A data analyst is a highly sought-after profession whose responsibilities include processing data and transforming it into useful data for business improvement. There are several levels of the analyst profession, depending on which their salary and responsibilities depend. If you are just getting ready to learn this line of work, this article will help you understand how to become an entry-level data analyst.
What skills do data analysts need?
First of all, you need knowledge of mathematics. If you do not have skills in mathematics, it is much harder to learn the profession. So the schoolchildren’s excuse that algebra is not useful to them in real life is still just an excuse. In the field of data analysts, you will apply that knowledge regularly. And although some workers say it’s not a required skill, it’s at the heart of data analysis. If you talk about math skills more specifically, you will have to delve into:
- Linear algebra
- Regress
- Probability theory
- Numerical analysis
Knowledge in programming is also very important for this case. If you study code later on it will help you learn and solve complex problems efficiently. The most common programming languages for data analysts are R, Python, C ++, Java, MATLAB, PHP, and SQL.
Statistics is a very useful skill for novice analysts as you will often rely on statistical concepts.
Microsoft Excel-you must constantly improve your Excel skill to become an advanced worker.
Training options
To become a data analyst entry-level employee you need to prove yourself as someone who knows your business, which means you need to know how to sort and clean data, which in turn means that you need good records and a portfolio.
Nowadays this is not a problem as there are many online courses you can take from the comfort of your own home. But what makes it even better is that now you don’t need an official document that will indicate your education in this field. It is enough to take an online course for beginners to learn all the skills you need at the entry-level.
Sectors in which data analysts are in demand
Data analysts may be needed in areas such as:
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- Marketing research – Data analytics help developers of a new product understand whether it will be successful in its sales to its target audience
- Healthcare – Medical professionals can use data analytics to more easily track their patients’ medical histories and diagnose them more effectively. If you choose to become a data analyst in the medical field, your responsibilities will include organizing medical data, analyzing it, and helping medical facilities provide the best possible system management
- Government – Analysts in this field track the needs of the people in the best possible way. Analysts in government perform many different tasks