How I Landed My First Data Analyst Job in 2023 (With Almost No Experience)
5 tips to get the job offer you always wanted
According to the Bureau of Labor, data analyst jobs are projected to grow by 23% between 2021 and 2031. For comparison, the average growth for all other industries is just 5%. On top of that, the big data market is projected to hit a whopping $229.4 billion dollars by 2025.
These are exciting numbers and make data a great career choice with incredible growth potential!
If you want to be a data analyst you are not alone because thousands of people apply for data analyst jobs every day. So how will you stand out from the crowd and be the one to get that offer?
It's a challenge but totally possible even with (almost) no experience. I know that's true because I landed my first data analyst job without formal data analyst experience or an advanced math degree.
I want you to be able to land your first data job too so here are 5 must-know tips that will help you secure an offer.
Step 1: Select Your Area of Interest
Before you get too far on your data journey you will want to think about what kind of data you are passionate about analyzing. Think about a specific sector that you have experience or a natural interest in. It could be healthcare, finance, e-commerce, sales, HR, education, or more.
Analysts are needed in almost any field so pick one or two sectors that you are interested in and focus your learning efforts on data related to those sectors.
The reason it is advantageous to do that is because you can tailor your learning, resume, application, and portfolio to a specific sector and that will really help you stand out. If you apply too broadly you will blend in with the rest of the other candidates, and if you try to appeal to everyone you will appeal to no one.
Step 2: Learn Data Analysis Skills
Next, pick the skills you want to learn. I recommend learning at least 3 skills from this list:
- Excel
- Tableau
- SQL
- Power BI
- Python
- R
- SAS
I would say that Excel and SQL are non-negotiables, but the third skill is up to you. There are thousands of free online resources to learn these skills and I recommend starting with one of those before you spend any money on an online course.
Now listen closely, this is the most important tip of the whole article.
Start using one of those programs today. Just do it! Learn the absolute basics on how to use the tool and then actually load some data in and start analyzing.
A common mistake that beginning analysts can make is watching hours and hours of videos explaining how to use a tool like SQL without actually trying it themselves. Then, they think that they are learning the tool. That’s not how it works!
You need to practice on your own with a real data set to actually learn the skill.
Step 3: Build A Portfolio
Once you learn a few skills you can build a portfolio. If you do not have experience, a portfolio is an absolute must. The most important part of the portfolio, besides the skills you showcase, is picking the right data set.
Pick a data set that you are interested in and covers a topic you are knowledgeable in. This is because you can do more than one portfolio project off of the same data set. If you have a good data set that you enjoy working with you can continue to improve your portfolio over time.
Here are two data sets that were helpful and interesting for me in building my portfolio.
1.) Eviction data for large cities
2.) Employment and education data by zip code
But the thing about these data sets is that they were interesting to me and not just something that other people handed to me. I had to go find the data and clean it myself. That was a valuable experience and it kept me engaged and invested in the work.
Once you have started a project you can build on it over time. Your skills will improve and you will learn new things, so if you have established a good start with a project you can go back and improve without having to reinvent the wheel.
This will help you build an incredible portfolio that stands out above the rest.
Step 4: Network
A LinkedIn study found that 85% of all jobs are filled via networking.
I am going to be honest, it was not some insane tableau skills or statistical wizardry I whipped up in SAS that helped me get my job. Sure, I showcased my skills in my portfolio, but it was networking that got me my first job in data analytics.
I leveraged my network to connect with people who were even tangentially related to data or worked at a company that might need an analyst.
You will likely have to persevere through a lot of networking deadends but the payoff is worth it. Networking is one of the steps you can take on your journey that will give you the most ‘bang’ for your buck.
I highly recommend you spend a good portion of your time developing a networking strategy so that you get connected with the right people. This will drastically increase your chances of securing your first data job.
Step 5: Define Your ‘Why’
The last step is not a hard skill, but it can help you to keep going even when you face obstacles or want to give up on your job search journey.
You should define your ‘why’. What I mean by that is thinking about and writing down why you want to get into data. Your ‘why’ is the driving force that will motivate you to put in the extra work and persevere through roadblocks
This can give you clarity and prevent you from burning out.
As I reflect on my journey, I would be remiss if I did not also give thanks to God for helping me land the job I did. The opportunity and timing were not things that I could control or could have worked out on my own. I have faith that God had His hand in the whole process.
Don’t Give Up
So even if you don’t have experience you can land a data analyst job, and applying these steps will get you on the right path. You need to think long-term because this process is not instant, but it's worth it. Enjoy the journey, stay focused on your goal, and go out there and land your dream job!
