Have you been thinking about a career upgrade? Well, it's difficult not to look to the future in tech-focused careers bringing about change across every industry. The information age has placed lots of intriguing and lucrative career options in front of job seekers. Working as a data analyst can be particularly eye-catching as more and more firms and organizations turn to data for their decision-making. A job in data promises great career prospects, so it comes as no surprise that more and more people are looking to make the switch. 

However, a career change is not solely about job security and salary. You have to be sure you'll love and be great at what you do. Just before you commit to a career change, we're going to help you figure out if you've got what it takes, and more importantly, if it aligns with your aspirations. 

Who is a data analyst? 

The first step towards determining if a career in data analytics is right for you is understanding what the role entails. You'll find a basic introduction to data analytics in this post, but we'll briefly cover the specifics here as well. 

Simply put, a data analyst analyzes raw data to draw meaningful insights. Whether it's sales figures, market research, or logistics, every business uses data. Data analysts convert data into plain language and actionable recommendations that will enable organizations to make smarter decisions.

Data analysts study what's happening now to predict and identify trends in the future. It can be a challenging, creative, and very rewarding career. Numbers and facts are a starting point for analysts as they need to understand what they mean, then present findings in interesting ways such as graphs, tables, charts, and graphics.

Are you suited to be a data analyst?

Data analysts tend to have distinct personalities such as introspective, investigative, intellectual, and curious. They are methodical, curious, analytical, rational, and logical. 

Sounds like you? 

When starting a new career, it's important to think about innate qualities asides from external rewards. One of the ways to know if you're suited to be a data analyst is to take a free career quiz. That will help confirm that you have some of the qualities mentioned above and know if it's a field that'll tap into your natural talent and leave you fulfilled at the end of every day. 

Is Data Analytics a smart career move?

Yes, it's great to figure out if you're a good fit for a data analytics career, but is it a good fit for you? Does it align with your goals and aspirations and tick all the right boxes concerning salary, job satisfaction, and career growth? Here is what you can expect from a data analytics career:

A booming job market

The demand for analytics skills is rapidly rising as organizations and companies are constantly searching for ways to exploit the power of big data. Despite the 'hot job' label on data analytics and related careers, there are still many unfilled positions due to a shortage of professionals. The demand for data analysts in the US grew more than 6 folds between 2012 and 2018. According to a LinkedIn report, data analysts will continue to be sought after massively through 2022 and beyond. 

Facts and reports apart, we are in a new era where we'll continuously generate and gather a massive amount of data. With the rise of IoT and connected devices across almost every industry, there is and will always be a need for people to make sense of it all. 

Competitive salary

With the strong demand for data analysts, it's only right for a boost in wages to follow. According to Indeed.com, data from more than 5000 data analysts in the US shows the average base salary to be around $72,000 with an additional $2500 cash bonus per year. So you could go on and earn well above average as an analyst and even expect more as you accrue more experience. 

Data is everywhere

There are lots of opportunities for data analysts presently across different varieties of organizations and industries. Data is used every day by huge companies in healthcare, retail, fast food, finance, marketing…you name it. A career in data analytics offers a variety if you need one.

Wrapping Up

Having a career in data analytics calls for a distinct personality and, in return, a varied and booming job market with a competitive salary. If you read this post and believe that data analytics will be a great career for you, take a free career quiz, do further research and learn!