How to Become a Data Analyst (Without a Degree)

If you enjoy working with numbers and solving puzzles, you’ve probably thought about or considered a career in data analysis. With data being deemed as the new gold, we are seeing more and more people transition into the data analysis world.

But what does a data analyst do?

A data analyst’s sole responsibility is to gather, clean, and study data to help guide business decisions. If this is something you want to do, continue reading.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Data Analyst

• Foundational knowledge of data analysis
• Build technical skills
• Work on projects and develop a portfolio
• Get certified

Foundational Knowledge

With anything new that you venture into, you want to start from scratch. You want to know the nitty and gritty and build a solid foundational knowledge base that can build your confidence to continue your learning journey.

This is the start of your journey so you want to make sure you’re choosing the right course that will provide you with valuable information and resources. KDnuggets has done the hard work for you and found the best course for you.

Link: IBM: Introduction to Data Analytics.

The above course provides newbies with an overview of data analytics and the key steps in the process. In this course, you will learn how to differentiate between different data roles such as Data Engineer, Data Analyst, Data Scientist, Business Analyst, and Business Intelligence Analyst. You will get an insight and be able to describe the different types of data structures, file formats, and sources of data as well as collecting, wrangling, mining, and visualizing data.

Technical Skills

You have laid down the foundation and you’re ready to get your hands dirty and get into the more technical aspects of data analysis. The foundations were important to your learning journey, however, the technical skills you learn and master are key to your career development.

If you want to double-check the technical skill requirements for data analysis, have a look at a job posting and use that as your checklist. However, we have got you covered.

Projects & Portfolio

With all the technical skills you are learning, the best way to master it is to practice till you perfect it. The only way to practice is by working on a variety of projects that will provide you with different scenarios and allow you to use your critical thinking skills to find a solution.

If you’re sitting there scratching your head on which projects you should start, don’t worry; have a read of the following that can get you kick started:

With all these projects that you do, build a portfolio to show your future employer/interviewer!

Get Certified

You’ve learnt the foundations, you’ve gone through all the technical skills required and put it to the test with your projects. Now it is time to get the badge and let people know that you’re a certified data analyst.

What courses will get me certified, do you ask? Let’s take a look at these now.

Wrapping Up

Just like that, you’re a data analyst ready to go onto the job market and land your first entry-level data analyst job. You didn’t have to go back to university or break the bank. You started a new career at a fraction of the price.
 
 

Nisha Arya is a data scientist, freelance technical writer, and an editor and community manager for KDnuggets. She is particularly interested in providing data science career advice or tutorials and theory-based knowledge around data science. Nisha covers a wide range of topics and wishes to explore the different ways artificial intelligence can benefit the longevity of human life. A keen learner, Nisha seeks to broaden her tech knowledge and writing skills, while helping guide others.