Data analysts use data to solve problems and answer questions. Doesn't that sound simple? It is possible with the right expertise and skills, along with the correct learning path.
This article will help you understand the job profile of a Data Analyst and lso guide you on how to become one. . We will examine the career path of a data analyst, including job requirements, learning paths, and how to find a job in today's market. We will also cover how to become a data analyst with no experience.
Why become a Data Analyst?
The data analytics market is expected to grow by 29.4% between 2023 and 2030. The high demand for data analysts means they have many career options and a stable job.
Data analysts' salaries are competitive. Glassdoor states that an American data analyst can earn a salary of $108,000 per year.
What is a Data Analyst?
In this career, you'll guide strategic decisions in your company. You can directly impact product development, marketing strategies, and operational efficiency.
It is a great feeling to know that your analysis has a real impact on the people you work with and the organization.
Data analyst skills are highly transferable and can be applied in many sectors. This includes remotely. Find a job as a data analyst that suits your interests, whether they are in finance, healthcare, or e-commerce.
What do Data Analysts do?
While a data analyst's duties can differ depending on their industry or title, there are core duties that all data analysts share.
What do data analysts do in a day?
-
Process and collect the data to process and collect the data, data analysts need to be able to work with Excel spreadsheets, databases, or other third-party platforms.
-
Analyze data and create models: Data analysts can use statistical tools to discover patterns and trends and develop models to predict future outcomes.
-
Create dashboards and reports: Data analysts are responsible for making their findings accessible to stakeholders by selecting key metrics and visualizing them in dashboards.
-
Communication and collaboration: Data analysts collaborate with other departments to identify problems and determine the best solution. They explain their findings to both technical and non-technical stakeholders and guide and justify decisions.
Types of Data Analysts
Data analytics is a broad field that covers a variety of industries, data types, and stages during the data analysis process.
Data analyst skills can combine general knowledge and specific skills, depending on the area.
You can select a niche that closely matches your interests and skills.
1. General Data Analysis
A general data analyst performs a wide range of tasks without any specific expertise. They need to be flexible and willing to learn new skills and take on new challenges.
2. Business Data Analysis
Business analysts work closely with departments to improve software, products, and services and analyze data to make strategic decisions.
Great Learning's business analytics course is a good place to begin if you are interested. This course will teach you all the fundamentals and skills needed to make good business decisions. Even if you have not gained prior experience, you can complete projects to showcase your skills to potential employers.
3. Specialized data analysts
-
Analysts have a deep understanding of the market, their customers, and how campaigns perform. Analysts can cover various topics, from market trends to customer segmentation.
-
Financial analysts help businesses and individuals make informed investment decisions by analyzing financial data. By examining the performance of stocks, bonds, and other assets, they provide insight into budgeting, planning, and forecasting.
-
Operational analysts are responsible for improving an organization's effectiveness and efficiency while reducing costs.
-
Data analysts are skilled at analyzing information to improve patient care, outcomes, and operational efficiency.
Need for a Data Analyst
You will need both formal education and experience to land a position as an analyst. You must also demonstrate your ability to use relevant tools and technologies.
While the exact requirements of a data analyst job may vary depending on the industry and employer involved, there are some benchmarks in terms of education and qualifications that all aspiring data analysts should meet.
1. Education and Qualifications
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions related to education and qualifications.
Do I have to have a college degree to become a data analyst?
Most data analyst jobs require a bachelor's degree. Employers prefer STEM degrees, but the field of study can be varied.
According to more than 1,000 job listings for data analysts, the most popular fields of study are math, statistics, and computer science. This year's study revealed that employers are aware that other degrees provide the necessary skills for data analysis, making it easier to switch from one degree to another.
How can I get a job as a data analyst without a degree?
It's possible, even though it is more difficult. Experience and skills are relatively easy to build. You only need to walk through the door.
They are a great way to build your skills and gain valuable experience without going through a lot of schooling. You can use internships to prove to your employer that they are capable of full-time employment.
Do not let your degree prevent you from pursuing a career in data analysis.
