The data industry has experienced a major digital overhaul. Starting with the introduction of computers and increased automation, followed by the widespread use of the internet, we now find ourselves in the era of smart technology.
This transformation has led to a massive increase in the production of data, with businesses generating vast amounts of information every single moment of every day. This big data society has brought many benefits to business owners, providing them with unique business insights.
The abundance of data has created a need for individuals who are equipped to understand, examine, and communicate its significance to enhance business outcomes. That’s where the role of data analysts has becomes crucial.
This guide provides a comprehensive learning path outlining all the necessary skills, expertise, and education required to pursue a career as a business intelligence analyst.
What do Data Analysts do?
In simple terms, data analysts are accountable for analyzing and extracting valuable insights from the data and resources utilized by a business or organization. They determine market conditions, define business strategies, and create policies to meet company goals. They also highlight industry challenges, identify trends, and recognize the evolving needs of a company. Additionally, they interpret data to identify areas for improvement in IT and technology systems.
There is a high and growing demand for data analysts today. So, how do you become a data analyst? The simple steps to becoming a data analyst are listed below.
Steps to Becoming a Data Analyst
- Get Qualified: Most Data Analyst positions require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. However, a bachelor’s degree may not be enough to land your dream job. You’ll also need to show some specialist skills to stand out amongst the other candidates.
An alternative way to gain qualifications and demonstrate skills is to enroll in specialist online courses such as LearnTube’s (by CareerNinja) courses. More and more employers are recognizing and valuing these courses, as they realize the level of highly-focused knowledge and skills obtained through e-learning platforms.
- Develop Skills and Knowledge: Employers often require the following competencies for data analyst positions:
- Computing skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office software, particularly Excel, and knowledge of programming languages and frameworks such as SQL, C#, Java, Oracle, etc.
- Analytical skills: The ability to interpret and analyze data to identify areas for improvement in the operations and processes of a company.
- Research skills: Evaluating reports and documents to inform analysis, observing operations, and gathering valuable insights through interviews with employees and stakeholders.
- Problem-solving skills: Identifying problems within a company and developing solutions based on research and data analysis.
- Learn A Programming Language: As a data analyst, it’s common to work with multiple programming languages, so there is no definite right or wrong option. You’ll need to have a solid understanding of SQL for managing and analyzing databases, then choose between either R or Python as your secondary language.
In this stage, you will learn how to import, clean, manipulate, and present data with your selected programming language. You’ll be exposed to various libraries that can aid you in various tasks and improve your programming skills.
- Enhance your Skills through Independent Projects: You can build your foundation as a data analyst by practicing with various projects and completing the assigned data analysis projects.
As you prepare for your career as a data analyst, you’ll want to show that you have the ability to work and research independently. This is why it’s essential to take on independent projects where you are in charge of every aspect of the project.
Therefore, you’ll have to select topics, gather the necessary data, determine the direction of your research, design a structure, test hypotheses, convey your findings effectively, and outline future steps. These projects take more time and effort than guided ones, but they will make you stand out when applying for a job.
- Gain Work Experience: Gaining work experience is a key factor in becoming a successful data analyst. It’s best to try to get some work experience while you study, such as part-time paid work or internships within a company. Taking online courses that include practical projects is another way to gain valuable experience. This will help you focus on developing specific skills and building a strong portfolio of successful projects.
Conclusion: Data analysis is a highly specialized and constantly evolving field, so it’s essential to continually update your skills and knowledge. Becoming a data analyst will require you to possess specialized data science and analysis skills that will help you boost your performance and advance your career. If you’re looking for a place to start learning data analytics skills that fit your ambition, consider looking at LearnTube.ai’s courses.
