r/dataanalysiscareers Jun 11 '24

Foundation and Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst

119 Upvotes

Want to Become an Analyst? Start Here -> Original Post With More Information Here

Starting a career in data analytics can open up many exciting opportunities in a variety of industries. With the increasing demand for data-driven decision-making, there is a growing need for professionals who can collect, analyze, and interpret large sets of data. In this post, I will discuss the skills and experience you'll need to start a career in data analytics, as well as tips on learning, certifications, and how to stand out to potential employers. Starting out, if you have questions beyond what you see in this post, I suggest doing a search in this sub. Questions on how to break into the industry get asked multiple times every day, and chances are the answer you seek will have already come up. Part of being an analyst is searching out the answers you or someone else is seeking. I will update this post as time goes by and I think of more things to add, or feedback is provided to me.

Originally Posted 1/29/2023 Last Updated 2/25/2023 Roadmap to break in to analytics:

  • Build a Strong Foundation in Data Analysis and Visualization: The first step in starting a career in data analytics is to familiarize yourself with the basics of data analysis and visualization. This includes learning SQL for data manipulation and retrieval, Excel for data analysis and visualization, and data visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau. There are many online resources, tutorials, and courses that can help you to learn these skills. Look at Udemy, YouTube, DataCamp to start out with.

  • Get Hands-on Experience: The best way to gain experience in data analytics is to work on data analysis projects. You can do this through internships, volunteer work, or personal projects. This will help you to build a portfolio of work that you can showcase to potential employers. If you can find out how to become more involved with this type of work in your current career, do it.

  • Network with people in the field: Attend data analytics meetups, conferences, and other events to meet people in the field and learn about the latest trends and technologies. LinkedIn and Meetup are excellent places to start. Have a strong LinkedIn page, and build a network of people.

  • Education: Consider pursuing a degree or certification in data analytics or a related field, such as statistics or computer science. This can help to give you a deeper understanding of the field and make you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. There is a debate on whether certifications make any difference. The thing to remember is that they wont negatively impact a resume by putting them on.

  • Learn Machine Learning: Machine learning is becoming an essential skill for data analysts, it helps to extract insights and make predictions from complex data sets, so consider learning the basics of machine learning. Expect to see this become a larger part of the industry over the next few years.

  • Build a Portfolio: Creating a portfolio of your work is a great way to showcase your skills and experience to potential employers. Your portfolio should include examples of data analysis projects you've worked on, as well as any relevant certifications or awards you've earned. Include projects working with SQL, Excel, Python, and a visualization tool such as Power BI or Tableau. There are many YouTube videos out there to help get you started. Hot tip – Once you have created the same projects every other aspiring DA has done, search for new data sets, create new portfolio projects, and get rid of the same COVID, AdventureWorks projects for your own.

  • Create a Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight your skills and experience that are relevant to a data analytics role. Be sure to use numbers to quantify your accomplishments, such as how much time or cost was saved or what percentage of errors were identified and corrected. Emphasize your transferable skills such as problem solving, attention to detail, and communication skills in your resume and cover letter, along with your experience with data analysis and visualization tools. If you struggle at this, hire someone to do it for you. You can find may resume writers on Upwork.

  • Practice: The more you practice, the better you will become. Try to practice as much as possible, and don't be afraid to experiment with different tools and techniques. Practice every day. Don’t forget the skills that you learn.

  • Have the right attitude: Self-doubt, questioning if you are doing the right thing, being unsure, and thinking about staying where you are at will not get you to the goal. Having a positive attitude that you WILL do this is the only way to get there.

  • Applying: LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. Indeed, Monster, and Dice are also good websites to try. Be prepared to not hear back from the majority of companies you apply at. Don’t search for “Data Analyst”. You will limit your results too much. Search for the skills that you have, “SQL Power BI” will return many more results. It just depends on what the company calls the position. Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Data Visualization Specialist, Business Intelligence Manager could all be the same thing. How you sell yourself is going to make all of the difference in the world here.

  • Patience: This is not an overnight change. Its going to take weeks or months at a minimum to get into DA. Be prepared for an application process like this

    100 – Jobs applied to

    65 – Ghosted

    25 – Rejected

    10 – Initial contact with after rejects & ghosting

    6 – Ghosted after initial contact

    3 – 2nd interview or technical quiz

    3 – Low ball offer

    1 – Maybe you found something decent after all of that

Posted by u/milwted


r/dataanalysiscareers Jun 23 '25

Certifications Certificates mean nothing in this job market. Do not pay anything significant to learn data analysis skills from Google, IBM, or other vendors.

94 Upvotes

It's a harsh reality, but after reading so many horror stories about people being scammed I felt the need to broadcast this as much as I can. Certificates will not get you a job. They can be an interesting peek into this career but that's about it.

