The Path to Becoming a Data Analyst
If you have the aptitude for working with large amounts of data, you can become a data analyst. Typically, this job requires a bachelor’s degree, but more companies are starting to eliminate this requirement. If you decide to pursue this career path, you must be sure you have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed.
Career Overview
A data analyst’s primary role is to identify problems for an organization and use data analysis to solve those problems. They also report their findings to other managers. They might conduct surveys or keep track of website visitor characteristics. Alternatively, they may purchase datasets from data collection specialists. A data analyst’s role can include data cleansing, ensuring that the data remains high quality and helpful for future analysis.
Today, organizations from all sectors rely on data to make critical business decisions. Data allows business leaders to see inefficiencies and identify weak areas in a business. To do this, data analysts assign numerical values to essential business functions and compare them over time. They also translate data into business reports and translate analytics into non-technical insights.
Requirements
You must be able to work with data to be a data analyst. While the field is incredibly varied, there are specific education and training requirements for this career. In addition to a data analytics degree, you should consider taking computer science classes, especially those focused on database management and project management. If possible, speak with an advisor with experience in this career path.
Data analysis is a mathematical field, and a strong background in mathematics is essential to become a data analyst. Expert data analysts typically study calculus, discrete mathematics, and algebra. They must also be knowledgeable in programming languages such as R and Python. These open-source programming languages are powerful and often feature-rich.
Certifications
There are various certification programs available if you’re considering a career in data analysis. The certified associate and certified professional are the two fundamental certification levels. Both require familiarity with Python, SQL, and R. The second criteria include a case study, business intelligence abilities, and soft skill sets.
Both certifications can help your resume stand out and validate your expertise. The credentials are usually industry-based and can prove to be helpful in a job search. It would be best if you chose your area of concentration to become a certified data analyst. In addition, you’ll need to be proficient with programming languages like SQL and Linux.
Courses
Before applying for a job as a data analyst, you must first find suitable courses to learn about the field. A bachelor’s degree in computer science, statistics, or some related subject will help you develop your needed skills. Then, take courses focused on data management and project management to prepare for the job. An internship is another great way to gain valuable experience and network with industry professionals. An internship will also give you a better idea of the role you aim to fill and help you identify areas where additional training is necessary.
Often, online courses will include guided projects so you can learn more about the specifics of the field. A strong portfolio will give you an advantage when applying for jobs in the area. Start gathering your best work as early as possible, and consider using services such as GitHub to store your projects.
Projects
The field of data analytics is overgrowing. The number of companies using analytics is increasing, and the need for data analysts is also growing. There is a shortage of roughly 140,000 to 190,000 data professionals in the United States and another 1.5 million managers and analysts. According to the World Economic Forum, 85% of companies plan to use big data by 2022, and 96% of those companies plan to hire permanent staff to manage it.
A data analyst’s role involves researching companies, collecting data, modeling it using custom-built algorithms, and visualizing insights to create dashboards. They must be able to identify patterns and causality and make predictions. Additionally, they must be able to work with various data formats, including text, audio, and visual.
Job Outlook
According to information from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job market for data analysts is promising. This profession is predicted to expand faster than the average for all occupations, by 18%, between 2014 and 2022. This growth is due to increasing demand from business and government leaders for efficient systems and predictive analytics. As data sets grow more extensive, more data analysts are needed to interpret and analyze them.
Data analysts can work anywhere where information is vital to business operations. For instance, they could be hired by a retail organization to collect consumer behavior data. Despite the high demand, data analyst careers are multiplying, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in this field are projected to increase by 25 percent by 2024. As a result, more organizations are beginning to recognize the value of hiring data experts.
