Are you fit for a Data Analyst job? Look for these traits

A quick online search will show you the data analyst job on every list of trending jobs in India. It seems that everyone is gearing up for the data science boom and wants to get on to the bandwagon.

The data analyst job is, undoubtedly, lucrative and with the way the world is going ahead, data is going to be big for many years to come. However, the job is not meant for everyone, and you should do a self-assessment to see if you are fit for the job.

We have made the task easy for you by listing out the top ten traits you will require to do well in a data analyst job –

1. Love for numbers – This is the most obvious but a necessary one! You will be dealing with numbers all through the day, and these numbers will run in thousands and millions of data points. Plus, you will also need to present these numbers in an easy-to-understand format for other stakeholders in the company.

2. Find a method to the madness – Making sense of data is not easy and you will need to be methodical to make an analysis. A data analyst job is good for someone who likes going through a task with a fine-toothed comb. If you like just to wing it or procrastinate or leave things to the last minute, then this job is certainly not for you.

3. Proactive and self-motivated – In a data analyst job no one is going to tell you how to do your job. You will be given tasks, the data, and even the means to do the job, but no one will get down to the process. You will have to be proactive and keep asking questions and answering them. Also, you have to motivate yourself as data analysis requires digging deep for answers.

4. Detail oriented – Some people like to look at the big picture. If you are one of those then run in the opposite direction! A data analyst job is suitable for those who like details and will go to great lengths to find all the minute details. It is because even a tiny detail missed out can bring wrong conclusions!

5. Interest in learning – A data analyst always needs to be learning. The industry is evolving daily and new technologies make the job easier. You will also need to learn new technology and software. The best way to keep updated is to have skill certifications. AMCAT certificates, including that of Data science and analytics, is a great source for this purpose.

6. Curious by nature – The motto ‘curiosity killed the cat’ does not apply for a data analyst job. In fact, if you are curious and like to keep asking questions, you will be led to unique answers. Data science itself is so unorganized that only a sense of curiosity can lead you to success.

7. Love for exploring data – A data analyst job requires you to keep exploring for more and more. If you are easily satisfied with what you have then this job might not be for you! You need to be the kind of person who will find a cause, but instead of drawing a conclusion you will find five other paths and then come to a conclusion.

8. Skeptical of data – If you are optimistic by nature and take things on face-value then steer clear of a data analyst job. In data analysis, you cannot take anything for what it seems like. Data can be deceptive, and you need to find out more before drawing conclusions based on the information you have in front of you.

9. Be creative – This seems like generic advice and can apply to most jobs; however, unlike most jobs, creativity is essential to a data analyst job. You need to be able to find data sources from a variety of places, find out correlations, causes and be able to manipulate the date creatively and out of the box.

Now you might not have all these above traits, but you need to have most of these traits to take up a data analyst job, or at least be successful at it! Traits like skills cannot always be trained or acquired; you have to have them in your personality innately.

So, do you think you have it in you? If you do, then get yourself AMCAT certifications and prove your skills to your future employers.

Also Read: How to find a job in Data Analytics