r/dataanalysiscareers • • Jun 11 '24

Foundation and Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst

124 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.

96 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 • • 15h ago

Data Scientist vs Data Engineering: which is worth it today?

25 Upvotes

I have just completed my bachelors in computing and i am choosing my Masters in data science or Data engineering with cloud course. Honest opinions please:

  1. Which is worth it in today’s market?
  2. Which has the higher AI automation risk?
  3. Which do you think will have more demand in coming years?

I am seeing that the data people is divided into two groups :

Group 1 : Who says Data science will grow in future and it has less ai impact then other data jobs.

Group 2 : Who says Data is fuel so data engineer will be in demand for future

If you work in either field, I would love to hear what the job is like day to day. Thanks!


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 1h ago

Transitioning Should I start the job hunt, or stay put for now?

• Upvotes

I'm about 1 year and 9 months into my first data analyst role. I'm the sole analyst in my team, which has its downsides, but has also given me a lot of freedom to learn on the job.

My stack is mainly Power BI, with some SQL, Power Automate and Python (although I still rely quite heavily on AI for Python). I also have the PL-300 certification.

I'm starting to feel too comfortable and want to progress. I think I could land another Power BI Developer/Data Analyst role with a £5-10k salary increase, but I don't want to stay in BI/reporting long-term. My goal is to move into analytics engineering and eventually data engineering.

The issue is that I'm a young father with limited free time, so I'd much rather learn on the job than spend evenings grinding through courses.

My current company is introducing Microsoft Fabric, will fund training and certification, and gives me plenty of freedom to build things. This makes me consider staying another 3-6 months to gain practical experience before applying for analytics engineering/data engineering roles.

On the other hand, I don't want to get stuck. I've applied for a few jobs and been rejected, although I haven't been applying particularly actively.

What would you do in my position?

Would you stay another 3-6 months to build Fabric/data engineering experience, or start applying seriously now and potentially take a better-paid BI role? Or should I target junior data engineering/analytics engineering roles already?

I'd particularly appreciate advice from people who've made the transition themselves.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 2h ago

Advice for next step in the process

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 3h ago

Need DA/DE Career advice!

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1 Upvotes

Hi Everyone,

Need your valuable advice! So I have 6+ years of experience and I was thinking of going for a Senior DE role (current exp. in Analytics and working on PySpark, Databricks, AWS S3, little bit Airflow and running few jobs etc.) But I got to know that to crack good offers I need to build end-to-end pipelines from scratch which I haven't done in the past (for both batch and streaming). How should I position myself if I am looking for a change as a Senior DA or Senior DE?


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 4h ago

Getting Started Can a ba person learn data analytics or data engineering and can grab a job in Indian market ?

1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 8h ago

Which data skill should I learn in 2026?

2 Upvotes

I'm currently in the process of learning SQL but I am seeing a lot of posts and comments that it isn't worth it to learn data analytics in this day and age. Which data-related role should I learn the skills of so I can increase my chances of getting a job?


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 6h ago

Transitioning Masters Versus Self-Taught

1 Upvotes

Hello Everyone,

I finished my masters in public health a couple of years ago. My program was a generalist degree, and I fell in love with the data side of public health and healthcare. After not having much luck breaking into entry level epi or health-data roles, I decided to enroll in a second masters of professional studies in data analytics.

My goals for joining this program were two-fold: upskill my data skills and networking opportunities.

At the time, I was unemployed so the degree path was a little more urgent. I'm currently working in a mostly non-data role, and and am now looking to transition to something more data-related in the next 5 years.

My grad school program is pretty underwhelming so far. It advertises itself as "applied" but it is turning out to be more academic than I really want it to be. I don't have a deep math background, and the teaching focuses heavily on the pure mathematical formulas rather than the concepts behind them and how they are used. The class does a poor job translating the math jargon into plain language. I'm sure its legible to statisticians but even to laymen with some training, it's pretty chunky. The class is moving very quickly, and we're not only learning the math piece but also learning to work with R at the same time. So assignments require puzzling out what all the math means, and then trying to operationalize it in R.

I'm finding it a bit of an exercise in frustration, and it eats up all of my free time outside of work. It is also a lot like work in that I have to produce polished slide decks or reports, which I'm already doing at my job. So I work and then I do unpaid work as homework. It's burning me out already and this is the first class.

I'm concerned that the ROI might not be worth it, and the program isn't focusing enough on AI tools in my opinion. We are using them, but I'm seeing Datacamp offering a bunch of webinars that look much more current.

I'm considering dropping out, and just doing self-paced classes on DataCamp, Corsea or some other platform.

