If you love to work with numbers and data and solve puzzles, then starting your career as a data analyst can be the right decision for you. However, to become a data analyst you must have a solid grip on the concepts of data analysis and you must have many other soft and hard skills like presentation skills and communication skills. So if you are an aspiring data analyst then here is a step-by-step guide that you can follow to become a data analyst.
Learn the Basics
If you are a beginner then you must start your journey by learning about the basics of data analysis like how it works, what are different types of data analysis techniques, etc. This will not only help you have a solid grip on the basics of data analysis but would also help you decide that whether you should become a data analyst or not.
Earlier you only need to have a bachelor's degree to get an entry-level data analyst job. But now one must have a degree in math/science or any other field related to data analysis to get a job as an analyst. Besides this, you can also enroll yourself in a data analysis/analytics training program to get a certification in data analysis and become a data analyst. So, do master the basics of data analysis as well as get a relevant degree/certification if you want to become a data analyst.
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Develop Technical Skills
To become a competent data analyst one must have good technical skills. Here are some technical skills that you must have/develop to become an analyst:
- Statistics
- Data visualization
- SQL
- Data cleaning/preparation
Besides these hard skills, you must possess soft skills like communication skills, problem-solving skills, presentation skills, etc. to become a successful analyst. You can also go through job portals and find out the skills that are most in-demand by hiring managers and learn them to increase your chance of getting hired in the future.
Work on Projects
The best way to learn about data analysis and become a data analyst is that you work with real-world data. Look for a degree program or training program that requires you to build real-world data analysis projects using real-world data. This will allow you to gain practical knowledge and will help you in standing out in front of hiring managers when you apply for a job.
Develop a Portfolio
As you work with real-world data and complete your assignments during training make that you build a portfolio of your best work. Besides this, you can also include any group project in your portfolio that you have made during your training. This will allow you to showcase your skills and expertise in front of hiring managers when you start applying for jobs and increase your chances of getting a job. While building your portfolio make sure that it presents your ability to:
- Scrape/collect large data from various sources or channels
- Clean and filter raw data
- Visually represent your founding’s with the help of graphs and charts
- Discover useful insights from data
Practice Presenting Your Insights/Findings
A competent data analyst must have good presentation and communication skills. As a data analyst, you will be presenting and communicating your findings from data to your client or stakeholders of a company. However, if you don’t have good communication/presentation skills then you won’t be able to do this properly. Thus make sure you work on your communication and presentation skills if you want to be a good data analyst.
Apply for an Internship/ Entry-Level Job
Once you get your degree and have built your portfolio the next thing that you have to do is start applying for an internship/entry-level job. This will allow you to build your confidence, polish your skills and gain experience. Note: Don’t hesitate to apply for an internship/entry-level job even if your present skills don’t match all the requirements of hiring managers. Your enthusiasm, desire to learn and portfolio can easily influence the decision of hiring managers and get you a job or internship even if you don’t have all the necessary skills. So, don’t hesitate to apply for an internship or job.
Get a Certification
As you continue your journey make sure you keep learning new things and get an advanced degree or certification in data analytics. It can be very helpful for you and can help you get your dream job in a big MNC. So, make sure you keep learning new things and get an advanced degree/certification in data analytics to give a big boost to your career.
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Conclusion
Being a data analyst is not that difficult and if you discipline yourself and develop all the necessary skills you can easily become a data analyst. So, carefully follow all the steps of this guide and you will soon become a competent/successful data analyst.
