Cada vez que asisto a cualquier foro de analyticsAnalytics refers to the process of collecting, Measure and analyze data to gain valuable insights that facilitate decision-making. In various fields, like business, Health and sport, Analytics Can Identify Patterns and Trends, Optimize processes and improve results. The use of advanced tools and statistical techniques is essential to transform data into applicable and strategic knowledge.... o interactúo con los estudiantes, two questions are highlighted by the number of times they are asked:
I am an undergraduate student (or any other) and I want to pursue a career in Analytics, what should I do?
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I want to develop a career / change my career in Business Analytics, how should I do it?
At the same time, I receive multiple inquiries by mail / social media / comments asking the same. To ensure that these inquiries are addressed in the best practicable way, i thought i better write a post about this and provide a starting platform for everyone.
Although the subject itself is broad, I'll provide an overview of various things that can be done and focus on specific subtopics via additional posts later..
Before delving into the alternatives to develop a career in Analytics, let me quickly explain why build a career in Analytics first.
Why develop a career in Business Analytics?
The analytics, as an industry, is poised for exponential growth. With more and more data available in digital form, the need for smarter decisions, faster and more data-driven will only increase. Consider the following facts to corroborate what I am saying:
- According to Harvard Business Review (October Edition 2012), a data scientist's job is the sexiest job of the 21st century.
- According to the Instituto Global McKinsey (In a report from May 2011): "For 2018, only the United States could face a shortage of 140,000 a 190,000 people with deep analytical skills, as well as 1.5 millions of managers and analysts with the insights to use big data analytics to make effective decisions “.
Imagine what the number would be in the whole world …
I understand that Analytics will get big, but I don't know how I start a career in Business Analytics.
It is difficult for a newbie to find the best way to start a career in Analytics due to the following reasons:
- the industry in a nascent stage, therefore, it is difficult to find a suitable orientation.
- “Analytics” O “Business analytics” are terms that are used imprecisely, making it difficult for people to understand and appreciate the function.
- There is a well-designed and structured limited route you can follow to enter the field.
Although the first factor will improve over time and I had written a post mentioning the second point here, This post aims to address the third point.
Two approaches to building a career
Like any other job skill, exist 2 approaches to enter / start an analytical career:
- Focus 1 – Get hired by a company that trains you (at work / internal trainings) in the essential skills. These would be companies that have Analytics in their DNA and use it for their day-to-day decisions. Although this approach is better from a long-term perspective, needs time and investment (especially if there is no structured training in the companies). Some of the companies recognized for using cutting-edge analytics (in India) son:
- Technology leaders: Google, Facebook, Linkedin
- Bank, financial services and insurance (BFSI): Capital One, American Express, ICICI, HDFC
- Telecommunications companies: Idea, Vodafone, Airtel
- Analytical consulting: Fractal, Mu-Sigma, Absolutdata, ZS Associates
We have also prepared a complete course on how ace data science interviews. If you expect to face an interview with one of these companies, That's your jackpot!
One of the alternative routes to enter these companies can be internships. Then, if you have a break from 2 a 6 months, try to become an intern at these companies.
- Focus 2 – Get certified related to Business Analytics: Although these certifications give you the required technical skills, these could not make up for the work experience. Below are some available training options (in India):
- For people with work experience, several leading academic institutes teach certification courses. If you have the necessary experience and resources, I would recommend the ISB course
- To newbies, there are certification courses taught by various institutes, included Vidhya Analytics. Obtaining these certification courses can increase your chances of being hired by some of the best companies..
What else can be done?
Although these are specific paths to start a career in Analytics, there are smaller steps you can take to increase your awareness. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Keep reading on the topic: keep reading about it through various blogs and communities.
- Attend industry forums: There are several industry forums, meetings and conferences you can attend to understand the topic. DataHack Summit (held annually) it's one of the places to meet some of the best people in the industry
- Try internships: Internships are an amazing way to start your career. They give you an idea of the job before you take the plunge and can be evaluated by the employer without significant investments.
- Connect with people: Since it is currently a small industry, most people know each other. Find out how you can connect and talk to people in the industry. They are your best sources of information.
- Consult the training material available on the web: Google offers basic training for Google Analytics for free. There are several websites that offer basic courses that you can freely enter. Some universities provide access to course notes for free. Consume as much as you can.
- Books: Read some good books on the subject like Scoring Points (at Tesco); The New Science of Retail, The Signal and The Noise are some good books on the subject.
If there are other resources that you have found helpful to learn more about the topic, add them in the comments below.
Image Credit: aibworld.net
