Coaching for Data Analysts

This post answers a question about the educational training requirements for a Data Analyst Career.

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Here is the Question:

I have a degree in Statistics and I am finding it hard to get a data analyst job even though people from other backgrounds are able to get data analyst jobs.

If you have not studied statistics or you do not have a mathematical background, how could you analyze data accurately?

I know that there is a difference between presenting data in charts and graphs interpreting data

I have seen that firms employ data analysts who do not have statistical or data mining training … so how can they make the critical decisions needed?

In college I learnt how people without statistical training make errors when they attempt data analysis. However, in the “real world” I see database developers making those same mistakes!

Do I have to become a database developer to become a data analyst?

Here is my Answer to the Career Question:

Yes, your observation is right. There is a difference between learning statistical data analysis in college and becoming a data analyst!

To understand why a gap exists, you need to look at the data analyst hiring process from the IT Managers view point and not from the “Statistician Looking For Work” view point!

From the IT Manager’s view point, your statistical skills may not adequate for the work at hand because the data you will be analyzing lives in database software systems.

You have to be comfortable with accessing and manipulating data stored in databases … which you can’t presently do without employing additional database or sql developers!

The Gap Between Data Analyst College Education and Data Analyst Careers:

There is usually a gap between the statistical courses taught in colleges and the real-world data analysis job descriptions posted by hiring managers.

In college, data analysts are often trained to rely on tools like SAS, Excel and Statistical Data Analysis skills only.

In the real world, employers are looking for a combination of data collection skills, relational database design and development skills, data quality skills, data standardization skills, sql data manipulation skills and sql data definition skills and data analysis skills.

The statistical data analysis part is needed along with strong database software system skills

The Gap Between College Education And Real-World IT Careers

There are usually gaps or differences between college taught courses and real-world IT Career Job Postings. For example there is a gap between:

1. Getting an MBA and Becoming a Business Analyst

2. Getting a Computer Science Degree and Becoming a Computer Programmer

3. Getting a Statistics Degree and Becoming a Data Analyst

Getting a Statistics Degree in college does not necessarily give you an advantage over someone who directly transitions into the data analysis career by first getting the database development skills or hands-on sql programming experience required for careers in data analysis!

So, even with your background in statistics, you still need to get the additional database skills, sql skills skills and hands-on data analysis experience required by hiring managers for data analyst careers.

The Direct Path to Becoming a Data Analyst

The direct path to becoming a data analyst includes getting a combination of statistical skills, data analysis skills and database skills. So, the requirements for a data analyst career include:

1. Database Development Skills

2. SQL Programming Skills

3. Statistical Skills

4. Data Analysis Skills

If you only have statistical skills and you don’t have the other skills listed, then you won’t be able to get a data analyst job

So, my recommendation is that you need to get strong database development skills and strong SQL skills because these are usually required in data analyst job postings along with Statistics Data Analysis skills

NOTE:

The of hiring Data Analysts is usually done by IT Manager and IT Managers are more familiar with the value of database development skills or SQL programming skills than they are with Statistical tools.

So, if you really want to get hired as a data analyst, I suggest that you get as comfortable with databases and SQL as you are with Statistics!

References

I suggest that you read these articles to get additional background information:

1. How to Become a Data Analyst

2. How to Become a Data Analyst or a Report Writer or a Database Developer

3. The Data Analyst Job Role

This post answers the question “Are Statistics Or SQL Skills Required In Data Analyst Careers?”.

If you have a Question about your career, Post IT as a comment on this page and I will be sure to answer it for you!

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