DATA ANALYST

INTRODUCTION:

A data analyst is someone who scrutinises information using data analysis tools. The meaningful results they pull from the raw data help their employers or clients make important decisions by identifying various facts and trends. Typical duties include:

? using advanced computerised models to extract the data needed.

? removing corrupted data.

? performing initial analysis to assess the quality of the data.

? performing further analysis to determine the meaning of the data.

? performing final analysis to provide additional data screening.

? preparing reports based on analysis and presenting to management.

Data analysts ascertain how data can be used in order to answer questions and solve problems. They study what’s happening now to identify trends and make predictions about the future. They are like detectives, figuring out how things work and helping to make sense of everything. It can be a creative, challenging and rewarding career.

Data analysts need to have the ability to not only decipher data, but to report and explain what differences in numbers mean when looked at from year to year or across various departments. Because data analysts are often the ones with the best sense of why the numbers are the way they are, they are often asked to advise project managers and department heads concerning certain data points and how they can be changed or improved over a period of time.

Data analysts may have the following responsibilities:

? Working with technology teams, management and/or data scientists to set goals

? Mining data from primary and secondary sources

? Cleaning and dissecting data to get rid of irrelevant information

? Analyzing and interpreting results using statistical tools and techniques

? Pinpointing trends and patterns in data sets

? Identifying new opportunities for process improvement

? Providing data reports for management

? Designing, creating and maintaining databases and data systems

? Fixing code problems and data-related issues.

A data analyst's skills may not be as advanced as a data scientist's skills, but their goals are very similar. Data analysts are sometimes called “junior data scientists” and may be limited to handling specific business tasks using existing tools, systems, and data sets.

Data analysis is a highly transferable skill and can open the door to many interesting jobs across the private and public sector. Almost every industry imaginable has a need for data analysis; the fields of sales, marketing, and healthcare tend to have the most jobs available for these professionals at any given time.

Most data analysts work on teams, and a lot of the work is done on the computer. Much of the work can be done from home or from a remote office, though this sometimes depends on the type of data being gathered. Data analysts can typically expect to work 9-5 hours, however important projects or looming deadlines can and often require some overtime and weekend work.