With an increase in available data and great strides in technology, pursuing a career in analytics is easier than ever. As more and more businesses look towards data to deliver solutions, business and data analytics professionals are able to fill the growing need for data expertise.
If you are interested in a career in analytics, it’s vital that you possess the right skills and attributes. Whether you choose a career as a data scientist or business analyst, here are some of the shared attributes that can help take you far in your profession.
Good Communicator
Regardless of the method of communication, you must communicate effectively with your colleagues in analytics. You must be able to get your points across clearly and unambiguously. It’s also important that you know how to ask the right questions to receive the information you need from stakeholders. In an analytics career, communication can help to:
- Strengthen relationships
- Increase productivity levels
- Improve business efficiency
- Establish greater levels of trust
Good Listener
Listening skills are another important attribute that you must have to work in analytics. Being able to listen and absorb information will enable you to thoroughly analyze what is being said. It’s important that you not only listen to what is being said but understand the context behind it too. Active listening helps to:
- Build trust
- Resolve conflicts
- Inspire people
- Strengthen teams
Time Management
Whether you work in data analytics or business analytics, it’s vital that you have excellent time management skills. Ensuring that work is completed on time and making sure projects don’t fall behind schedule is key. To flourish in analytics, you will need to master the art of multi-tasking, allowing you to prioritize activities and understand which are more important than others. Remember, you will need to manage your own time and activities, and possibly other people’s time if you are dependent on them for resources. Good time management skills help to:
- Reduce stress levels
- Help you focus
- Accomplish more in a shorter frame of time
Documentation & Writing Skills
In the analytics field, you will be expected to deliver a variety of different types of documents. Reports, plans, specifications, and analysis are key components throughout a project, so making sure that your documents are written clearly and concisely is vital. Excellent documentation and writing skills help to:
- Provide accuracy and efficiency in your work
- Help make better decisions
- Be more productive
Creativity
To flourish in analytics, you will need to demonstrate your passion for the industry. Having a creative mind and sharing your thoughts and ideas can help you flourish in your position. Creativity enables you to:
- Promote thinking and problem solving
- Reduce stress and anxiety
- Express yourself
- Lead to feelings of pride and accomplishment
Developing Skills
No matter what kind of analytics career suits you best, it’s important that you pick the right degree to gain the skills listed above. Many individuals are faced with the challenge of enrolling in an accredited MSBA program or choosing one strictly focused on data science. You can compare the differences between data analytics vs business analytics online, which can help you make your final decision.
With data slowly seeping into every aspect of our day-to-day lives, many people believe that the future will belong to those who can talk about data. A career in analytics can be highly rewarding, so no matter what field of analytics interests you most, all the characteristics above can help you flourish in your role.