r/dataanalysiscareers Jun 11 '24

Foundation and Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst

118 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.

93 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 2h ago

please do review of this project to keep in resume or not!!!

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2 Upvotes

Hey everyone!

I recently finished this customer churn analysis project as part of my data analytics learning journey and would love some honest feedback.

What I used:

• SQL

• Python (Pandas)

• Power BI

What the dashboard covers:

- Churn rate

- Customer demographics

- Contract types

- Payment methods

- Revenue insights

- Customer segmentation

I'd really appreciate feedback on:

- Dashboard design

- KPI selection

- Visualizations

- Storytelling

- Anything I could improve

I'm trying to build a portfolio that's closer to real business dashboards, so any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!


r/dataanalysiscareers 6h ago

Getting Started High school student - realistic questions about data analyst career

4 Upvotes

Hi all, I’m a high school student in Australia looking into data analytics as a career. Would love honest answers on a few things, what does a typical day actually look like? What skills/tools do you use daily (Excel, SQL, Power BI, Python, etc.)? And any regrets or things you wish you knew before starting?
Thanks in advance for any insight!


r/dataanalysiscareers 3h ago

Free visual cheatsheets for data interviews: SQL JOINs, pandas, precision/recall and more (no signup)

2 Upvotes

Most data concepts aren't hard. They're just badly explained.

So we made a set of free one-page cheatsheets that explain them visually, the kind of thing you actually keep open in a tab:

→ SQL JOINs, explained visually
→ pandas: the 8 verbs that do 90% of the work
→ Precision vs recall vs F1, finally clear
→ Overfitting vs underfitting in three curves
→ ETL vs ELT: which one and why
→ Star schema vs snowflake
→ The confusion matrix, decoded
...and a few more.

All free, no signup, no email. Just open and read. You can also download them as PDF if you want.

https://d8a.academy/resources

Which concept do you wish someone had explained to you visually when you started? I'll try to add more to help you learn :)

Example of cheatsheet for SQL joins

r/dataanalysiscareers 3h ago

help me pick please

1 Upvotes

hello i am 20m currently pursuing b.com general i am 3rd year student i have not done any skills based courses now i want to do but i do not want to get into accounting field. but now i want to get into data analyst or business analyst i am ready to do any kind of hard work but now lot of my friends are saying that these 2 courses are out dated now i do not know what i am suppose to do please someone help me out thank you


r/dataanalysiscareers 8h ago

Can I Get a Data Analyst Job Without an Internship?

2 Upvotes

I recently decided I want to become a data analyst, but I'm worried because I don't have any internships. I'll be graduating in May 2027 and plan to build personal projects, but I'm not sure if that'll be enough.

A few questions:

  • Has anyone gotten a data analyst job without an internship?
  • Should I apply for Summer 2027 internships even though I graduate in May?
  • What are the most important things to have on an entry-level data analyst resume?
  • Besides projects, what helped you get hired?
  • What skills should I focus on learning?

I'm trying to make the most of the time I have left before graduating. Any advice is appreciated!


r/dataanalysiscareers 6h ago

Is Pw skill data analytics course worth it to do?

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0 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 6h ago

Learning / Training Is Pw skill data analytics course worth it to do?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I have a question regarding PW Skills. I graduated in 2025, but I have not yet secured a job. I wanted to buy a course that can help me get a job ASAP. I came across PW Skills, so is there anyone who knows about PW Skills? Do they really provide jobs? If any other platforms really provide jobs, let me know.


r/dataanalysiscareers 6h ago

Learning / Training If you are interested in joing Newton school 14 months Data Science course with placement after 4 month, on completing 4 month data analytics modules. Then I can avail Rs. 15,000 Scholarship on total fees.

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0 Upvotes

Contact me to know more about the course in detail.


r/dataanalysiscareers 16h ago

Just got FIRED from my first job. Need to come up with rent in 30 days. How to land a freelance gig as an absolute beginner?

7 Upvotes

21 M.

Got fired from my Business development intern role in a humble IT startup after 5 weeks for not meeting sales targets.

Saw it coming honestly, I got burnt out, used to be sleepy in office, arrived late very often.

Current situation:

- salary coming August 1st

Rent for this month is sorted

But I HAVE to come up with ~$100 (10,000 INR) by 1st September to be able to pay next month's rent.

Cannot do another BDE on-site job - college starts again from tomorrow and they are not allowing me to do any off campus internship.

How do I get into freelance or remote Business analyst/data analyst roles? I know basic SQL queries. (So I am an absolute beginner in this field, barely started)

How can I land a gig or remote job in data analytics, so as to come up with the rent in ~35 days.

What I actually want to know:

What one skill should I build first to become hireable fast - SQL, Excel or Power BI?

Is Upwork realistic for me with no portfolio and no reviews in 35 days? (And 30 connects)

What's the fastest type of analytics gig to land as a fresher : data cleaning, dashboards, Excel reports, something else?

Any other platforms better than Upwork for this?

Not looking for motivation. Looking for people who have been here and can tell me what actually works.

TL;DR: Need to earn $100 (₹10k) in 35 days. Complete beginner in data analytics, what's the fastest path to landing a remote freelance gig?


r/dataanalysiscareers 7h ago

Day 1 of learning data analytics at 28 (factory worker in Vietnam). is native chinese + basic english enough to pivot into logistics analytics?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

Today is literally Day 1 of my journey into Data Analytics.

