1 Year In: My lessons from being a data analyst
Now that I’ve been a data analyst for 1 year, I’m reflecting on my biggest lessons. The past year marked big changes for me, as I started my first tech role and also started therapy to deal with workplace stressors. Although it is difficult to manage everyone’s expectations and maintain a healthy work-life balance, it is getting easier all the time. Below are my top lessons.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
I used to hesitate to ask questions, for fear of being perceived as “not a fast learner.”
But in a specialized tech role, you will encounter stakeholders with differing levels of tech expertise.
When stakeholders come to you with a problem, you want to deliver a solution that gets at the root issue. They may not know the correct terminology, so it may take an in-depth discussion to uncover the problem.
Below are my favorite questions for stakeholders:
- “What problem are you trying to solve?”
- “What do you want to do, in plain English?”
- “What’s wrong with the current setup?”
- “How has this been done in the past?”
- “Do you have a screenshot or example?”
- “Do you have a timeframe in mind for when you need to have this completed?”
- “Is this a recurring ask? As in, will you be requesting this information every week/month/year at this time? Or is this a one-off?”
2. If you’re confused, say “I’m confused.”
If you’re confused, you can’t solve the problem. So, don’t be afraid to admit that you’re confused. Make stakeholders clarify what they mean. Sometimes, they realize that they were confused, too!
Here are polite ways to deal with confusion:
- “I’m sorry, I’m not sure I understand. Do you mean you would like me to make XYZ changes to the system?”
- “I have to admit, I’m a bit lost here. Can we review the problem we’re trying to solve?”
- “I’m not sure I understand the proposed solution. Can we find a time to chat in person to make sure we’re on the same page?”
3. Most people are terrible at describing tech problems.
This is a common scenario: someone comes to me with a tech problem, and it sounds like complete gibberish. Sometimes, it’s because I’m still learning the job and I don’t understand the organizational jargon. But, sometimes it’s because they don’t know how the technology works.
Often, stakeholders don’t understand the underlying system configurations, the correct terminology, or the best practices for data visualization.
Even tech professionals can be surprisingly bad at explaining technology.
When I was new, I would beat myself up: “I can’t believe I don’t understand what they’re saying. Why aren’t I learning this faster?”
Try to be patient with yourself. Your confusion may be because they didn’t correctly explain the problem. As a tech professional, you need to translate these complex concepts into language they understand. This takes practice.
4. Use breathing exercises to manage workplace stress.
I wish I had started breathing exercises earlier! Breathwork has been the most effective technique for reducing my work stress.
Shallow, upper chest breathing is part of the stress response. You can reduce your stress levels by consciously breathing using the diaphragm, or “belly breathing.”
To do this, sit or stand comfortably and place one hand on your stomach. Concentrate on your breath and try to breathe in and out through your nose instead of your chest. When you inhale through your nose, your stomach should move out, causing your hand to rise.
You can incorporate this into your daily routine by practicing belly breathing throughout the day: taking three slow and controlled deep belly breaths when you’re stressed or doing them once an hour. The more you pay attention to your breaths, the more natural it becomes.
5. Talk to a friend, therapist, loved one, or professional, BEFORE stress gets too unmanageable.
You don’t want to simmer with your stress for too long, or it will get more and more difficult to deal with. You should talk to a friend, loved one, or professional about how you’re feeling. You may just need to vent from time to time and feel heard. Or, if anxiety is a longer-term problem for you, you may want to engage a professional.
Talking to a professional once does NOT obligate you to continue going. If you have anxiety around therapy, it may help to go in with an attitude like: “I’m trying out therapy to manage my emotions about work. If I don’t find it helpful, I don’t need to continue going.”
6. Have something in your workspace that reminds you of life OUTSIDE of work!
I love having something in my workspace that reminds me of things I love outside of work. This keeps me focused and energized, so I remember that I’m “working to live,” not “living to work.”
What could this include? Anything!
- A motivational sticker on your laptop.
- A picture of your cat as your desktop wallpaper.
- A framed wedding photo on your desk.
- Interesting art or sculptures.
- A Murano glass paperweight.
- A hummingbird feeder outside your home office window.
- A bonsai tree, a bouquet of fresh flowers, or a small succulent.
- If you’re working from home: a candle or diffuser.
- A pair of noise-canceling headphones so you can listen to your favorite tunes at the office.
- A small poetry book or book of meditations.
7. Keep track of positive feedback from coworkers and clients.
I highly recommend keeping track of positive coworker feedback.
This can be a Google Doc, an email folder in Outlook, or whatever works for you. I like to copy & paste positive emails into a document that I can read whenever I need a pick-me-up!
8. Discover a tech learning method that suits you best.
Find your own tech learning path. It doesn’t have to match everyone else’s, and that’s fine!
For example, I realized that I find creative, hands-on learning to be most effective, particularly using real-world datasets at my job.
There are many ways to improve your tech knowledge:
- Ask your tech team what problems they’re encountering, and help them find a solution.
- Ask ChatGPT your specific questions.
- Make a project in the Maven Analytics playground.
- Compete in a Maven Data Challenge.
- Look up questions on Stack Overflow.
- Watch specific, short YouTube tutorials.
Final Thoughts
If you’re starting your first data analytics job, that’s exciting! I hope these tips are helpful for you.
Remember to:
- Be patient with yourself and others.
- Take deep breaths or short walks when you’re feeling overwhelmed
- Keep tabs on your stress levels.
Do you have any other tips for entry-level data analysts? If so, leave a comment!
Further Reading
Cleveland Clinic: Diaphragmatic Breathing
Harvard Health Blog: Ease anxiety and stress: Take a (belly) breather
Harvard Business Review: A Beautiful Workspace Can Make Your Job More Joyful
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