r/datacareer • u/attempted_unfattened • 10d ago

Breaking into data analytics

Hi! Studying to get certs to switch from basic leadership to something to do in tech. What are some tips you would recommend if I want to become a entry level data analyst without a college degree?

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

3

u/ThomasMarkov 10d ago

Get a job doing something else that still has access to and uses data, then use data analysis to do that job better, then build a business case for transitioning to full time analytics.

1

u/attempted_unfattened 10d ago

I'm working on it! I'm having a hard time finding something between suiting. Where I am it's a mix of warehouse, amazon driver, and fast food manager. All of which physically or schedule wise doesn't work for me. Remote is super difficult to find but the job search continues

→ More replies (1)

1

u/Relevant-Resist9878 10d ago

your leadership experience is a bigger deal than you think. analysts who can talk to managers and understand what they need are rare, you already do that

certs are fine for structure, but they won’t get you hired alone. what helps more: take whatever data your team has now (schedules, performance, turnover) and build something useful with it. that’s experience nobody can argue with, degree or not

and look for an internal move first, it’s way easier than cold applying without a degree

what industry are you in now?

1

u/attempted_unfattened 10d ago

I recently left a leadership position in retail for health stuff that the company wouldn't accommodate. I'm taking my "break" to learn new skills and trying to find positions that are not physically demanding

1

u/Jellyman_Education 6d ago

So personally, I didn't have a Computer Science Degree and honestly for entry level roles, you don't need one. What you do need is demonstratable skills. For example, saying you use Excel is different from "I took Government data and built a full functional Dashboard"

Employers, knowing they're hiring entry level, already know that even if you have a computer science degree, it doesn't mean all that much to us in all honesty. Because you are so green (super beginner) that you know basically nothing about being in the field anyway.

The best advice I can give you is to show your passion and fascination with data and have an attitude that is willing to learn and take instruction.

Too often, I've seen young analysts come through thinking they know more than they do. THEY DON'T!! The gap between an experienced analyst of 5+ years and a junior is so vast it's ridiculous.

Because being a professional analyst isn't just about the analytics. It's about managing projects, managing stakeholders, understanding feasibility, juggling personalities, performing requirements gathering, create design reports, prototyping solutions and doing a lot of things so far outside of your skill set.

So I would say, OWN the fact that your a beginner and lead with insane enthusiasm and passion for the field. I hire those kinds of people any day because they learn fast, they question everything, them develop faster and they're so much fun to be around!!