Setting up a data analyst career is the wisest decision for a person who is interested in dealing with data. This is because it is one of the most sought-after professions across the globe. There is a huge demand for data analyst professionals in every industry due to the enormous amount of data available. Hence, a data analyst can expect amazing salaries and extra-ordinary perks regardless of the hierarchy level. So, why do organizations hire a data analyst? Let’s find out what a data analyst does.
Primary Roles in a Data Analyst Career
If you take up a data analyst career, your primary responsibility is to collect, process, and analyze large volumes of data. You need to perform this to convert the data into sensible information. This knowledge helps in resolving issues and making informed business decisions. Therefore, as a data analyst, you have an opportunity to work in diverse industries. You can be in healthcare, banks, technology firms, private equity firms, insurance companies, etc.
Skills Needed to Begin a Data Analyst Career
Although the skills vary to some extent based on the positions and levels, the common skills every data analyst requires for a successful career are:
- Data cleaning and visualization
- Good knowledge of statistics and probability
- Basic SQL knowledge
- Good web development skills
- Programming with R or Python
- Knowledge of Machine Learning is an added advantage
- Excellent communication skills to explain the analysis clearly to people
Jobs in Data Analyst Career
1. Data Analyst
There are various job roles in this career based on your educational background and years of experience. This is because data analyst is a broad term. Hence, at an entry-level, you can kick start your career as a data analyst. At this stage, you need to answer the business questions with the available data. As a next career step, you can work as a data scientist or a data engineer. If you are more interested in software development and programming, you can become a general developer too.
Average Salary: $67,000
2. Data Scientist
A data scientist performs all the tasks of a data analyst. But with the added work of building machine learning models to predict the future accurately based on past data. Hence, you need an excellent understanding of statistics to work on statistical models. Besides, advanced programming knowledge in R or Python is required. As a next step, you can work towards the senior data scientist or lead data scientist position. Also, you can work as an ML engineer if you specialize in machine learning. Aim to become a chief data officer to maximize your earnings.
Average Salary: $125,000
3. Data Engineer
As a data engineer, you need to manage an organization’s data infrastructure. Thus, it deals with more of software development and programming knowledge. This shows that you need advanced SQL skills and advanced programming knowledge in Python or R. The career prospects of this position includes senior engineering or software development positions. Also, you can move on to managerial positions such as engineering or data team lead.
Average Salary: $130,000
Other Positions
Apart from the top three positions, you may work as a Machine Learning Engineer, Quantitative Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Warehouse Architect, Business Analyst, Systems Analyst, Operations Analyst, Marketing Analyst, Corporate Strategy Analyst, Budget Analyst, and Social Media Data Analyst. However, every position requires certain criteria to be met. So, sharpen your skills based on the job you want to do. Continuous experience along with sound knowledge helps you land in your dream job.
Bottom Line
There is no wonder why many professionals are shifting towards a data analyst career. It’s predicted that there will be a huge need for data analysts in the upcoming years. If you want to make career as a Data Analyst, Contact Cyber Chasse Staffing Services.
Your views about this post would be much appreciated. So, leave your comments below and follow us on Social Media for more interesting topics.
