Data analytics is a booming field, with countless companies in every industry looking to bring on talented individuals to help make sense of the massive amounts of data that is being generated. But what is it? And if everyone is doing it, how do you know if you should be doing it too?
Data analytics is a component of business intelligence that involves using skills in statistics, computer science, and programming to analyze large amounts of data. The main goal of data analytics is to use the insights gained from analyzing this data to increase revenue or reduce costs for a company.
There are so many career options available in data analytics. It can be used for competitive analysis, customer profiling, market segmentation, product positioning, sales analysis, and more. Data analytics can also be used to gain an edge on your customers’ preferences and needs by mining customer data from social media posts and online shopping histories.
If you’re considering a career in data analytics, or if you’re already in one and want to gauge whether you are making the right career move, here are five traits that you should possess.
These are by no means the only traits you need to get ahead in data analytics, but they will certainly put you in good stead.
1. Naturally inquisitive
One of the ways you can know if you are a good fit for data analytics is if you are naturally inquisitive. This is because most data analysts dig deep into data and try to find trends and patterns. Data analytics is not just about dealing with numbers; a good data analyst tries to look for vital information behind the data. If you are not curious enough, you may not play the role of a data analyst well.
2.Analytical mindset and a logical approach to work
Most professional data analysts have an analytical mindset and a logical approach to work. If you want to know if you are a good fit for data analytics, you should check if you are analytical and you think logically. How do you know you are an analytical thinker? If you draw your conclusions about stuff based on data and facts instead of intuition or gut feeling. Also, if you carefully analyze the evidence you have before making a move, you are analytical. Logical thinkers question things instead of making assumptions and they are eager to get information when solving a problem. If you have an analytical mindset and have a logical approach to work, you are a great asset for a data analyst!
3. Problem-solver
One of the major things you will be doing as a data analyst is solving complex problems so if you don’t enjoy proffering solutions to challenges, you might not do well in the data analytics field. A major aspect of a data analytics role is knowing what data is needed for a particular problem and finding the most suitable method of analysis. If you lack the vital data to hand, you will need to find a way of getting it–this is a problem-solving exercise in itself. Do you love solving problems? If you do, you will be a great data analyst.
4. Interested in business strategy
As a data analyst, you will be adding value to companies by showing them how they can use data to optimize processes and make informed decisions. If you want to do well in the data analytics role, you must know how to interpret numbers and the real-world implications of these numbers for a business. If you are very keen on the operation of businesses and you love working with stakeholders, you will be a good fit for the data analytics role.
5. Love numbers and statistics
If you naturally love numbers and statistics, you will make a great data analyst. You don’t have to be an excellent mathematician before you can become a data analyst because you can learn all the techniques you need from scratch. But it is still relevant that you like working with numbers. If you don’t have any passion for statistics or numbers, a career in data analytics might not be a great option for you.
6. Comfortable about presenting and collaborating
Your work will not just be about numbers, you will also need to be skilled at interpreting or presenting these numbers to the people you work for. If you don’t know how to simplify complex data in a way that others can understand it, you might not excel in the data analytics industry. If you are a bold presenter and an excellent collaborator or if you are very good at explaining complicated terms clearly and concisely, you will have a great career in data analytics.
Conclusion
If you have most of the traits or qualities that were highlighted in this article, it means you could be a good fit for a career as a data analyst. At this point, you should start making a move to acquire the right skills that will make you stand out amongst others.