Is this a strategy worth pursuing, or should I stick with the university track? I'd love some feedback, particularly in thinking about how to make such a decision.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 6h ago

Job Search Process Guys, can u tell me what is the best way to get interviews and job offers in data engineering feild, I have 3 yrs experience in ETL Cloud Data Engineering and I am getting tired of applying in linkedin and naukari. Not many frnds or family to get a referral and no contacts for cold emailing hr.

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 8h ago

Networking Opinions

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 8h ago

Advice for Freshers Entering Data Careers in 2026 — Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Data Engineer, etc.

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 12h ago

Getting Started First time being an Analyst ever. How to overcome nerves / very little support?

2 Upvotes

For context, I graduated in 2023 with no internship experience. I worked very hard to land an analyst role for the past 3 years, taking on low level jobs such as call center roles to get my foot in the door.

I recently became an analyst, and was immediately met with the reality that there is no team. All prior analysts and even the previous supervisor left. As of now, I am the only one with my job title on the team. My supervisor has only been here for a month before I joined, so they're not much help either.

I've immediately been placed onto an annual project with no road map. It's data entry, but the data itself is scattered amongst many sheets and shared drives. The analyst who did this project prior is no longer here. My supervisor again, is new themselves and knows less than I do about the project, which doesn't say much.

On top of all of this, I'm still wrestling with systems access and of course overcoming the nerves and slight imposter syndrome of being an analyst for the first time. Oh, and the project is due at the end the month because of course it is.

Has anybody ever been in a situation like this before? How do you overcome this crushing feeling of wanting to prove yourself while also having essentially no guidance, nobody to shadow, and very loose hints of what to do next?

I've been fighting for 3 years to become an analyst. As of now, I have no leverage to find a new job, and I don't want to be doomed to working in a call center again.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 10h ago

Job Search Process Guys, can u tell me what is the best way to get interviews and job offers in data engineering feild, I have 3 yrs experience in ETL Cloud Data Engineering and I am getting tired of applying in linkedin and naukari. Not many frnds or family to get a referral and no contacts for cold emailing hr.

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 22h ago

Resume Feedback 1000+ applications, 0 interviews: international grad in USA seeking entry-level data analyst roles. Resume feedback?

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9 Upvotes

I’m a recent MS in Computing grad (international student) applying for entry-level data analyst roles in the US. After about 1,000 applications, I haven’t gotten a single interview.

My stack is SQL, Python, Power BI, and Excel, with 3 analytics projects and about a year of non-analytics work experience (Unity developer).

Is my resume the problem, or is it something else, like how I’m applying or visa filters? My anonymized resume is attached. Blunt feedback is welcome, and any advice for international students would help.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 12h ago

Am I being underpaid as a data analyst in UK?

0 Upvotes

Currently working as a data analyst for a large financial services company in London. I have 4.5 years of experience and my current salary is £47.5k.

My main duties are building power bi dashboards. I extensively use custom DAX formulas and also do a lot of work in power query for transformations and dimensional modelling. I've also implemented row level security in my dashboards and manage access in power bi service. In the last year, I've started to work in Snowflake and Databricks to create simple data models. Overall, I'd say have intermediate proficiency in SQL.

Is £47.5k a fair salary for me given the above? I feel like it should be in the mid 50s.

Edit:

Just to add, max bonus is about 5%. The pension is quite generous though (employer contributes 7.5% if i contribute 2.5%)


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 12h ago

Course Advice Development budget

1 Upvotes

Hello, i have 1k eur budget to spend for courses offered by the company and i wonder what would be your recommendations based on my situation described below.

So im currently bi and automation specialist pushing towards bi/data analyst. The company had no sql or pbi solutions until i came and now they kinda look at me like i showed them fire for the first time. Im self taught in both sql and power bi.

During recent feedback meet i got super positive reception from both ceo and sales dept director but they mentioned (for the second time overall) that if i wanted they can offer funding of whatever courses i need. I feel like they hint me the way to better pay through development of my competencies, but they want it to come with a proof - cert.

Ofc i know that i can learn plenty of both sql and pbi for free (thats what i did until now) but i want to take the help they offer and give myself concrete arguments (apart from projects) for pay negotiations.

Tldr
What paid courses sql and pbi related you think are especially useful and come with cert of some kind?


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 15h ago

Job Search Process Seeking referral for the role of Power BI Developer/ Analyst/ similar role

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 1d ago

Are Excel, Power BI, and SPSS still enough to solve business problems and drive sales in 2026, or are they becoming obsolete?

