If you enjoy working with statistics and solving puzzles, a job as a data analyst might be a good fit for you.

Data analysts gather, clean up, and conduct studies on data to support business decisions. If you’re considering a career in this high-demand sector, here is how to get started:

How Do I Become A Data Analyst?

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You can find data analytics careers in many industries, and there are various ways to get your first job in this in-demand field. Here are some steps you can take to become a data analyst, whether you’re just starting in the workforce or switching careers.

1. Get A Foundational Education:

If you’re unfamiliar with data analysis, you should start by studying the fundamentals. By establishing skills that are appropriate for the workplace and obtaining a thorough understanding of data analytics, you may determine whether this career is a good fit for you.

In the past, a bachelor’s degree was necessary for the majority of entry-level positions for data analysts. Although many positions still demand a degree, this is beginning to change. You can build your resume and receive the essential knowledge you need with a degree in math, computer science, or a related field, but there are alternative methods to learn the skills you need, such as through professional certificate programs, boot camps, or self-study courses.

2. Build Your Technical Skills:

To find work in data analysis, it’s frequently important to possess a specific set of technical abilities. These are some key skills that, whether you’re learning through a degree program, a professional credential, or on your own, you’ll undoubtedly need to acquire to land a job.

Data visualization
Statistics
Python Programming
Data cleaning and preparation
SQL (Structured Query Language)

Study the specific programming languages or visualization tools listed as requirements by looking at a few job listings for positions you’re interested in applying for.

In addition to these hard skills, hiring managers also look for soft skills including good communication, problem-solving abilities, and subject knowledge particular to the sector. It may be necessary for you to explain your conclusions to those who lack your level of technical knowledge.

3. Work On Projects With Real Data:

The greatest way to assess the value of data is to use it in actual scenarios. Look for degree programs or coursework that includes real-world projects using real data sets. Additionally, you can use a variety of free public data sets to build your projects.

Use NASA open data to find solutions to new issues on Earth and elsewhere, or investigate climate data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, BuzzFeed news data, or other sources. These are but a few examples of the data that is available. Locate some data to practice with, then pick a topic that interests you.

4. Develop A Portfolio Of Your Work:

As you experiment with online data sets or complete practical tasks in your classroom, save your best work for your portfolio. Your talents can be viewed by hiring managers in a portfolio. You may be able to get the position if you have a strong portfolio.

When choosing projects for your portfolio, choose projects that demonstrate your ability to:

Assemble data from several sources
Cleansing and normalization of the data
To demonstrate your conclusions, make use of graphs, charts, maps, and other graphics.
Learn something helpful from the data.

Consider including one of your group projects if you were a part of any during your study. This indicates your capacity for productive teamwork.

If you’re unclear about what to put in your portfolio or need some project idea inspiration, take some time to browse through other people’s portfolios to see what they’ve chosen to include.

5. Practice Presenting your Findings:

It can be easy to ignore your communication skills by focusing entirely on the technical aspects of data analysis, but it’s important to practice presenting your findings. One of the most important aspects of a data analyst’s job is presenting their findings to decision-makers and other company stakeholders. When you can use the data to construct a story, your company may be able to make decisions based on data.

What is data-driven decision-making (DDDM)?

Data-driven decision-making, or DDDM, is a process for making strategic business decisions that are based on facts, data, and metrics rather than intuition or observation.

Even while it may seem obvious, not all businesses are using data as effectively as they could. The worldwide management consulting firm McKinsey Global Institute claims that data-driven companies are more successful at bringing in new customers, keeping hold of their current ones, and making profits that are above average.

As you complete tasks for your portfolio, practice giving a presentation of your results. Think about the visuals you’ll use to support the message you wish to convey. Attempt to speak softly and make eye contact with them. Practice in front of a mirror or with your peers. Consider recording your presentation so you can listen to it afterwards and see where it needs work.

6. Get An Entry-Level Data Analyst Job:

Once you have some experience using data and articulating your findings, it’s time to update your resume and begin applying for entry-level data analyst roles. Never be afraid to apply for jobs that you might not feel quite qualified for. When making an application for a job, your skills, portfolio, and enthusiasm usually count for more than your ability to meet all of the specified requirements.

If you’re still a student, ask about internship opportunities at the career services office of your university. By taking part in an internship, you may start accumulating real-world experience for your resume and putting what you’re learning into practice on the job.

7. Consider Certification Or An Advanced Degree:

Evaluate how you want to improve in your data analyst profession as it develops and what additional credentials would be helpful. Certifications like the Certified Analytics Professional or Cloudera Certified Associate Data Analyst may help you become eligible for positions with higher pay grades.

If you’re interested in becoming a data scientist, you may need to get a master’s degree in data science or a closely related field. While not always required, additional degrees might open you to more choices.

How To Become A Data Analyst Without A Degree

It’s not typically necessary to have a degree to work as a data analyst. Data analysts are in high demand, thus you should possess the appropriate skills. Focus on shining with the best work in your portfolio if you lack a degree.

Employers usually demand that candidates for data analyst positions have prior experience working with data before hiring them. Thankfully, you don’t have to wait until you start working to earn experience. We live in a data-driven world.

If you are switching from another field to data analysis, it will be easier to get experience if you start by working with data. Many degree programs, certificate programs, and online schools employ real data sets. You can also find free data sets online (or make your own via scraping) to practice gathering, cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing real data.

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