Jobs & employment blog

At Hays, we pride ourselves on partnering candidates alongside their varied specialist career paths. Our experts are pleased to inspire positive career change for anyone looking for new professional challenges. When it comes to helping initiate these career transitions, Hays’ expertise in knowing what exact steps are needed becomes invaluable. In this blog, we’re going to look at how to become a data analyst without a degree.

So, you are interested in starting a career as a data analyst; you may have heard the terms and are wondering how do you become a data analyst? And is the career change worth the risk?

Despite the current crises being felt globally, data is continually being generated wherever there are technological devices being used. With the data obtained from this usage, businesses look to sell more products, thereby obtaining more data to continue their increased analysis to further improve sales.

How to start your career in the data analyst sector

The desire for companies to use data-driven methods to understand things from customer satisfaction to how to increase sales is ubiquitous in today’s world. An indispensable part of any successful modern business, data analytics is a booming industry with increasing demand for talented individuals. An annual increase in new job postings standing at around 41% shows there is little doubt that potential employment is very high in the sector. Similarly, there is seemingly nothing standing in the way of the industry’s growth going forward as technology continues its unstoppable global expansion.

So, we can see that the data analytics industry is growing and there is a need for new professionals in the field. Now we need to look closely at what a data analyst really does to see the skills required for a data analyst role. In general terms, a data analyst processes raw data to identify meaningful patterns for specific insights. Companies can use these projections for plans that can then be put into action.

Data analytics job requirements

To start, there’s no escaping the fact you will have to get a foundation certificate in data analytics at the very least before you start to carve out a career in the field. Try to select a more project-based course, if you have a choice. This will help with building up a portfolio of practical examples of your working abilities. A good course will have some form of mentoring, a certificate of completion, and a job placement guarantee.

On the career front, a data analyst works to answer certain business questions, such as how to drive new leads or improve customer satisfaction. To this end, the analyst extracts or collects raw data from different sources like database sets or customer surveys. The datasets are then organised and cleaned before finally being analysed using the appropriate techniques. Normally, data analysts look for patterns and trends, which are then presented visually with the use of graphs and charts.

Another job requirement for data analytics is the need to be proficient in a variety of software, such as Excel and programming languages like Python or SQL. You need to be comfortable using these types of tools and languages to carry out the data-mining, statistical analysis and reporting necessary to be a successful data analyst.

Skills required for data analyst jobs

The need for great communication skills becomes obvious in data analyst jobs when you realise that you will have to explain some very complex ideas in a straightforward and easily understood way to stakeholders and board members, as well as make recommendations to different levels of senior and executive management.

How to become a data analyst without a degree

Now, you might be wondering what a data analyst’s typical background looks like. As a rule, those with a knowledge of business strategy who are also comfortable with numbers make more promising data analyst candidates. If you have a relevant degree in mathematics, statistics, economics, computer science or business management, then you’ll have a head start. Don’t worry if you don't though as the career path of a data analyst is still open to you.

How do you become a data analyst?

If you don’t find your dream job straight away, begin working on and building your portfolio. Start a personal project that shows your passion and commitment to data analytics. One thing the world is not short of is data, so find something related to what inspires you and start analysing. Work on your reporting and recommendation skills, while always keeping the goal of landing that ideal role in mind. In some cases, you could volunteer your data skills to charitable institutions, which would add significant value to your work portfolio and make you a more attractive candidate for data analyst positions.

Skills required for the data analyst industry

Remember, as an experienced professional, you already have some valuable and transferable skills. For example, if you come from a teaching background, you would be capable of explaining things to non-technical shareholders that others might find more difficult or even daunting. If you worked in healthcare, then you’d be a preferred candidate for many health and fitness businesses looking to become more data-driven.

Ready to become a data analyst?

Now that you know how to become a data analyst, even without a degree, it’s time to start your career in a burgeoning industry. The data analytics field is constantly growing, so stay positive even if you don’t secure your dream job right away and keep developing the necessary skills required. As the market evolves exponentially, so too will your career possibilities.

Interested in a career in data analytics, get in touch with us at Hays and we will steer you on the path to securing your dream job.