Have you read articles
about how cool it is to be a data analyst? Watch this video and find out
if it suits you. My name is Tom. I've been working in the field
for more than five years. I'm currently
a senior data scientist at CareerFoundry. Data analyst is one of the hottest job
titles in 2022, a job in data promises exciting career prospects. So it's no surprise
that more and more people are transitioning into the field,
and with the demand comes great salaries. So what does it take to thrive in this industry, and how do you know
if it's the right career for you? Career change isn't easy, and it's
not just about salary and job title. You also have to love
what you're going to do and be good at it. So in this video, we'll help
you figure out if you have what it takes to be a good data
analyst and more importantly, whether a career in data analytics aligns
with your own goals and objectives. Here are six questions you'll need to ask yourself before
starting a career in data analytics. So let's start with question number one. Are you naturally curious and inquisitive? Analytics is about trying to find insights
from data. Think of yourself like a data detective
and just like detectives - clues in the data are often hidden where
other people haven't thought to look. You will need to work hard and dig
deep into the data to find insights. This means
you'll be operating in uncertainty a lot of the time
you'll be working by yourself. Are you comfortable working in uncertainty
and admitting to yourself you don't really know
where you need to go? You will also make a lot of mistakes. Finding new insights involves
trial and error. Are you confident in your ability
to solve something despite having failed at it
four or five times previously? Check out the Five
Whys technique or root cause analysis. These are techniques to help you develop
a rigorous problem solving mindset. You might find
you already have them, in which case you're naturally a good fit for data
analytics. Now on to question number two -
do you have an analytical mindset and a logical approach to your work? Good data
analysts have an analytical mindset. They make data driven decisions. They have learned that data
driven insights are not easily discovered, relying solely on intuition
and inspiration can often fail on complex problems. Do you believe that the best truths can be
discovered by combining human intuition with the power
of our computational cousins? Effective data analysts build
logical processes that rely on insights derived from data? Do you tend to work methodically from A
to Z questioning everything rather than making assumptions? Amazing. Onto question number three. Are you a keen problem solver? Data analytics is the process
of rigorous problem solving. Good data analysts are curious
people who like to problem solve. Do you like puzzles? Are you inspired
when you learn something new? Also, if you don't have the necessary data
to hand, you may need to go and find it, which in and of itself is a problem
solving exercise. Question number four -
are you interested in business strategy? Let's be honest. You can do data analytics on any problem
you find interesting. In fact, this is one of the best ways
for you to learn about the field, build up a portfolio
and land your first job in data analytics. But in reality, you'll spend most
of your career working for a business. You'll need to bridge
the gap between the numbers and the real world
implications for the business. So finding data driven insights and
helping the business drive its strategy through data driven decisions will be
some of your primary responsibilities. Are you interested in driving business
strategy? Quick tip - it also helps
if you're interested in the sector or geography
that the business operates in. Moving on to question number five, do you have an affinity
for numbers and statistics? While this doesn't need to be a scary one,
you don't need to be a math genius to excel in data analytics. In fact,
you don't even need a math background. You can learn everything you need
during training. You do need to be comfortable working
with numbers, in particular statistics. It's going to form
a large part of your job. Do you break out in a cold sweat
when given an Excel spreadsheet? Or are you happy to think about the
real world through the lens of numbers? If so, good. If you're finding this video helpful,
please like this video and subscribe to the CareerFoundry channel
to keep up to date with all the data analytics content
coming in the next few weeks. And finally, question number six - are you comfortable
presenting and collaborating? Best data analysts are storytellers. They can present complex findings in a way
non data experts can understand. So do you have a knack for explaining
tricky concepts in a clear and concise manner? Also, data analysts need to help the business
take action derived from the data. So are you a confident presenter and happy
to argue your case? These qualities will serve you
well in the role of data analyst. Now we've given you the questions
to ask yourself. We will answer one of the questions
most often asked by our audience. Is data analytics a good career move? Definitely. And here are some reasons
why a competitive salary based on data submitted by over 5000 data analysts,
the average base salary for a data analyst in the United States is around $75,000. So a career as a data analyst could see
you earning well above average salaries. Not only that, data analysts can expect
strong salary growth as they gain more experience in the job market. A large factor in this has to do
with a lack of highly experienced data analysts in the field.
And this brings us onto the next point. A burgeoning job market. So as we've already mentioned,
there is an increasing demand for talented data
analysts. More and more business sectors are transitioning
towards a digital first approach. And with the rise of connected devices
and smartphone usage, etc., the amount of data being generated by the modern
economy is growing almost exponentially. Associated with this growth is an increasing need for data
literate people in the job market. But supply is not meeting demand. Data isn't going anywhere,
and neither are data analysts. So this is an excellent job market
to be a part of. The opportunity to make an impact
- analytics plays a crucial role in how decisions are made. As a data analyst, you have an opportunity
to drive business strategy and have a real impact
on how the business moves forward. You'll get to the heart of complex
business challenges, working closely with key stakeholders and using your expertise
to advise on the best course of action. In this respect, you'll have a direct hand to play in the company's success,
an extremely rewarding position to be in. Variety - data is absolutely everywhere
and there are opportunities for data analysts across a variety of industries
and organizations from hospitals and health care to fast food and fashion,
from retail and marketing through insurance and technology. Possibilities are endless, so
if you're looking for a career that offers variety, you'll certainly want to consider
becoming a data analyst. Well, this is everything we prepared for
you today. Now that you know what to ask yourself, take a moment
for some honesty and insight. Do note though, these skills aren't always inherent
and some of them can be learned. So don't worry. If you didn't get the answer
you liked the first time around. Depending on the answers you get, you may find that a career in data
analytics is right for you. In return, you can expect a competitive
salary, a varied and booming job market, and the opportunity to make an impact
if you do decide to go for it. Congrats! And I have the perfect thing to get
you started on your career journey. CareerFoundry has a free short course on data analytics that you can sign up for
to get a flavor of the profession and a link for
that will be in the description below. Another valuable resource for you
is this video I made recently going through a typical day
in the life of a data analyst. So if you'd like to see
what your future job looks like in more detail,
go ahead and check out the video here. I know you will find it valuable
and I'll see you next time!
