How To Get A Job In Data Analytics

So you lot desire to go a information annotator, but there'southward one thing bothering yous. You don't accept any industry experience, and you've been working (or studying) in a completely unrelated field.

At present, as yous consider a large career modify, you're wondering: Is it really possible to make the switch? And what are your chances of getting hired?

The curt answer is yes, it'due south entirely possible—and aye, employers will be open to hiring y'all (even without any prior experience). In this post, we'll explicate exactly why and how.

Nosotros'll answer the post-obit questions:

Is it possible to become a data analyst with no previous feel?
What steps do you lot need to take to become a data analyst?
How tin you increase your chances of getting hired?
What kinds of companies (and salary) can y'all await to work for?
What adjacent?

Ready? Let's go.

1. Is it possible to become a data annotator with no previous experience?

We'll cut to the chase: It is absolutely possible to become a data analyst, even if you're starting from scratch and don't have any manufacture experience.

How tin can nosotros be and so certain?

There are several factors that make the data job market relatively accessible for newcomers:

The meaning and rapid growth of the data market
The data skills gap
The value of transferable skills inside the data analytics field

Let's accept a wait at these in more detail.

The information industry is booming

In 2019, the global information analytics market place was valued at $49 billion USD. That'south more than double what it was worth in 2015. And, from 2020 to 2023, the market is projected to grow at a rate of 30% each year.

This rapid industry growth is reflected directly in the data analytics chore market place. In their Jobs of Tomorrow Study (2020), the World Economical Forum highlights seven high-growth emerging professions, with information and artificial intelligence (AI) showing the highest growth rate at 41% per year.

Ultimately, a burgeoning data market means a wealth of job opportunities for data professionals—and, at present, the demand far outweighs the supply.

The data talent shortage

The data market is growing at a rapid pace, and businesses are desperately trying to keep up. Data-driven organizations consistently outperform their competitors, so information technology makes sense that hiring information experts will be an increasing priority across all industries. At the moment, though, we're seeing something of a information skills gap. In a study conducted by NTUC LearningHub, 93% of working professionals said that their workforce is not achieving optimal productivity due to a lack of information skills.

This handy infographic put together by QuantHub captures the difficulties companies are facing when it comes to hiring skilled data professionals. The post-obit stats are especially interesting:

More than companies are investing in big data projects (83%)
By 2030, information technology's predicted that there will be a global shortage of effectually 85 million skilled professionals across the tech industry
Information science and analytics was identified as the second nigh difficult surface area in which to find skilled professionals (second to cybersecurity)

In short: Data analysts are in high demand, putting newcomers in a great position. The jobs are there; as long as you've mastered (and tin can demonstrate) the right skills, there's nothing to end you getting a human foot in the door.

Information analysts rely on a vast array of transferable skills

Bated from the fact that information analysts are in high demand, the role itself requires a vast array of skills—many of which you'll bring with you lot from other work and life experiences.

Some fundamental transferable skills that will gear up you in good stead include:

Curiosity and an inquisitive nature
A penchant for problem solving
Excellent communication skills (due east.g. existence good at explaining things)
The ability to carry out research
Attention to detail
Collaboration and teamwork

Yous've no doubtfulness picked upwardly at to the lowest degree some of these skills already—be it at school, at work, or simply past interacting with different people. In the absence of data-specific experience, these transferable skills tin can help you lot demonstrate your suitability for data analytics jobs. And, with employers placing increasing importance on soft skills, it's certainly worth highlighting these in your applications. Nosotros'll show yous how to practice this in the next department.

ii. How to become a information analyst from scratch (actionable steps)

We now know it'southward possible to get hired equally a information annotator, fifty-fifty without any previous experience on your resumé. Commencement, though, you need to learn the necessary skills and start to market yourself as a data annotator. Hither are some practical steps you can follow to get your career change underway:

1. Complete a data analytics certification

Y'all don't demand a full-blown degree to become a data annotator, but you lot practise demand a structured and formal approach to learning the necessary skills. The best (and about flexible) way to do and then is through a project-based grade. Some cardinal things to wait for when choosing a course are:

A hands-on curriculum that contributes to your portfolio
Some form of mentorship
A certificate of completion
A focus on job preparation and career advice
A task guarantee

For assistance finding the right class, take a look at this comparison of the best information analytics certification programs.

