Pivoting to an Analyst Role: Real World Stories
Zack Martin
Community Product Manager @ Solid Data | Chair of Wild Coast Trails Association
Why Analytics?
A career in analytics is challenging and rewarding. While roles vary greatly in day-to-day responsibilities, the analytics space has become more relevant with the advent of big data and organizations understanding how important it is to make data-driven decisions.
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in data science and analytics are projected to grow by 35% from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations. While some fear that AI will replace analysts, most leaders in the analytics space believe otherwise. Many actually believe it will help the space grow even further, as analysts will have more time to spend on meaningful strategic tasks and finding deeper insights faster.
Analytics careers often offer flexibility, great career progression, and lucrative salaries. Entry-level analyst roles typically start around $65k - $80k per year, with experienced professionals landing six-figure salaries. Whether you’re looking for remote work opportunities or a career that blends problem-solving with technology, analytics has something to offer.
Getting Started
So, how do you actually break in? While it’s competitive, you don’t necessarily need to be the most skilled in hard data skills or have a Computer Science degree. You should still have the basics in Excel, SQL and Tableau or Power BI. These are considered the bare minimum hard skills but you won’t need to be perfect at all of them. Towards the end of the article, there are some resources that can help you get started here.
The purpose of this article, however, is to highlight how you can transition into analytics from almost any role by finding your niche and focusing on applying to roles that fit that niche and your unique value that you bring with your skillset.
From Healthcare Clinical Work to Data Analyst
I’m leaving this one anonymous for now, at the request of my connection who shared this story with me, recently starting her new role. I’ll edit when she’s ready to go public completely with this, but I wanted to get it out there since it's very relevant!
She didn’t have formal analytics experience, but when she applied for an analyst role for a health company, she was contacted within a couple of hours to set up an interview. Why?
At first, she thought it was luck, and that’s understandable given the current ultra-competitive job market. But, her experience in the healthcare industry in a clinical setting was what made her stand out. She went through the standard interview, and after the technical interview, she was immediately offered the job. When she dug deeper, she realized why she had been hired over other candidates, many of whom had several years of direct analytics experience.
The hiring manager told her that the previous analyst in the role had struggled because they lacked clinical experience. The organization wasn’t just looking for someone who could analyze data; they needed someone who understood the business, could interpret data in the right context, and knew how to present findings to clinicians in their language.
Her story is proof that analytics isn’t just about the hard skills. It’s about solving problems with data, and if you know the industry already, that is incredibly valuable.
My Journey into Analytics
I also took a non-traditional path to the analytics space. I had worked for most of my young adult life as a technician in various capacities, installing and repairing appliances, audio/video equipment, and other electronics. After about 10 years of various technician roles, I landed my first salaried leadership position as a final mile logistics leader.
As an expert-level technician, I learned that the easiest way to troubleshoot a complex system was to break it down into smaller, easier to understand systems that could be tested consistently to determine proper functionality. Once I was in the leadership role, I took the same approach to solving complex business problems. While I was thriving in this role, and I did enjoy the work, I had aspirations to make a bigger impact across that organization and decided to join the corporate team.
After many rejections, the right role finally came along, and the hiring manager was willing to train me to fill my knowledge gaps with formal analytics practices, which I was truthfully missing. I didn’t know what I didn’t know when it came to the “analysis” part. But, like the previous story, they didn’t hire me because of my analyst skills, though I had some basics. They hired me because I knew the final mile business, and they needed someone with expertise in this space to be successful.
Once I was in the role, I learned advanced Excel, SQL, Python, Power BI, and more. I was taught the foundations of demand planning, category management, and other key retail supply chain management fundamentals and became a very successful Supply Chain Analyst (eventually Senior Analyst) within my organization. The point? If you bring a unique set of skills to a role, the “analyst” skillset can be trained.
Finding Your Niche
Resources to Help You Get Started
Breaking into analytics from another space can feel overwhelming with the sheer volume of resources out there. To sort through some of the noise, my Comprehensive Analyst’s Guide to Career Resources serves up everything you need in one place:
Final Thoughts
I hope that these stories and first steps have been helpful and inspiring. While finding your first analyst role seems daunting and like a major uphill battle, it is worth it in the long run when you find the role that is perfect for you.
Keep looking for ways you can translate your niche experience into roles within specific industries or disciplines, and the right role will find you.
How did you get into analytics? Are you looking for roles in analytics currently? Let me know in the comments, I want to hear your story!