I'm sure there are people that exist that have managed to get hired with only a certificate, but that number is tiny compared to people that have college degrees or significant industry knowledge. This isn't an entry level job.

Don't believe the marketing from bootcamps and courses that it's easy to get hired as a data analyst if you have their training. They're lying. They're scamming people and preying on them. There's no magical formula for getting hired, it's luck, connections, and skills in that order.

Good luck out there.


r/dataanalysiscareers 14h ago

Learning / Training Made a SQL interview cheat sheet for data analyst interviews. What would you add?

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111 Upvotes

Put together this one-page SQL revision sheet for analyst interviews.

I tried to cover the things that tend to matter beyond just remembering syntax: joins, aggregation grain, NULL handling, CTEs, window functions, common interview patterns, and mistakes that can quietly give you the wrong result.

For people who've actually done data analyst interviews, what SQL topic or question pattern would you add?


r/dataanalysiscareers 10h ago

Title: No math/CS background — am I wasting my time pursuing Data Analytics?

10 Upvotes

I’m currently trying to pursue a career in Data Analytics, but I’m feeling pretty demotivated after a conversation I had recently.

Someone I know already works in this field, and when I told her that I’m learning Data Analytics, she pointed out that I don’t have a relevant IT/CS degree and I don’t come from a strong mathematics background.

She told me that getting a job would be difficult for me and that I shouldn’t waste too much time on this, especially because spending years learning this without a relevant degree could create a gap in my education/career.

Now I’m genuinely confused.

I’ve already started learning SQL and I’m planning to learn Python, Pandas, statistics, data visualization, and eventually work on real-world projects and build a portfolio.

I’m not expecting to become a Data Scientist immediately. My initial goal is to become employable as a Data Analyst and then grow from there.

For people who actually work in Data Analytics:

  • How important is having a CS/IT/Statistics/Math degree for getting your first Data Analyst job?
  • Can someone from a non-math/non-CS background realistically break into the field?
  • How much math do you actually use in your day-to-day work?
  • Can strong SQL, Python, statistics, projects and a good portfolio compensate for not having the “right” degree?
  • Is this realistically worth pursuing, or am I setting myself up for a difficult job search?

I’d really appreciate honest answers, even if the answer is not what I want to hear. I’m trying to make a realistic decision about where to invest the next few years of my life.


r/dataanalysiscareers 3h ago

Getting Started De l'audit financier à analyste de données financières - Changement de carrière

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2 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 2h ago

Transitioning Roast my resume!

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1 Upvotes

How screwed am I in this market? I’m trying to transition into analytics; I have some prior tech experience—though I currently work in Ops—and I’m also pursuing a master’s degree at a good university. I’ve been trying to apply for internships, but given the current state of things, the very act of applying feels like a waste of time. What are the prospects for someone with my profile?


r/dataanalysiscareers 4h ago

Job Search Process Need a Job as data analyst

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 8h ago

Resume Feedback Resume last 40 days received only 1 call plz roast this resume brutally

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2 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 5h ago

Looking for Work from home Job

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 5h ago

Course Advice I need help, urgently. Please read this any help works

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 7h ago

Getting Started Possible to get role as a new grad with only experience in software dev?

1 Upvotes

For context, I am just entering the final year of my undergraduate degree in statistics and data science at a T30 university in the U.S.. Unfortunately, I did not get an internship in analytics, but I did have 2 software developer internships at a small company (same place both times) that I got via family connections.

I initially thought this experience would prove beneficial in my job search, but I am starting to get concerned that I won’t seem very employable for data analyst or similar roles.

Realistically, would I be able to get a data analyst position as a new grad only having internship experience in software development? If not, what other fields/positions would I be able to get hired in as new grad with my degree and experience that would allow me to transition to analytics (preferably something that uses statistics or data)?


r/dataanalysiscareers 12h ago

Need feedback on my two resumes

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2 Upvotes

I’ve created two versions of my resume for Data Analyst roles. Could you please compare them and let me know which one is better and what improvements I should make?

Would really appreciate your honest feedback! 🙌 Even small suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance!


r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

Resume Feedback [0 /YoE, Student, Data Analyst, United States]

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1 Upvotes

Hi fellas!

I'm going into my final year at college and now applying for new grad data analyst roles. Haven't gotten any interviews since July (previous interviews were for intern roles).

I still apply for summer 2027 internships by switching the graduate date to Dec 2027, since I can delay a quarter to graduate. And will continue working remotely (part-time) for the public transit company over school year.

I'm trying to look for roles around Washington / California. Would love to hear any advice that can make my resume more outstanding!

Thanks everyone


r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

Landing data analyst job with 3 years gap

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

Resume..

