Today’s world is a digital world, therefore, companies are going through a process of digitalisation. This digitalisation has consequences, and one of them is that everything that is processed digitally, generates data. The analysis of this data, makes it possible to reach important conclusions that are very valuable to companies, and companies have been valuing data analysis more and more throughout the years. In order to benefit from this process, they need data analysts, making this very highly demanded job on today’s market.
First, let’s clarify: what does a Data Analyst do?
As mentioned, nowadays, every business, in every industry, benefits from collecting data. It’s a major component in every field of work, whether you’re talking about banks, retail stores or food companies. The know-how that a data analyst can bring to a company is very valuable and is being more, and more acknowledged by employers.
A Data Analyst’s job is to interpret numbers and understand what they mean, not just literally, but also in terms of what useful information can be extracted from them, by the company. It’s not just about reading the numbers, they have to be able to identify trends and tendencies as well as predict how they will evolve in the future. This knowledge will help companies adapt and perfect their business to different circumstances in addition to improve their decision-making abilities.
If you become a Data Analyst, you can expect to assemble data, organize that same data and decryt what it means for the company you are working for. Furthermore, you will have to report that data to your superior(s) and show them your conclusions - so, count on performing some advising duties too!
What would be my future as a data analyst?
Although, of course, career growth and future perspectives are always dependent on the hierarchy of the company you are working in, a career in data analysis provides promising evolutions.
First of all, you'll start by gaining experience and perfect your skills as a Junior Data Analyst. In the beginning, your opportunities may come in the shape of internships.
With time, and as you become more experienced, you will be able to secure a position as Senior Data Analyst. This is common in many professions, so it should not come as a surprise.
As time goes by, you might specialize in some more particular fields of data analysis. You could focus on areas like sales and become a Business Analyst or you can continue your education and acquire sufficient knowledge to become Data Scientist.
The Data Analyst and Data Scientist jobs are often confused with each other and it’s important to clarify that although they both work with data, they are not the same job. Most Data Scientists have a Master degree or a PhDs, they have advanced coding and mathematical knowledge.
Even though the Data Scientist position requires more qualification, most Data Scientists were once a Data Analysts, it’s only a matter of dedication and hard-work.
What to expect in terms of opportunities and revenue ?
According to a Robert Walters study, a data analyst with few years of experience earns between 30.000 and 45.000€ per year, in Portugal.
If you were to search for “Data Analyst” job openings, in Lisbon now on LinkedIn, you would find around 200 offers by a large, diverse set of Portuguese and international companies, like BNP Paribas, Mastercard, Siemens, Sonae, Teleperformance or Worten!
This is a profession with growing demand, not only in Portugal, but all around Europe and the rest of the world. In case employability in the data field is something that concerns you, you can rest assured that there will be opportunities waiting for you.
What is the right way to start your data analyst career ?
If you want to pursue a career in data analysis, you should search for a beginners training. It's a good way to get to know the fundamentals of this area, while practising and working hard to get used to the processes related to analysing data.
In a training like this, there are some things you should consider.
First of all, you have to look at yourself and get a perception of what your level of knowledge is, so you can choose your training accordingly. You should look for a training that combines theoretical learning with practical activities, in a hybrid approach. This way, you will get the knowledge that lectures provide, with the experience that can only be acquired from performing tasks. Also, consider a professionalising training, so when it finishes, you can be more prepared for the job market and the work environment.
This last point is a very important one, as the supporting staff of your training can be essential in helping you establish a network of contacts, contributing to your chances of landing an internship or a job and giving you some advice on how to perform in job interviews and adjust your CV and LinkedIn page so it looks more professional.
At Wild Code School, we have a blended technical approach, which is based on finishing the projects while working with our original online platform (Odyssey), providing personalized job coaching and teaching the key skills (soft skills) to make sure our students learn how to learn and, therefore, have more success after they finish our course.
The big differential factor in Wild Code School is that the training is based on the mastery of skills and not on the amount of time spent on each concept.
Test your skills here by going through our application exercice. One of our trainer will evaluate your level, you'll get a close look at data analyst thinking and you'll know whether you would like to become one ;)