There are many ways to meet the requirements of a data analyst in this digital age. There are also boot camps and specific programs for data analysts. These resources are all free. To access these resources, sign up for a data science course.
2. Technical Skills
Data analytics is a field that is constantly evolving with new tools, technologies, and developments.
Try to learn only some things at a time. Work towards improving your skills as a data analyst.
The data analyst's learning path is divided into three areas: data Querying, Data Analysis, and Data Presentation.
The skills required of a data analyst vary from one company to another. Here is a good starting point.
-
SQL is needed to query data. SQL was mentioned more than 50 percent of the time in our market study for 2024. SQL is the first stage.
-
Over 30% of job postings mention Python. Excel is a good option for quick insights or for companies who prefer spreadsheets.
-
It is essential to be able to visualize data. It would help if you had a basic understanding of business intelligence software (such as Tableau and Power BI). Power BI, at 29%, was the most popular tool for data visualization in our study. Tableau, at 26%, is just a little behind.
3. Soft Skills
Soft skills are crucial to data analytics success.
Soft skills set you apart from the rest of the candidates. Soft skills also show the value you can bring to a company.
Asking the right questions will help you to gain a deeper understanding of your company. This curiosity will help you perform more meaningful and in-depth analyses.
Soft skills are also important for data analysts.
-
Communication: Ability to communicate technical findings to non-technical stakeholders.
-
Attention to Detail: A keen eye for detail that ensures accuracy and data management.
-
Problem-solving is the ability to solve problems by using logic and creativity.
Data Analyst Learning Path
This comprehensive learning pathway will teach you how to become an analyst. This extensive learning path takes you through the basics and up to more specialized skills.
1. Understanding the Basics in Statistics
Data analyst training should start with a solid grasp of statistics. This knowledge is essential to a successful data analyst career, no matter what specialization you choose.
Focus on descriptive statistics and probability. Learn about hypothesis testing, distributions, regression analysis, and hypothesis testing.
2. Master Excel
Excel is a great tool for analyzing data and can provide quick insights. Our research shows that over 40% of the job postings on the market for 2024 indicate this as a requirement.
Use pivot tables and charts. Learn more advanced features like VLOOKUP or INDEX/MATCH.
3. Learn about SQL
SQL is a querying language essential for data analysis. More than half of the job listings for data analysts we reviewed this year used SQL.
Learn the basics of SQL to gain a better understanding of relational databases. Then, you can move on to complex concepts and queries.
4. Learn programming
Most data analysts are expected to have programming skills in Python and R. These languages were featured on about 30% and 25% of job postings, respectively.
You can start with our Python introduction course to learn the basics. Then, you can move on to libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib, and Seaborn.
5. Data Visualization
Data analysis is not just for analysts. Data visualization is essential for data analysts as they need to present their findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.
They have to create visual dashboards and reports using Tableau or PowerBI and select the right visualization for the data.
6. Real Projects
Solve problems using real-world data. Then, you can apply your skills to real datasets to solve real problems.
The majority of jobs require experience. According to our job market research, the most common experience level is between 2 and 4 years. How can I become an analyst with no experience?
Projects are a great tool to demonstrate to employers that you not only have the knowledge but can also apply it. You can create your project or use one of our pre-made projects.
You can also participate in competitions at Kaggle or DrivenData and contribute to open-source initiatives. UCI Machine Learning Repository has an excellent collection of datasets.
GitHub is a great way to find and share datasets and learn more about Git.
Conclusion
Becoming a data analyst in 2024 can be an exciting and fulfilling career choice, offering high demand and attractive salaries, along with the chance to impact various industries. By joining 2 million students who have transformed their careers, you will learn from industry experts at Meta, Spotify and Google while honing essential skills such as Excel, SQL and Machine Learning.
This article has provided a comprehensive guide to the role and skills required of data analysts, along with entry points into this exciting field. No matter whether or not you possess formal education credentials, there are numerous resources and learning paths available to you that can help ensure success in this career path. If you possess the right mindset and dedication as well as being adaptable enough, becoming an effective data analyst could make an immense contribution in any industry that you work.
