What are the main career paths for data analysts? Includes job descriptions and workplaces with high needs.

2024.08.29

  • Industry Information
データアナリストの主なキャリアパスとは?仕事内容やニーズが高い職場も紹介

If you have a career path and goals that you would like to pursue as a data analyst in the future, it is important to map out your career path. Many companies emphasize career paths in order to grow and expand, so it is important to show your own career path when changing careers to become a data analyst.

There are many different career paths for data analysts, but some people may not know what exactly they are. In this article, we will explain the main career paths, job descriptions, and in-demand workplaces for data analysts. If you want to change careers and realize your dreams, please take a look at this article.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

What is a data analyst?


データアナリストとは?

Data analysts are experts in collecting and analyzing the vast amount of data held by companies and organizations. They do not just analyze information, but formulate hypotheses based on the results to help companies and organizations solve their problems and issues and make decisions.

The types of data analyzed are wide-ranging, including market trends, customer behavior, business efficiency, and system performance data. There are also a variety of analysis methods, and the methods used may differ depending on the data analyst's area of expertise or specialization.

Because it is necessary to find valuable information by analyzing vast amounts of information, this type of work requires advanced and wide-ranging skills and knowledge, including data analysis techniques, statistics, and consulting skills.

Scope of work and role of a data analyst

The role of a data analyst is to support the decision making of management and decision makers through the collection, processing, and analysis of data. The scope of work varies depending on the size and industry of the company, but the main responsibilities include the following
 

  • Understanding business issues and developing analytical plans
  • Collecting data from internal and external sources
  • Pre-processing such as data processing and cleaning
  • Data analysis
  • Interpretation of analysis results, formulation of hypotheses, and verification
  • Visualize analysis results and create reports
  • Propose strategies and measures to resolve issues

Starting with an understanding of the business issue, we collect and analyze the necessary data. Furthermore, it is the data analyst's job to visualize the results of the analysis in order to communicate them in a way that is easy for anyone to understand.

In order to perform their duties, it is important to have analytical skills to extract valuable information from data, insight into the nature of issues, and communication skills to convey the results of analysis.

Difference between a data analyst and a data scientist

A data scientist is also a position that involves data collection, analysis, and reporting. Both are experts in data analysis, and in many cases the line between their areas of work is blurred.

While it is difficult to draw a clear line, the main differences that can be considered are the roles and the knowledge and skills required. In the case of data analysts, the focus is on solving business problems, as they propose measures to improve issues based on the results of data analysis. They are required to have business understanding and knowledge and skills in data analysis using SQL and other tools.

A data scientist, on the other hand, will work on research and development of new method analysis and predictive models using more advanced statistics and machine learning. This requires skills such as advanced programming skills and mathematical background.

Simply put, the difference between data analysts and data scientists is that data analysts specialize in utilizing the results of analysis, while data scientists specialize in extracting data.

Please refer to the following article for more information on data scientists.

See also: What is a Data Scientist? Main job description and how to become one are also explained.

Main career paths for data analysts


データアナリストの主なキャリアパス

If you are considering a career change to data analyst, it is important to understand what career paths are possible. The main career paths for data analysts are as follows

Career path as a specialist

After becoming a data analyst, if you want to become a specialist in charge of practical work, you can become a data scientist or data engineer.

Data scientists are required to have more advanced knowledge and skills as analysis professionals. While gaining practical experience as a data analyst, you can expand the areas you are involved in and acquire knowledge and skills in machine learning and other areas.

Data engineers are responsible for organizing and managing data and designing and building data analysis infrastructures so that data can be utilized in business. Since their main role is to process unorganized data so that it can be utilized and to create an environment in which it can be analyzed at any time, the knowledge and skills developed through practical experience as a data analyst are useful. Recently, there are cases in which they are responsible for creating the educational data necessary for machine learning, so knowledge and skills in machine learning will also be necessary.

