How to Be a Data Analyst: The Complete Guide
Data analysis is a rapidly growing field, and it's
estimated to be worth $202 billion by 2025. It's also one of the most lucrative
jobs in the country: data analysts make an average of $90k per year, according
to Indeed.com. If you're looking for a career with a lot of job security and
high pay, being a data analyst might be right up your alley. Here's everything
you need to know about becoming a data analyst!
Types
of Data
When you start
looking for data, the first thing you'll want to consider is what kind of data
you need. Data can be divided into two main categories: quantitative and
qualitative. Quantitative data is numerical—it has specific values that can be
measured and analyzed for trends or patterns. This includes things like sales
numbers, financial records, or stock market data (and anything else that's been
recorded in dollars). Qualitative data is more subjective—it reflects opinions
or feelings rather than actual numbers (like surveys on how people think about
a company's products).
Quantitative
analysis is often done on big datasets—huge amounts of information about many
different aspects of a business or industry that are collected over time and
may be stored in various formats such as spreadsheets or databases. A company
might have a database containing its customers' names with addresses along with
basic information like phone numbers; another database might include product
descriptions along with prices; yet another could contain details about
employee performance reviews; etcetera ad infinitum ad nauseum until your head
explodes from all those zeroes!
Tools Needed
First off, you
need to learn some basic tools. You can use Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets (a
free alternative) to work with spreadsheets and create graphs. This is a great
way to start learning about data analysis because it’s easy and accessible for
anyone who knows how to use either of these programs.
Next up is SQL
(structured query language), which allows you to extract information from
databases using queries written in English-like statements. SQL is perfect for
beginners because there are lots of tutorials available online that teach how
it works, so all you need is an internet connection and an hour or two of your
time!
If you want
something more powerful than Excel but less complicated than SQL, Python might
be right up your alley! Python allows users at all levels of programming
experience (even non-programmers!) access into working with data sets by
providing easy-to-use functions that allow even the newest user access into its
functionality without having any prior knowledge about programming languages
such as Java or C
Skills Required
Data analysts use
their skills to solve business problems. They must be able to analyze data,
visualize it, mine it and manipulate it in different ways before modelling it
and presenting the results. The most common language used by data analysts is
SQL (Structured Query Language), but R or Python are also frequently used.
Data Analyst Jobs
Data analysts are
people who work with data to find patterns and make predictions. They collect
and analyze data to build reports, solve problems, or improve the operation of
a business. Data analysts may also be responsible for communicating their
findings.
As a result of the
increasing value placed on big data, organizations are increasingly hiring data
analysts to help them interpret and use large amounts of information in ways
that can improve business processes and operations. Data analysts can work in
many different industries; they might be employed by companies that generate a
lot of customer transactions (like retail stores), or those that generate
engineering drawings (architects). They may also work for government agencies
or non-profit organizations.
Education
Required for Being a Data Analyst
There are a few
ways to learn data analysis, but most people first pursue a bachelor's degree
in a quantitative field like mathematics or statistics. If you're interested in
pursuing an MBA with a specialization in data analytics, this is also an option
for you.
If you already
have experience as a data analyst or want to get started quickly, look into
taking online courses or participating in short-term certificate programs at
your local community college or university. While not required for entry-level
positions, these types of programs can help you quickly gain the skills needed
to become an effective analyst.
Finally, if time
and money are no obstacle and you want to get started as fast as possible on
your path towards becoming an expert, consider enrolling in one of many online
bootcamps that offer intensive training focused exclusively on the practice of
analyzing large datasets using cutting-edge tools like Excel and R (the most
popular open source programming language used by statisticians).
Certifications
for Data Products by Mode Analytics
Data Analyst is a
generic term for someone who uses data to make decisions. There are many
different types of analysts, each with their own skillset and tasks. They may
be trained as Data Scientists or Engineers, but they can also be people with a
business or marketing background who want to get started using data in their
jobs (and thus don't necessarily have the technical expertise to be considered
'Data Scientists').
The main job of an
Analyst is usually collecting data from various sources and making sense of it
so that they can present their findings in the most relevant way possible. For
example, if you're working at an e-commerce company then you might need to know
how many customers bought specific products on certain days so that your boss
knows what went wrong when sales go down unexpectedly one month - this would
require analyzing financial metrics across different departments such as
Marketing & Sales in order to find answers quickly before more damage is done!
Another thing
Analysts often do is create dashboards which show key performance indicators
(KPIs) such as revenue growth over time; this could involve creating
visualizations like bar charts showing profit/loss ratios broken down by region
etc...
The Interview
Process for Becoming a Data Analyst
Before you start
the process of becoming a data analyst, it’s important to remember that the
interview process is a two-way street. You want to be sure that this job is
right for you as much as your interviewer wants to ensure that you are right
for them. Before an interview starts or even before scheduling one, ask
yourself if this is truly your dream job. Do some research on what being a data
analyst entails so that when they ask questions about it during the interview,
there won’t be any surprises.
Being a data
analyst is one of the most lucrative careers, and one of the most in-demand.
Learn more about becoming a data analyst.
Data analysts are
in high demand, and they're well paid. Data analysts can work for companies big
and small (and every size in between), in just about every industry around the
world. They're needed to collect data from systems like marketing automation
platforms, billing systems, HR software, CRM platforms and more. Data analysts
have a wide range of roles that include:
·
Data scientist
(analyzes large data sets)
·
Business analyst
(examines how business operations affect the bottom line)
·
Data architect
(structure & design databases/data warehouses)
As you can see
there are many paths to becoming a data analyst! You might want to start out as
an entry level position like being a business analyst or an accountant so that
you can learn all the ins & outs of your company's processes before moving
into management roles that require more responsibility when it comes down to
making decisions based off what matters most: profits!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve
gained some insight into how to become a data analyst. If you have any
questions, please reach out in the comments below!