How do I become a Data Analyst?
July 25, 2019 12:04 PM Subscribe
I got thrown into being an analyst at my current job and was freakin' awesome at it. It mattered to me. Help me figure out what I need to do to get this job somewhere else full time, please!
I'm no longer doing data at my current company because after proving that our account lead was falsifying the data I submitted then sending that to the client... I was removed. Immediately. I wasn't fired or disciplined, and I'm basically ignored and allowed to do what I want now as long as it doesn't touch data. I hate it. My heart sang from making data visualizations and writing the queries to build them. Explaining what the data could mean was great. I need to leave this company sooner rather than later for my mental health probably.
Anyway, I'm applying for jobs around town (Des Moines, good tech area it seems) but I haven't gotten anything yet and it seems most want either a bachelors or 3-5 years experience. I'm not sure if I need to go get another bachelors (English Creative Writing is what I have), a certificate (ISU Program) or just keep applying. All my career I've been the person who can pick something up and learn it very quickly, but if I have to go to school for 1-2 years before I can switch careers I'll make it work.
Just need any guidance, I guess. Project Management is something I've also done extensively at my previous job, but I don't have any certificates. It does interest me but not nearly as much as data. Thanks.
I'm no longer doing data at my current company because after proving that our account lead was falsifying the data I submitted then sending that to the client... I was removed. Immediately. I wasn't fired or disciplined, and I'm basically ignored and allowed to do what I want now as long as it doesn't touch data. I hate it. My heart sang from making data visualizations and writing the queries to build them. Explaining what the data could mean was great. I need to leave this company sooner rather than later for my mental health probably.
Anyway, I'm applying for jobs around town (Des Moines, good tech area it seems) but I haven't gotten anything yet and it seems most want either a bachelors or 3-5 years experience. I'm not sure if I need to go get another bachelors (English Creative Writing is what I have), a certificate (ISU Program) or just keep applying. All my career I've been the person who can pick something up and learn it very quickly, but if I have to go to school for 1-2 years before I can switch careers I'll make it work.
Just need any guidance, I guess. Project Management is something I've also done extensively at my previous job, but I don't have any certificates. It does interest me but not nearly as much as data. Thanks.
Best answer: It helps if you have some work to show off. When I was looking, all my actual work was proprietary so I spent a couple weekends doing an analysis from census data and data from my state government. I just played around till I found something interesting enough to write up.
I would send it along with my resume as a writing sample. My job hunt still took forever, but I got a lot of interviews.
A well-stocked GitHub page would have probably been better.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:29 PM on July 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
I would send it along with my resume as a writing sample. My job hunt still took forever, but I got a lot of interviews.
A well-stocked GitHub page would have probably been better.
posted by paper chromatographologist at 12:29 PM on July 25, 2019 [6 favorites]
Best answer: I did Udacity's nanodegree course in Data Analysis. Working at it around 20-30 hours a week, I finished it in about three months, and got a job as a data analyst six-ish weeks later. It was the most affordable MOOC course I could find, and I meshed very well with the pedagogical style.
It also meant I 'graduated' with a portfolio I could shop around, which I think was the most valuable part -- I could prove I knew what I was talking about if nothing else. (Additionally, Udacity provides career and networking advice which, in my opinion, alone was worth the cost of the course.)
posted by kalimac at 12:44 PM on July 25, 2019 [17 favorites]
It also meant I 'graduated' with a portfolio I could shop around, which I think was the most valuable part -- I could prove I knew what I was talking about if nothing else. (Additionally, Udacity provides career and networking advice which, in my opinion, alone was worth the cost of the course.)
posted by kalimac at 12:44 PM on July 25, 2019 [17 favorites]
Best answer: I hire data analysts and I've never required a masters or even a specific degree. It's enough to have the critical mind that is capable of asking the right questions. My favorite place to find new recruits is from academic biology labs; I get people who value precision and curiosity, but who have a healthy respect for the scientific method.
If you want more personalized feedback I'd be happy to look at your resume and cover letter. Just memail me.
posted by Alison at 12:46 PM on July 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
If you want more personalized feedback I'd be happy to look at your resume and cover letter. Just memail me.
posted by Alison at 12:46 PM on July 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
I would just update my LinkedIn page to highlight your recent data analysis and apply as you are. I work at a Fortune 500 and most companies are under pressure to add data analysts to several sectors, even in areas that are traditionally averse to this. Just google People Analytics or HR Analytics is you want to see how much this field has changed. Many companies are actively training their staff or supporting them getting online training in the field to add to their skill sets. Knowing a certain software package can also help get a foot in the door (Tableau, Microsoft's Power BI, etc) especially since you seem to like data visualization. You can also (possibly) use your creative writing skills. "Telling a story with data" seems to be a mantra at many business data analysis conferences these days. The idea is that even more than visualizations will be required to help non-data analysts types absorb the lessons imparted by numbers and analysts.
posted by caveatz at 1:25 PM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by caveatz at 1:25 PM on July 25, 2019 [3 favorites]
SQL, some form of data visualization software (Tableau, PowerBI, etc), knowledge of statistical analyses and how to visualize your results, hell, sometimes advanced Excel (I consult with a few companies and the clients mostly just want a spreadsheet that can do the thing). Maybe a programming language like R and Python depending on the role.
posted by Young Kullervo at 1:32 PM on July 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Young Kullervo at 1:32 PM on July 25, 2019 [2 favorites]
I can only recommend what I know, but higher education hires data analysts, and data visualizations are becoming more and more the done thing (for example, they may share enrollment by gender/race/income, etc. on public dashboards).