Career path as management

There are career paths that lead to management positions in data analysis teams. For example, a data analysis project also requires a project manager to lead the team.
A project manager is responsible for managing the budget, selecting personnel, and overseeing the team for a data analysis project. Another important role is to serve as a bridge between the data analysis team and other teams. In addition to project management, there are cases in which a data analyst or data scientist also performs analytical work.

In addition to data analysis, management and communication skills are necessary to keep the project on track. Since people with experience managing data analysis teams tend to be selected as project managers, it is a good idea to gain experience as a project leader or team leader to organize a team.

Starting a Business as a Consultant

There is also a possible path from data analyst to starting a business as a consultant, rather than remaining with a company. Data analyst skills can be of great use in consulting.

Consultants are responsible for proposing suitable solutions to clients' business challenges. Since solution proposals must be supported by data and figures, data analysis is a routine part of a consultant's work.

They may also propose the use of IT and systems to solve management issues. If you have experience as a data analyst, you will have an understanding of IT, including databases, systems, and programming, and you can use your knowledge to perform consulting work.

However, if you want to become a consultant, being able to analyze is not enough. You should hone your overall business skills, such as presentation skills, skills to facilitate discussions (facilitation skills), and project management skills. If you want to start your own business, you will also need knowledge of general management.

Independence as a freelancer

Data analysts can also work as freelancers. If you become an independent freelancer, you can work at your own discretion. You can easily flex where and when you work, and set compensation based on your skills, experience, and results. If you have a high level of expertise, you will have more opportunities to be involved in large-scale projects and can expect to receive higher compensation.

You can also choose to work on projects that you are good at or interested in. Since there is a wide range of industries and companies that offer projects to freelancers, gaining experience in a variety of fields is also an advantage.

However, it is important for freelancers to expand their own recognition and network to get work. It is also a good idea to specialize in a particular industry and position yourself as an expert in that field. It is also recommended that you continue to improve your skills after independence and seek to acquire certifications, such as statistical tests, in order to gain job opportunities.

If you want to improve your skills and career development to this point, we encourage you to take advantage of the career change support services provided by United World. Our dedicated career advisors will suggest the best job opportunities for your skills and experience, and provide full support for your job search. You can register for free and use this service as a starting point for your new career.

Talk to United World about 
career change.

Data analysts can be divided into two types


データアナリストは2つのタイプに分けられる

There are two types of data analysts: consulting and engineering. The same data analyst has different roles and required skills. It is important to understand the characteristics of each type of data analyst, as the career path you can envision may also change.

Consulting Data Analyst

A consulting-type data analyst analyzes data and proposes solutions in order to resolve issues faced by the company or its clients. Marketing and consulting companies are the main places of employment.

Consulting-type data analysts formulate hypotheses about what information is necessary to solve problems and forecast demand through data analysis. Then, the main job is to propose specific measures by utilizing the obtained data and your own knowledge.
 

  • Presentation skills
  • Ability to make proposals
  • Research skills
  • Survey data tabulation skills

If you have the above skills, the consulting type is suitable for you. Those who already have experience as a marketer or consultant may also be suitable.

Engineer-type data analyst

Engineer-type data analysts specialize in data manipulation techniques such as machine learning and data mining. Their role is to contribute to the business by conducting analysis using techniques for processing big data.

Specifically, they find what the analyzed data indicates and regularities, and improve and propose strategies and systems. For example, they contribute to the company by finding regularities in good customers and proposing sales strategies, detecting anomalies in the system and avoiding risks, etc.

The engineering type is suitable for programmers, system engineers, and others who already have knowledge of IT and industry experience; it is also suitable for those who have experience in the IT industry and want to work where numbers and statistics are important.

Main responsibilities of a data analyst


データアナリストの主な仕事内容

Although the job description will vary by industry and company, the main responsibilities of a data analyst include the following
 

  • Planning analytical projects
  • Data collection and organization/processing (pre-processing)
  • Data analysis and interpretation using mathematics and statistics
  • Data visualization and reporting
  • Sharing and proposal of analysis results

The first step is planning, which determines for what purpose data analysis will be conducted and what kind of data is needed. Then, data is collected based on the plan, and pre-processing such as organization and processing is necessary to make it easy to analyze.