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1 Upvotes

I know I am cooked 😵 but what can be done to land an entry level daa analytics job or internship?


r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

B.Pharm to Data Analytics — looking for advice from people who made the transition

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

B.Pharm to Data Analytics — looking for advice from people who made the transition

1 Upvotes

I have a B.Pharm background and I'm currently considering a transition into Data Analytics.

I'd especially like to hear from people who also come from a B.Pharm or pharmaceutical background and have successfully moved into Data Analytics, Healthcare Analytics, Pharma Analytics, Clinical Data, Business Analytics, or related fields.

I'd like to know:

How did you transition from B.Pharm into Data Analytics?

Did your pharmaceutical background help you get your first job?

Which skills were actually important for getting hired — SQL, Excel, Power BI, Python, Statistics, etc.?

Did you initially target pharma/healthcare analytics roles, or did you apply for general Data Analyst positions?

How difficult was it to get your first job or internship?

What did you wish you had learned earlier?

Do you think this is a realistic and worthwhile career path in India in 2026?

I'm particularly interested in real experiences rather than generic advice. If you're from a B.Pharm background and made this transition, I'd really appreciate hearing about your journey.

Thanks!


r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

Hi , I’m Pia : urgently looking for a data based role

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 9h ago

Seeking data opportunities

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 13h ago

Resume Feedback [1 YoE, Unemployed, Data Analyst, UAE]

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2 Upvotes

I am currently not working and applying full time, with no luck over a 100+ applications. Would like some advice to know where I am going wrong.

Target roles: Data Analyst, BI Analyst, and reporting or analytics engineering roles where the work is closer to SQL, data quality and the semantic layer than to modelling. I keep a separate Data Science CV for DS roles since I have experience with ML and DL as well. This is the analyst version.

I would like feedback on the experience bullets, the technical skills, and the resume as a whole.

Thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time.


r/dataanalysiscareers 10h ago

What to learn in order to pursue a Data Analyst Career

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 11h ago

How do you identify incomplete or inconsistent data during data cleaning?

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 12h ago

Advice for someone trying to transition from software engineering to data analysis and/or business analysis.

1 Upvotes

Here is my resume: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i-Umef5gEsdrzEvgKsRQr_J4bWLIT2pk/edit

I have a decent-sized career gap where I am only working part-time as a tutor. What can I do to improve my resume? Is it okay as it is now?


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Transitioning I’m trying to leave DA

21 Upvotes

unlike many people here wanting to be Data Analyst, i’m quite the opposite. I’m always stressed and anxious. Most of the time the data is so messy and nowhere to be found while stakeholders are waiting and pushing to have reports ready. I hate talking in front of people, doing presentations in front of 60+ people. Having to always clean up, dealing with business people and explaining simple stuff while they’re already angry. Then having to set KPIs, targets, that takes months.
I’m working as DA for huge corporate. Maybe that doesn’t help.

Anyone who left DA, what made you decide it was a good move? And why you left?

I’m trying to leave, but haven’t had much luck yet getting a new job.


r/dataanalysiscareers 14h ago

SCAM Alert

1 Upvotes

Hi Myself M(26) from Pune, Maharashtra.
I am actively looking for a data analyst job, and for that I'm continuously applying through Naukri, Foundit, Indeed and LinkedIn. Today I got a call in which a woman said she was calling from AAI(AIRPORTS AUTHORITY OF INDIA) and there are several openings for IT and non-IT profiles. As I spoke further, she said they have many openings for Data Analysts throughout India. At first, I thought it was a legit call, but when I asked Where did you get my profile, as I didn't remember applying for AAI, she said through an online portal. As I got a little curious and asked one more time, like, "Can you tell me the exact platform?" she fumbled. At this point, I knew something was fishy. She said we're offering you around 40- 45 K in-hand salary, and for that, you have to give an online interview. The first round will be telephonic, the second online interview and if needed, you have to come for a face-to-face interview. I said yes to that. Then she said that, as your profile is not registered and is non-referral, you have to pay Rs 1200, which is refundable if you fail the interview.
At this point, I was convinced that this is a SCAM. So I said that this seems like a scam and you're looting money from people which is desperately looking for a job. She said, " No, sir, you can check the AAI website and all." As I told her, after checking there so such job openings on the official portal, and I started confronting her. I told her this way is not gonna work; she cut the call.
I want to tell you pls be aware of such fraud calls and fake job offers; there are plenty of them in the market. I already worked with 2 companies in the past, so I know nobody asks for money or fees that are refundable if you didn't get selected for a job when they're calling you from a company. People like me who are desperately looking for a job are their main target, as we don't think that much when we get a call for a job due to excitement.
So be aware.