The Data Point #3: Thinking Like an Analyst

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A common misconception in analytics is that you’ll sit around having fun with tools all day, putting together awesome projects.

Writing code, building dashboards, etc.

While this is one great element of the job, this is not THE job.

To thrive as an analyst, you need to think like an analyst.

This involves a few things:

1. Lots of communication between teams.

2. Knowing the data and where it comes from.

3. Using the data to help the business move forward.

Let’s talk about each of these a little bit.

1 | Communication

In my experience, this is the most difficult aspect of the job. Because of this, I want to dedicate an entire future newsletter article to this topic.

For now, let me say this: communicating between teams is hard work.

Sometimes you’ll receive projects you can complete solo, but often you’ll need to collaborate with other teams to get them done. Especially if you’re building out a new reporting structure.

Your stakeholders don’t always know how to look at the data, and your partnering teams won’t always understand the requests. Either that, or they may have difficulty fulfilling them.

This is where you come in. You are the interpreter between the teams. You need to know how to break down a technical issue in simple terms for your stakeholders. You also need to understand the data well enough to explain it to the appropriate teams you need help from.

This brings me to my 2nd point…

2 | Knowing your data

It’s easy to underestimate the importance of this when starting out.

But understanding the data you’re using and knowing where it comes from, how it’s built, etc. will help you in fulfilling requests.

Doing this requires at least 2 things:

1. Taking the time to dig into the data

2. Asking lots of questions

When you have a project request, slow down and examine, audit, and get to know your data. When you have questions about anything, ask about it. Ask your engineers, ask your fellow analysts, and ask your stakeholders. Ask lots of questions!

When you become an expert at knowing the company data, you’ll be much more prepared to fulfill requests and become a dependable member of the team.

But knowing the data is one thing, using it is another.

3 | Using the data

The ultimate goal of an analyst is to use data to move the business forward.

This is where knowledge of the data meets technical ability and knowing how to blend the two to create a powerful end result.

What is the best tool for the job? What would be helpful for the organization to know? What if we dug into this KPI more, would that help?

Be curious, be proactive, and be adventurous with the data to continue bringing value to your projects and the organization as a whole.

Hope this was helpful. See you next week ✌️

Matt Mike

Whenever you’re ready, there are 2 resources that can help you:

1. If you’re looking to create a data portfolio but aren’t sure where to start, I’d recommend the following book:

   1. The Data Portfolio Guidebook: Learn how to think like an analyst, develop a project portfolio and LinkedIn profile, and prepare for the job hunt. Join 350+ learners here.

2. For help navigating the data job hunt, consider booking a 1:1 call with me. I can help in the following ways:

   1. Resume, LinkedIn profile, or portfolio review

   2. Career guidance

   3. Interview prep

      1. Schedule a time here.