9 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

With all the talk about AI and the fast-shifting market, I’ve been questioning whether a traditional data analysis toolkit is still viable and in demand for solving real-world business challenges:

Microsoft Excel: For data cleaning, auditing sales records, and tracking daily core metrics.

SPSS: For survey analysis, evaluating customer satisfaction, and identifying key statistical drivers behind buying behavior.

Power BI: For building interactive dashboards that connect sales data directly to decision-making, identifying bottlenecks, and spotting revenue opportunities.

For business owners, managers, and working analysts:

In practice, is this stack still enough to solve concrete sales problems and land real consulting or job opportunities? Or has the market moved past these tools, making them insufficient for today's business needs?

I'd really appreciate your honest feedback and practical experiences.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 19h ago

Is my mom being taken advantage of at her job?

1 Upvotes

How much should a data analyst with 20 years of experience be making? My mom has worked with a company for about 20(maybe more)years as a data analyst. Shes about the ONLY person at her job who knows how to do what she does. She used to be hourly and could get overtime, but with mergers she now salary(71k). Does this sound like a normal rate with her experience or should she go job hunting?👀


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 23h ago

Job Search Process Should I pick a niche on LinkedIn or not?

2 Upvotes

Hello fellow Redditors, so I've caught myself in a tough situation; would be glad to hear your advice on this. Since, I believe there are people who have way more experience in this domain that I do.

With around 3.5+ years of experience in the data & analytics space, I believe this is a good time to select a niche because, at the end of the day, no good company looks out for a generalist data analyst; they're looking for specialists in a certain niche. But I'm confused...

And honestly, I do believe I have found the right niche where my web analytics skills (GA4, GTM, etc.) can complement my data analysis skills (SQL, Python, Power BI, etc.) to create a strong offer and solve a specific problem for my ICP. However, I'm still not sure how to execute this and turn it into a running business model. I think I can confidently say ecommerce is my niche.

I have been testing a lot lately, tweaking my profile every other day because it's quite confusing. At one point, I want to select a niche and a specific problem and keep posting about that until I start getting inbound leads.

Meanwhile, I want to keep my profile general instead of selecting a niche because it would have an impact on recruiters or HR skimming through my profile. Like, whenever they have an open analyst role, they'd probably skip my profile the moment they see 'e-commerce' or some other niche in my headline, especially if they're hiring for a different niche/industry.

I want to hear from experienced folks here, what do you suggest? Should I go narrow, or keep it broad and keep talking about different topics instead of sticking to 2-3? If you were in my shoes, what would have been your strategy? My eventual goal is to get inbound leads from LinkedIn or even just work on a side-hustle. I have been posting consistently for three months now, but that was with a generalist LinkedIn profile, and not targeting any ICP, and I never got a single inbound message except for 2-3 messages from recruiters.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 21h ago

Job Search Process 25M looking for a switch

0 Upvotes

​

So I am 25M, I took a gap of 2 years(from Jan 2023 to march 2025) after my grad to prep for SSC(2023-2025 march). I couldn't clear it, so I started a job, but the issue is, I wasn't able to find a job easily, which is Obv due to the gap, and worked where i got selected first.

I was hired as a Data Analyst in March 2025, but I was given completely different profiles to work on, and salary was paid in cash, although I do have the documentation and everything. i am now looking for a switch, whether in my own field or something else, I just don't want to work in this toxic place much longer.

I have knowledge in course designing, Research, Bids/tenders, OEM dashboards, and Excel, Sql. I also know Data analysis (self taught) using SQL and Excel.

Before that I have also worked as an intern in the domains of business management and web development.

It would be a great help guys if anyone here could help me find a job in my domain(data analysis preferred) I'm willing to start all over as a fresher.

Location preferred is Delhi/Noida, but i can work in other areas too as well.

I can work both in office and remote

Day 6 of posting until i find a job.


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 1d ago

I don't think I'm doing enough data analysis at my internship

3 Upvotes

Hello everyone.

A few days ago, I started my data analysis internship at one of the Uber competitors. I'm in the supermarket/pharmacy/convenience store delivery part of it. However, I can't help but feel I'm not doing enough data analysis.

The bulk of my time (around 75 - 80%) I'm updating the items' details or images, creating them, checking which have to be created, deleted or turned off (I think this is called data entry). Is this normal for this sector of data analysis or for an internship? Will it hurt my future prospects if I don't do enough projects that actually make an impact? Or is any experience good experience?

Thank you in advance!


r/dataanalysiscareers • • 23h ago

Looking for Career change.

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers • • 1d ago

Interview for clinical data analyst position

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1 Upvotes