Data analysis is performed using a variety of analytical methods based on mathematics and statistics, and the results are interpreted. Before sharing the results of the analysis, we also need to visualize the information in an easy-to-understand manner using graphs and charts.

Finally, we communicate the results of the analysis to the company and propose strategies and measures to resolve the issues.

Workplace in need of data analysts


データアナリストのニーズが高い職場

Data analysts work in a wide range of industries. If you are looking to change careers and become a data analyst, we recommend that you choose a workplace with a high need for data analysts. Here are five workplaces with a high need for data analysts.

IT and Software

In the IT and software industries, data analysts are mainly used for in-house data analysis. By analyzing the company's accumulated data and system performance data, they can contribute to solving business issues such as improving customer retention rates and systems.

Many IT and software companies are suffering from a shortage of IT personnel, including data analysis. If you already have experience and knowledge in the IT industry, it will not be so difficult to change jobs.

Marketing Industry

If you want to work as a consulting-type data analyst, you can consider a career change to the marketing industry. In the marketing industry, there are various types of marketers depending on their roles. One of them is the data analyst.

In marketing, data collection and analysis are indispensable for understanding the current situation and developing strategies. In particular, with the spread of the Internet and the increased use of social networking services, customer behavior and preferences have become more segmented, and trends are changing faster than ever. As a result, the marketing industry needs to constantly keep abreast of current conditions and trends, and the demand for data analysts, experts in data analysis, is increasing.

Retail and EC

Retail and EC also need data analysts to analyze their own data. Although there are many different genres of retail and e-commerce, the basic policy of all of them is to set sales and management targets and aim to achieve them.

Data analysis is essential to determine whether goals are being met and whether strategies and measures are appropriate. Daily data analysis enables us to accurately show sales performance in numerical terms, and to consider launching new strategies and measures as necessary.

Other factors such as sales forecasting and inventory control will also be able to be properly managed from the accumulated data. This would help to reduce the cost of purchasing and improve business performance.

Medical/Healthcare Industry

The medical and healthcare industries also have a growing need for data analysts. In the medical field, a wide variety of data is accumulated daily, including patients' medical histories, test results, and the effects of treatment. If these data are collected and analyzed, they can be used to predict and detect diseases at an early stage, optimize treatment methods, and improve hospital management.

The analyzed data could also contribute to the establishment of new treatment methods and the development of pharmaceuticals. This industry is recommended for those who want to contribute to people's health.

Financial Industry

In the financial industry, data analysis is used to develop strategies and avoid risks. For example, in loan screening, customer data can be analyzed to identify the risk of delinquency, enabling appropriate screening.

In addition, if data analysis can identify anomalies that pose a security threat, countermeasures can be immediately put in place. This can also prevent the leakage of personal and confidential information, thereby enhancing security.

Summary: United World is the place to be if you want to become a data analyst.


まとめ:データアナリストへの転職を目指すなら「United World」

In this issue, we have introduced the main career paths and job descriptions for data analysts. As a data analysis specialist, a data analyst can chart a career path that includes becoming a data scientist in a higher-level position, a management position, or a consultant who starts a business or becomes a freelancer. Once you have a clear idea of what you want to become in the future, you will have a clearer idea of the skills and experience you need to acquire to reach your goals, and you will be more motivated in your work.

 

At United World, our career advisors will support you by introducing suitable jobs to those who want to become data analysts, as well as providing advice on job hunting and career planning. Even if you do not have a clear career path, you can find what you really want to be by consulting with us. We handle jobs across a wide range of industries and company sizes, so if you are considering changing jobs to become a data analyst, please click the button below to contact us.

Talk to United World about 
career change.

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