2. Polish up your data analytics portfolio

Data analytics is a hands-on field, and employers want to see proof that y'all can apply what you know to real projects. If you don't have any existent-world feel, you lot might be wondering what y'all could perhaps include in your data portfolio. Here are some ideas:

Take a course that includes projects in the curriculum
Work on passion projects. We've put together some fun data project ideas here
Volunteer your data skills

You tin learn more than about how to build a professional data analytics portfolio in this guide.

iii. Identify (and emphasize) your transferable skills

As you immerse yourself in learning new skills, it's easy to forget that you've already got a pretty solid skillset nether your chugalug—and that it will add to the value you bring every bit a data analyst. If you're make new to the field of data, it's peculiarly important to describe parallels between your previous feel and your new career. Spend some time identifying your core hard and soft skills, and recollect virtually how they might be transferred to data analytics.

Perchance you've got a marketing background and are already familiar with some basic analytics tools. Maybe you're a teacher, which makes you cracking at explaining things—an fantabulous skill when information technology comes to presenting your data insights and explaining what they mean to non-technical stakeholders. Tin you see how seemingly unrelated experience will actually ready y'all apart equally an excellent information annotator? The trick is to recognize your value and convey it to employers through your portfolio, your resumé, and how y'all talk almost yourself in interviews.

3. How to increase your chances of getting hired

You're learning the necessary skills and edifice your portfolio. What else can you lot do to increase your chances of getting hired?

In the absenteeism of manufacture feel, the best thing you tin do to sharpen your competitive edge is to recognize the unique value you bring every bit a newcomer to the field. This advice comes from Mike McCulloch, Caput of Career Services at CareerFoundry, who specializes in coaching graduates through their career change.

Mike points out that, rather than existence a setback, having no prior experience in the industry is actually seen equally a major asset. As Mike explains: "Newcomers don't come with any of the preconceptions that mid-level professionals do. They run across the business and its challenges through fresh eyes, and are therefore able to approach it from completely new angles. They don't yet know what's possible, and then they inquire dissimilar and unexpected questions. Not just does this keep seniors on their toes; it besides helps the business organization to find new solutions to onetime problems."

There are other advantages to hiring complete beginners. For one, information technology gives senior squad members the opportunity to mentor someone. Some other benefit that many companies volition appreciate is the chance to train someone from scratch and nurture them for hereafter career growth. Good hiring managers know that employees are an investment, and the best companies will see your newcomer status as an opportunity rather than a setback.

Many industry experts have written about why companies should hire entry-level professionals and the benefits they tin await if they do. Bear this in heed both in your chore search and when speaking with hiring managers; if you lot're well-versed in the value you bring, it'll exist easier for you to talk most it and get information technology across to others.

Ultimately, it'south all about how you lot market place yourself. In addition to mastering the necessary skills, you need to reframe how you think about your lack of experience. Perhaps information technology's non a deficit after all, and will actually help yous stand out from the oversupply!

Data analyst working remotely

4. What kinds of companies can you lot expect to work for?

Data analysts are amongst the most in-demand professionals, and you lot'll find that, once yous've mastered the core skills, y'all tin work in almost whatever industry. When you lot're just starting out, y'all can look to land the job championship of "data analyst" or "junior information analyst." More than specialized roles, such as healthcare data analyst, volition require some industry experience.

As a newly qualified analyst, you're likely to find job opportunities in the post-obit sectors:

Media and entertainment
Finance
Retail
Marketing
Wellness and fitness
Education
Transport and logistics

…to proper noun just a few! For a more specific idea of the opportunities available to you equally a newly qualified data analyst, information technology'due south worth searching for "data analyst" or "junior analyst" positions in your local surface area. Browse sites like LinkedIn, indeed, and glassdoor for a well-rounded view of the electric current job market.

How much practise entry-level data analysts earn?

How much you tin can expect to earn in your first data analyst chore depends on where you (or the task) are based, and the sector you're going into. According to data from indeed, the average base bacon for a inferior data analyst in the United States is $56,956 USD. That'due south college than the national average income of $49,764, so it'southward not a bad starting bespeak!

You lot can learn more nigh entry-level information analyst salaries in this commodity.

5. Key takeaways and next steps

The data market place is growing exponentially, and the need for skilled data analysts is growing with it. As a newcomer to the industry, y'all have enough of value to offer—and not just despiteyour lack of experience, simply in many ways, because of it. Gear up to become the brawl rolling? Here'south a free introductory data analytics short course to ease you in. And, if y'all'd like to larn more than about forging a career in data, check out the post-obit: