
where handler like "%308480%"

BUT, now when I try to run it as one single query it does not work (i get no output)

select * from delayed_jobs dj
where handler like 
"%(select ja.id 
   from job_applications ja 
   join users u 
   on u.id = ja.user_id 
   where u.email='xxxxx@gmail.com' 
   order by ja.updated_at desc
   limit 1)%"

Please help.

You can't execute SQL code inside of a like statement like that. You need to generate the like expression by concatenating the result together something like this:

where handler like
    concat('%', (select ja.id 
        from job_applications ja 
        join users u 
        on u.id = ja.user_id 
        where u.email='xxxxx@gmail.com' 
        order by ja.updated_at desc
        limit 1),
    '%')

For dynamic SQL you should use stored procedure, like mellamokb explained in his answer. However, your query is not really dynamic and therefore you can use a subselect. For example:

select * from delayed_jobs dj
where handler like 
    (select concat('%', ja.id, '%')
       from job_applications ja 
       join users u 
       on u.id = ja.user_id 
       where u.email='xxxxx@gmail.com' 
       order by ja.updated_at desc
       limit 1)

UPDATE

sorry, apparently i misinterpreted mellamokb's answer ... indeed it's the same as mine ...