Data is everywhere, and making sense of exabytes of information has created full-time jobs. Data analytics, or “big data,” is relatively new and keeps evolving. But one thing is for sure—this is a lucrative career in high demand.
But what exactly does it mean to build a career in data analytics? What prospects do you have now and down the road? And how do you land your first job? Let’s answer all these questions.
Be warned, however. Data analytics is a highly competitive field. So, don’t waste any time – start building your career now. Offload your homework to EssayPro or reduce leisure time if you have to. Unless you do it now, you won’t have that many options once you graduate.
What Jobs Can You Find in This Field?
When you hear “data analytics career,” you probably think “data analyst” by default. And while it is one of the paths you can take, it’s not the only job in this field. Let’s break down the three most common:
Data Analyst
Average salary: $65,576 (less than 1 year of experience), $73,276 (3 to 5 years), $81,902 (10+ years)
This is the most common offer in the job market. You can find analysts who work in healthcare, finance, insurance, media, and more. Here’s what they do on a day-to-day basis:
- Extracting and collecting data
- Tidying it up and organizing it
- Analyzing it to answer specific business-related questions
- Making conclusions and sharing them
- Visualizing data for reports
You can land a junior or entry-level position with zero real-world work experience. Of course, you’ll still need the right skills: Excel, Python, and MySQL basics are usually necessary.
Once you get enough experience, you can specialize in a particular industry and earn titles like “Financial analyst,” “Marketing analyst,” “Healthcare analyst,” or “Operations analyst.”
Data Scientist
Average salary: $141,804
This career isn’t for the faint-hearted. It’s for people who are great at math, statistics, and programming – this job requires advanced skills in all three. Here’s what data scientists do:
- Writing algorithms for analytics
- Designing modeling processes
- Creating predictive models
It’s typically not easy to get started with zero work experience. Most data scientists start as analysts and move on to this occupation after obtaining two or three years of experience.
Business Analyst
Average salary: $80,120
You might think it’s the same as being a data analyst. However, these are two separate titles with different responsibilities, especially in big companies. Here’s what a business analyst does:
- Assessing the existing business model
- Analyzing how to use the company’s workforce in the most efficient way possible
- Evaluating how the business can reduce expenses
- Taking part in strategic decision-making
This job is typically not suitable for complete beginners in the field. Most starter positions require at least one year of previous work experience. You can gain it working as a data analyst and then move on to this job.
Is This Career a Good Match for You?
You might’ve thought that choosing the right tech college was tough, but it might be bleak compared to choosing a tech career. So, how can you be sure this particular one is worth your time and effort?
Start with asking yourself these seven questions:
- Would you call yourself a curious person?
- Do you have an analytical mindset?
- Do you love finding solutions to problems?
- Do you like working with numbers and statistics? Are you apt at it?
- Are you good at making presentations and collaborating with others?
- Do you have the skills required to start building this career?
After answering all these questions, are you still not sure this career is the right choice for you? If so, get some real-world experience and see how it goes for you. That can mean landing an internship or a junior analyst position.
How Do You Start Building a Data Analytics Career?
Let’s say you’re convinced this career is right for you. How do you go about building it? And, what’s more important, how do you do it as a student?
Declare the Right Major
If you still haven’t declared your major, it’s the right time to do it. Here are the three best tech majors for future data analysts:
- Statistics: you’ll develop basic computing and probability skills, and you can specialize in this field specifically;
- Computer science: you’ll gain basic programming skills and learn how to perform high-level analysis;
- Math: you’ll dive deep into the math that powers complex analysis, but it doesn’t necessarily cover programming.
Build Your Set of Skills
When you choose your classes, keep in mind the hard skills that employers demand from candidates in this field:
- SQL/MySQL programming;
- R and Python programming;
- Understanding of statistics and probability;
- Data cleaning, preparation, and visualization.
But that’s not all. Employers also look for particular soft skills, such as:
- Problem-solving
- Analytical mindset
- Presentation
- Collaboration
Practice on Your Own
Never assume that the curriculum will be enough for building your hard skills. Even when you have plenty of projects, it’s rare to work with data sets and objectives similar to what you’d have to deal with in a real-world setting.
So, go ahead and tinker with real datasets in your free time. Don’t know where to find it? NASA has opened its datasets, and so has the National Centers for Environmental Information. And these are just a couple of examples!
Create Your Portfolio
Like in most other tech fields, often, you need to prove that you genuinely have the tech skills that the employer is looking for. A portfolio is the best way to do this. Your portfolio should demonstrate your ability to:
- Collect and clean data
- Draw insights from it
- Visualize and present your findings
Look for Internship Opportunities
While you’re still in college, an internship is an excellent place to start your career. Unlike most entry-level jobs in this field, it typically doesn’t require a full-time commitment. So, you’ll be able to combine your studies with gaining real-world work experience.
How do you find an internship? Your college or university’s career center is an excellent place to start. They’ll send you in the right direction.
Or, you can apply to companies looking for an intern directly – you’ll have to do your research first. Check local businesses and see if they offer internships.
Apply for Entry-Level Positions
Once you’ve gained experience and completed some projects, it’ll be time to look for an entry-level data analyst job.
If you’re still a student and want to start working, be warned: most positions are full-time. However, you might be lucky enough to find a part-time job – and land it.
If part-time opportunities are too scarce, you might need to wait until you finish your studies.
In Conclusion
Once you land an entry-level job in data analytics, you still have a long way to go. On-the-job training will get you started, but it’s up to you to “learn the ropes” and build your expertise.
And when you have two or three years of work experience in the field, you can go on to your preferred specialization. You’ll have an excellent chance to land a job as a data scientist, business analyst, operations analyst, and more.
