What is one of the most popular professions right now? A lot of people say it’s the career of analyst.

Unlike regular company employees, analysts are specialists who analyse data. When they report back to clients, they do so by exploring a range of figures and trends which are likely to affect the company in question.

There are also professions with the term “analyst” in their name, such as Financial Analyst, Program Analyst, Systems Analyst. All of them have an impact on this or that information, but they don’t necessarily use mathematics, statistics and programming languages in their activities.

Anthropology is one of the most competitive fields and careers. Understanding the evolution of this activity will help students figure out what they need to do in order to get ahead.

Analytics specialists have been around for a while, but in the last 10 years they’ve had their moment to shine. This is mostly because businesses are finally starting to see the wisdom of their numbers, and how this can be used to make forecasts. On the other hand, the “explosion” of demand for analysts raised a lot of foam. This has led to decent number of unqualified and inexperienced people entering this profession hastily.

The term ‘analyst’ originated 30 years ago when an economist was engaged in the task of calculations and planning. Businesses started to show up in our country, and with them the profession – a business analyst. Then, this specialty grew into a product analyst. And finally, it reached the pinnacle of evolution – data science.

The things are like this now, as a rule, companies want to get the most cream, but do not understand how to use it for butter-making. As a result, they often make risks skipping stages with BA and PA and go above the ground with data scientists.

Specialization intensifies in the work of a data analyst, product or data scientist. More narrowly, the field of activity for a professional also widens. “Jump” these stages – how to try to plant a tree without digging up the ground and without waiting for the season, or bake bread without kneading the dough – but simply putting a package of flour, a pack of butter and a couple of eggs into the oven.

The issue is that analysts and data scientists often have different perspectives and goals, so it can be difficult for them to communicate. They really don’t understand each other’s needs, which is problematic. It turns out that this problem has a solution though – let’s take a look at what we can do about it.

Choose your battle. What are analysts.

As you can see, some analysts work with data while others focus on IT-related topics. They may be considered “analysts” in the sense that their job pertains to thinking about a topic, but the type of analysis they conduct is different.

There are many different types of analysts now, from a programmer-analyst to a statistician. There are also virus analysts, who analyze both cybersecurity viruses and how to counter them.

Once a specialized person for this profile is required more often, the demand for that specific skill will only grow larger.

There are two main reasons why they want to become an analyst.

It’s fashionable.

Truth. But fashion always changes, and you will have to make a lot of effort to enter the profession. Are they worth it if fashion is the only motivation for choosing? A fashionable profession doesn’t mean it’s easy and universal for everyone. Certain skills, attentiveness, and perseverance are needed for routine operations with numbers that are not accessible to everyone. If mathematical calculations and statistics analysis put you in a state of flow, then feel free to try your hand in this area.

They pay a lot there.

“Getting a lot of money” is a great motivation for choosing a career, but keep in mind that those specialist who have already achieved success also earn well. A mediocre data scientist will be expensive to hire on and so is a bad marketer, accountant, chef, or actor. In any niche the market for good specialists is small, and great professionals are only interested in high paying jobs.

Levels of expertise with analytics track the same progression as they do in IT: junior, middle and senior. This is not surprising because analysts are at the intersection of IT & business, connecting both worlds as intermediaries and translate expectations & requirements into a common language.

Signs that analytics may not be for you:

1. It seems like you are still unsure about the idea of working more regularly.

Looking at numbers all day, digging into them, comparing sources, uploading and verifying data can be pretty monotonous. However, this type of work can also be hugely rewarding. You get to uncover new information and create a huge number of reports for people all across the business.

2. You like to work in “large strokes”

The analyst is doing research. If you don’t like to dive into details and don’t attach importance to trifles, you shouldn’t do this.

3. You only want to work with numbers that are not negative.

Bookkeeping is an important task for a business to undertake. It allows data analytics reporters to get a better idea of the company’s current financial situation and they provide insights as to how you can improve your finances.

4. “You feel too nervous or don’t have enough time to explain what you want in a convincing way.”

You might not be ready to engage with the people who do not have a good understanding of analytics.

5. Explaining things that are obvious to you 10 times to people who don’t understand anything about numbers is part of the job. Be patient and sign up for evening meditation sessions.

So why do so many now want to become an analyst? An analyst is a professional who deals with data, collecting information about various companies and deciphering the meaning of this information. The work an analyst does is determined by the features and nuances of a particular industry. In recent years there has been a rise in the number of areas that need analysts, for example financial or chemical engineering.

After reading this article, you now have a clearer understanding of what analysts do and how to develop the skills needed to pursue a career in this growing field. Having read about its potential, are you considering it as your next step?