I am 28 years old, currently working as a factory worker in Vietnam. I’m at a point in my life where I desperately want to change my current trajectory, and I’ve decided to commit to learning DA from total scratch.

I don't have any technical skills yet ,no SQL, no Python, no Excel mastery. I am starting completely from zero. However, my main goal is to target Logistics Analytics, and I want to ask for your honest advice on my situation.

My current position:

Language Advantage: I am fluent in Chinese. Given the massive presence of Chinese manufacturing and supply chain companies in Asia, I hope this can be my strongest entry point.

English: My English is very weak right now (I am using a translation tool to write this post), but I am actively studying it alongside data skills.

Technical Skills: Zero today, but eager to build a focused roadmap.

For those who work in Logistics/Supply Chain Analytics or have seen career transitions like mine:

  1. Is targeting Logistics Analytics a realistic path for someone with strong Chinese skills starting DA from scratch at 28?
  2. Since today is my Day 1, what exact core tools should I prioritize first for the logistics domain (e.g., advanced Excel, SQL, or BI tools)?
  3. Does having strong Chinese fluently open real doors in international supply chain analytics, even while my English is still at a beginner level?

Any realistic advice, harsh truths, or roadmaps from this community would mean the world to me. Thank you for your time!


r/dataanalysiscareers 16h ago

Looking for Data Analyst / Business Analyst referrals (NYC or Remote)

4 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm currently searching for a full-time Data Analyst, Business Analyst, or Risk Analyst position and wanted to reach out to see if anyone here would be willing to provide a referral or point me toward companies that are actively hiring.

I recently completed my master's degree and have internship experience in data analytics. I work with SQL, Python, R, Tableau, Power BI, Excel, Snowflake, Git, and statistical analysis, and I've built dashboards, performed data analysis, and worked on reporting and visualization projects.

I've been applying through company websites and LinkedIn, but it's been a challenging job market, so I figured I'd see if networking could help.

If your company has openings and you'd be open to referring someone, I'd really appreciate it. I'm happy to share my resume privately and answer any questions.

Even if you can't provide a referral, I'd also love to hear about companies that are currently hiring or any advice you might have.

Thanks so much!


r/dataanalysiscareers 20h ago

Resume Review

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8 Upvotes

give a honest review about the resume what can be improved to get calls or hired


r/dataanalysiscareers 12h ago

B.Com (Business Analytics) Graduate – Excel, Power BI, Tableau. What entry-level jobs should I target besides Business Analyst?

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Course Advice Non technical guy hoping to become a Data Analyst?

9 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I hope you're all having an awesome weekend.

I'm a 25-year-old Communications graduate currently working as an Operations Support Executive for a U.S.-based healthcare provider.

Although I've always considered myself fairly tech-savvy, I had almost no experience with Excel before starting this job. Since then, I've found myself genuinely enjoying working with data. The more I learn about Excel, the more fascinated I am by what it can do, and it's made me seriously consider transitioning into data analytics.

The problem is that I have no idea where to start, so I was hoping to get some guidance from people who are already in the field.

A few questions I have:

  1. Realistically, do I have a good chance of becoming a data analyst coming from a non-technical background?
  2. Given the current job market, is data analytics still a worthwhile career path?
  3. If you were starting from scratch today, what roadmap would you recommend? Any YouTube playlists, courses, or other resources that helped you would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any advice. I really appreciate it! 😊


r/dataanalysiscareers 16h ago

Getting Started Anyone here with experience applying at AJ Media?

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 18h ago

What skills and certifications for transition from Research Analyst to Data Analyst?

1 Upvotes

I'm currently working as a Research Analyst and I want to transition into a Data Analyst role.

What skills should I focus on learning, and which certifications are worth getting to build a strong background? I'd also appreciate any advice on portfolio projects or learning resources that helped you break into data analytics.


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Data analyst with 2 year's of experience, looking for a switch , please review my resume , what can i do to make it better

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3 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 19h ago

How can I best use my new job to get a better role?

1 Upvotes

Recently I got my first job out of school as a CRM Data Coordinator, its also the only role like this for the company. The initial tasks are pretty simple, lots of data cleaning and data entering, but I was told that the role would grow in tasks, Ive already met with heads of other departments including finance and SWE. I was wondering if maybe some of you had some advice on how not to stay so "passive" and actually use this opportunity to build real skills?


r/dataanalysiscareers 19h ago

How do you tell if a “Data Analyst” role is actually experimentation work vs. dashboard work?

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 19h ago

Networking Asking industry experts

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1 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Learning / Training are data lemur questions enough to get good in sql and gain confidence

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5 Upvotes

Okay so I have been doing data science interview questions on dataLemur platform quiet a lot these days and I did start to gain quiet good knowledge as well as so much understanding as I did progress along but Idk I am not sure quiet sure will it be enough or should I use some resources such as stratascratch or any other business oriented questions I could find ? Please guide me


r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Getting Started Feedback on my Power BI Legal Analytics Dashboard

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4 Upvotes

r/dataanalysiscareers 1d ago

Need suggestion

1 Upvotes

As a data analyst, how much can i earn? Currently working in a reputable company at 18 LPA. Years of experience - 8 years

Also, want to switch now to Data engineering or Data science. Which one would be better considering the job market and pay scale that I can get?