Why Shouldn’t Investment Analysts Apply for Data Analyst Jobs?

Apparently, investment analysts and data analysts have different jobs and here's how.

The job titles "investment analyst" and "data analyst" are semantically different. "Analyst" in Investment means entry-level, while in Data it means analysis. An investment analyst is an entry-level investment person, whereas a data analyst is a person doing data analysis with seniority unspecified.

In investment, you start with a desk job doing deals analysis and diligence. As you rise through the ranks, you're expected to go out to bring in high-net-worth clients to the firm. In this world, client relationships (and deal generation) are considered higher level than doing analysis. This is understandable because bringing in deals links directly to revenue. This is obviously not the same for the data analyst career. The data analyst's primary output is insights and analyses that inform business decisions. As you rise through the ranks, you're expected to produce higher-impact insights and studies; but the nature of your job's output doesn't change!

But newcomers to data, they don't know that. They might think data analysis is not a long-term career. So they will look into moving into other roles (data scientist, product, leadership) in order to move up. And that's not the only link with the same implication about "data scientist > data analyst".

Investment analysts tend to take a general perspective when undertaking their work. They review investment decisions based on current market trends, stated business objectives, and possible investment options of companies while also reviewing economic data and investment forecasts. A degree in finance is probably most beneficial for aspiring investment analysts, although mathematics or economics could also suffice. A Master of Business Administration (MBA) may help an investment analyst, but it is not always required. investment analysts may also opt to pursue the highly selective Chartered Investment Analyst (CFA) title. Unlike the CPA, which is focused on a professional understanding of public accounting standards in the United States, the CFA is focused on those who actively make investment decisions on behalf of clients or an employer. This test is in three parts and administered and overseen by the CFA Institute.