Look for postings related to assessment and institutional research, or sometimes this is called planning. As far as credentials, you might be at a slight disadvantage, but I think having a college degree would be sufficient as a starting place, especially if you have a portfolio &/or can communicate using the vocabulary of an analyst in your resume and cover letter/interview (i.e., mention the software you know like Tableau, Excel, R/stata/spss, phrases like "I've created visualizations that blah blah" etc.).
Not sure if you need to hear this, but it's ok to apply for jobs where you don't meet all the qualifications.
posted by kochenta at 2:21 PM on July 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
Look for postings related to assessment and institutional research, or sometimes this is called planning. As far as credentials, you might be at a slight disadvantage, but I think having a college degree would be sufficient as a starting place, especially if you have a portfolio &/or can communicate using the vocabulary of an analyst in your resume and cover letter/interview (i.e., mention the software you know like Tableau, Excel, R/stata/spss, phrases like "I've created visualizations that blah blah" etc.).
Not sure if you need to hear this, but it's ok to apply for jobs where you don't meet all the qualifications.
posted by kochenta at 2:21 PM on July 25, 2019 [5 favorites]
Not sure if you need to hear this, but it's ok to apply for jobs where you don't meet all the qualifications.
I just wanted to emphasize this! I was hilariously underqualified for my role when I was hired, but I've grown with the company. Honestly, I learned so much more by doing than I ever could studying. (I was hired into a small start-up which is not a thing I ever want to do again, but I love being able to accelerate my skills this hard and fast.)
posted by kalimac at 4:04 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
I just wanted to emphasize this! I was hilariously underqualified for my role when I was hired, but I've grown with the company. Honestly, I learned so much more by doing than I ever could studying. (I was hired into a small start-up which is not a thing I ever want to do again, but I love being able to accelerate my skills this hard and fast.)
posted by kalimac at 4:04 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Institutional Research roles are demanding MS degrees in CS or Data Science more and more. Or at least a BA/BS in a "quantitative field." That was actually my main goal for a while but now that I have the credentials these universities often don't pay as much as I am worth. Go figure.
posted by Young Kullervo at 4:06 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Young Kullervo at 4:06 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I don't know whether this is helpful or worth doing, but the University of Iowa offers its Business Analytics certificate in Des Moines.
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:56 AM on July 26, 2019
posted by ArbitraryAndCapricious at 5:56 AM on July 26, 2019
Could you do some speculative data analysis projects and put them up on shinyapps.io (or similar) and point to them in your CV?
If it's data analysis work with a goal to explain and visualise then having a portfolio would probably be helpful.
There are also some coursera courses which come with certification that I've heard good things about.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 8:55 AM on July 26, 2019
If it's data analysis work with a goal to explain and visualise then having a portfolio would probably be helpful.
There are also some coursera courses which come with certification that I've heard good things about.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 8:55 AM on July 26, 2019
Best answer: In addition to the ISU data science certificate you linked to and the U of I business analytics certificate ArbitraryAndCapricious mentioned, ISU also offers a 1.5ish-year master of business analytics program targeted at working professionals. My brother started that degree this summer while still working a 9-5. (I think the cohorts only start each summer, so you'd have to wait until next year to enroll.)
posted by bassooner at 9:57 AM on July 26, 2019
posted by bassooner at 9:57 AM on July 26, 2019
Response by poster: Thank you, everyone! I am really digging into some of these suggestions.
I had no idea University of Iowa had a Business Analytics certificate, ArbitraryAndCapricious, thank you! I'd been searching for data science and somehow missed this. I'm an alumni so maybe! And Alison thank you for the offer, I may take you up on it. I feel like my resume is well crafted but light on the data stuff since I only did it for a few months here. Perhaps projects of my own would be a good substitute.
The other question I had is I guess which of these could be a priority? Coursera/Udacity MOOCs seem like a good starting place for me. I guess my options are MOOC, a certificate from Iowa or Iowa State, an actual masters degree from somewhere - each in order of complexity/time from least to most.
Sounds like I will start with a MOOC (Udacity probably) and send out my feelers about the certificates. I am very excited to get into this field, but I need to just start and keep applying, I suppose. All of your suggestions were so wonderful, and I am so grateful.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 1:58 PM on July 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
I had no idea University of Iowa had a Business Analytics certificate, ArbitraryAndCapricious, thank you! I'd been searching for data science and somehow missed this. I'm an alumni so maybe! And Alison thank you for the offer, I may take you up on it. I feel like my resume is well crafted but light on the data stuff since I only did it for a few months here. Perhaps projects of my own would be a good substitute.
The other question I had is I guess which of these could be a priority? Coursera/Udacity MOOCs seem like a good starting place for me. I guess my options are MOOC, a certificate from Iowa or Iowa State, an actual masters degree from somewhere - each in order of complexity/time from least to most.
Sounds like I will start with a MOOC (Udacity probably) and send out my feelers about the certificates. I am very excited to get into this field, but I need to just start and keep applying, I suppose. All of your suggestions were so wonderful, and I am so grateful.
posted by OnTheLastCastle at 1:58 PM on July 29, 2019 [1 favorite]
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posted by St. Peepsburg at 12:08 PM on July 25, 2019 [1 favorite]