What does a Data Analyst do?
The job responsibilities of a Data Analyst are computer-based, and this work can be done remotely or in-person at the office. There can be meetings throughout the day, such as a quick meeting in the morning to discuss the current projects. It can be helpful to provide consistent updates and to get feedback. The role of a Data Analyst is typically a full-time commitment with responsibilities in the morning and the afternoon.
The actual tasks of a Data Analyst involve the analysis of data as well as communication with others to make sure the analysis is done correctly. The customer may have specific requirements in mind, such as visuals that would be helpful to see. This process is called requirements gathering. Once the instructions are clear, the Data Analyst can query data from a database using a language such as SQL, which stands for Structured Query Language. Another important step is data validation, to make sure that the data itself is accurate and not misleading.
How can Python help a Data Analyst?
Python is a user-friendly programming language in comparison to other languages such as C++ and Fortran. Python can help with the process of creating visuals for customers, team members, and other companies. Creating plots and diagrams to illustrate patterns in data is called Data Visualization.
But Python can do more than helping you visualize data. With just a few lines of code, you can import data from a file. Once the data is imported, it is possible to process the data with functions, which may involve mathematics. Finally, it is possible to plot the data so that you and others can understand any useful trends. These tasks are summarized by three steps: collect, analyze, and share.
What is Data Analytics?
Data Analytics is a multidisciplinary field about discovering useful patterns in data. Data is all around us, and companies have or can store lots of data about their businesses. This raw data is useless unless it is analyzed. The analysis can uncover insights for business applications, such as making informed decisions and solving problems. Data Analytics involves identifying patterns and trends in data. These trends can be shared with others, to improve how a business operates.
How can Data Analytics help a business?
Data Analytics can help businesses reach financial objectives. For example, suppose that a team of Data Analysts identifies a time period in which the demand for a certain product is likely to be high, with an expected 20% increase in demand. This insight is then communicated to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). In response, the CEO decides to substantially increase the supply of that product, in order to increase sales during the anticipated period of high demand. This decision could increase profits, due to the insight from the Data Analysts.
There are endless possibilities for how data can be used for a business. For example, one can look at how customers or even employees have engaged with a software tool in the past, to determine whether that tool is useful or not. Data Analytics can also involve the analysis of industry trends, to see what may or may not be profitable. In general, techniques from the field of Data Analytics can be applied to reduce operating costs and predict profits.
Job outlook for Data Analytics
The job outlook involving Data Analytics is expected to increase from 2021 to 2031. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment increase in Operations Research Analysts is 23%, which is much faster than average, and a total of 24,200 jobs are expected to emerge within this 10-year timeframe. A similar job title is Market Research Analyst, which has a projected employment change of 150,300 jobs from 2021 to 2031, which corresponds to a growth of 19%. The number of Management Analysts is expected to grow by 108,400 jobs from 2021-2031, which corresponds to an 11% increase. The position of Data Scientist, which involves data analytics, is gaining momentum with an expected employment change of 40,500 jobs from 2021 to 2031, or an employment increase of 36%.
How to find a job in Data Analytics
If you are interested in the field of Data Analytics, your career will likely involve an online search for the job title of Data Analyst. Additional, related job titles include Business Analyst, Junior Data Analyst, Data Engineer, Data Scientist, and Business Intelligence Analyst. These job titles can be typed into search engines for job postings such as Indeed, SimplyHired, and ZipRecruiter. Don’t forget that Google can be used to find jobs too. If you know of a company that you may want to work for, it is helpful to type the job title as well as the company into the search engine that you are using.
Building a Career with Data Analysis
Knowing how to analyze data with software such as Python is imperative for a career in Data Analytics. With data analysis, people and entire organizations can discover useful insights that are otherwise hiding in a computer’s memory. Data analysis is a process, in contrast to Data Analytics, which is a field. Data analysis involves collecting, cleaning, and visualizing data.
References
[1] Data Analyst – Python (Citibank). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=5acdafc1c8a97bc6&utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic&from=iaBackPress
[2] Data analytics. Corporate Finance Institute. (2022, December 23). https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/data-science/data-analytics/
[3] Wikimedia Foundation. (2023, May 4). Analytics. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytics
[4] A Day in the life of a Data Analyst in Chicago. YouTube. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gamjNp2CToQ.
[5] How I use Python as a Data Analyst. YouTube. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNEwkaYmPqY.
[6] What Is Data Analytics? – An Introduction (Full Guide). YouTube. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZvFH7B6gKI&feature=share.
[7] What is Data Analytics? Told by a data analyst. YouTube. Retrieved June 3, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiqPpl-9Kgw.
[8] What is data analytics?. CORP-MIDS1 (MDS). (2023, January 20). https://www.mastersindatascience.org/learning/what-is-data-analytics/#:~:text=There%20are%20four%20primary%20types,data%20analytics%20applications%20in%20business.
[9] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov
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