what is a data analyst?
As a data analyst, you spend most of the day organising data and helping various stakeholders draw conclusions from the information. Regardless of your industry, your job is to collect and interpret data. For instance, in sales and marketing, you translate sales figures into tangible evidence that helps the company make better decisions.
As an analyst, you examine historical data from an organisation, such as quarterly sales, monthly income or annual web traffic, and identify trends or spot patterns. You apply your knowledge in descriptive and diagnostic analytics to explain certain occurrences or outcomes in a business. Aside from understanding the past, you also assist organisations with forecasting. You can use descriptive data to detect tendencies and trends to base your predictions. Predicting the outcomes allows companies to take proactive actions to avoid adverse consequences.
When businesses want to determine a course of action, they rely on data analysts to provide data-driven evidence to help them decide. Using prescriptive analytics keeps you ahead of industry trends. As a data analyst, you use complex algorithms, statistical methods and machine learning (ML) technology to organise and evaluate data. Sometimes, you need proficiency in data visualisation and database programming languages to manage data sources and databases.
Would working as a data analyst suit your analytical skills? Then read on to find out what competencies and qualifications you need to thrive in a data analyst role.
data analyst jobsaverage data analyst salary
The average salary of a data analyst in Greece is €48,000 per year. Υou can get an average bonus of €1,900. Your earnings fluctuate based on various factors, including education and work experience. When starting out in the role, you start with a salary of approximately €33,000 per year. When you have a higher level of education, you can negotiate a higher salary. The highest-paid data analysts in Greece can take home over €58,000 per year.
what factors affect the salary of a data analyst?
When you are new to the role, you earn a lower salary due to minimal experience. You can improve your earnings by boosting your level of education and professional expertise. Gain relevant work experience and improve your skills through industry certifications.
Consider working in a large city to increase your earnings. Big cities have a higher demand for data analysts. Working in a large organisation also boosts your salary prospects due to the complexity of the duties and the unlimited resources available.
types of data analysts
Some types of data analysts include:
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business intelligence (BI) analyst
Your job is to identify patterns and interpret data gathered from the company's systems. Aside from internal data, you also collect and evaluate external data from competitors and the market to identify patterns and potential issues that could affect the business.
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logistics analyst
As a logistics analyst, you gather and organise data from supply chain processes. You use the information to create strategies that will help optimise the processes, lower expenses, and enhance efficiency in production and distribution.
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business systems analyst
You are responsible for evaluating and leveraging data to improve the functions of a company's information technology systems. You also find strategies to improve the systems.
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marketing analyst
Your job is to use data to help the sales and marketing team better understand the market and their customers. You analyse the organisation's target market information and develop the best marketing strategies.
working as a data analyst
If you enjoy working with numbers and have good analytical skills, read on to discover the duties, responsibilities and work environments of data analysts.
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what does a data analyst do?
Some of the tasks of a data analyst include:
- Mining data: as a data analyst, your primary role is to mine data from secondary and primary sources. That means collecting relevant information from the company's database or gathering it from external sources. For instance, you carry out surveys or track users' actions on your company's website. You also structure the raw data using various tools and software.
- Pruning and cleaning data: after extracting data, you correct and organise it for analysis. Sometimes, data contains outliers, duplicates and errors that influence interpretations. The cleaning process also involves removing any information that may distort the evaluation process or lead to skewed conclusions.
- Modelling data: as a data analyst, you design the database to store data securely. Your programming skills come in handy in organising the databases, like establishing data categories and relationships. You also determine the appearance of the data in the storage spaces.
- Interpreting information: you use analytical tools to explore facts from the data collected. The results should provide answers to specific questions. It requires logical thinking to examine data components or statistical tools to identify trends and patterns that explain outcomes.
- Creating data reports and visualisations: as a data analyst, it is crucial to translate raw data into information that assists decision-makers and other stakeholders. Reports help businesses monitor performance based on the prediction and ensure it does not fall outside the expected range. You can use charts, graphs and other data visualisation tools to explain your findings.
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work environment of a data analyst
As a data analyst, you work in any industry, from finance and insurance firms to healthcare institutions and information technology (IT) companies. You utilise your analytical skills to help improve efficiency and optimise business processes. You work for both the public and private sectors. Your work is home or office-based.
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who are your colleagues?
Depending on the industry you work in, you are likely to work alongside business analysts, information security analysts and IT administrators. You are also likely to work with financial analysts and quality engineers. You collaborate with departmental heads like operations managers, marketing managers and sales managers to collect data for analysis.
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data analyst work schedule
As a data analyst, you work around 40 hours a week full-time. Some data analysts work on short-term contracts, while others find part-time opportunities. The data analyst position doesn't involve travelling unless you are making a presentation to clients or attending conferences.
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career opportunities as a data analyst
Technological advancement expanded the amount of data companies collect from internal and external sources. Hence, data analysis is a priority for many industries. Becoming a data analyst is a promising career with a clear career progression. For instance, when you start from a junior data analyst position, you can easily become a senior data analyst after gaining a few years of experience or earning additional qualifications. Data analysts also have various specialisms to focus on, including market research, business intelligence and logistics. Some data analysts take up IT careers as database administrators or work their way into management roles, such as operations managers.
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advantages of finding a job as a data analyst through randstad
Working with Randstad offers you a range of benefits.
- always a contact person you can fall back on and ask for help
- a range of jobs in your area
data analyst skills and education
You require educational qualifications to become a data analyst in Greece. Some of the requirements include:
- Educational qualifications: to work as a data analyst, you should pursue a bachelor's degree in statistics, economics or mathematics. Any course related to data science prepares you for the role. A master's degree in data also improves your career prospects significantly.
- Work experience: you require extensive experience to work as a data analyst. You can improve your experience through internships and entry-level positions. Exposure to data analytics and data visualisation tools will improve your earnings. You also require knowledge in your industry to improve your job prospects. Consider getting professional certifications, like an AWS Certified Data Analytics, CompTIA Data+ or SAS Statistical Business Analyst Professional certificate.
competencies and characteristics of data analysts
Data analysts require the following transferable skills:
- Programming languages: as a data analyst, you handle massive amounts of data and perform complex equations. Learning a statistical programming language improves your competitiveness. Python and 'R' are popular statistical languages, but you can find others that suit your role. You also need database management programming skills to organise and store data in databases.
- Proficiency in using data visualisation tools: it is vital to present your findings convincingly. Using charts and graphs helps your employers understand your interpretation. Hence, you should learn data visualisation using various tools like Excel, Notebook and Tableau.
- Maths and statistics knowledge: as a data analyst, you need knowledge of statistical techniques and mathematical concepts to interpret data. A solid grasp of maths and statistics helps you decide on the best tools to use and improves your understanding of results.
- Problem-solving skills: as a data analyst, you should understand the problem that needs solving or the questions the information gathered aims to answer. Problem-solving skills assist you in finding patterns and trends in various data sets or identifying gaps and mistakes in your interpretation methods.
FAQs
Here, you will find the answers to the most frequently asked questions about the profession of a data analyst.
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what do you actually do as a data analyst?
As a data analyst, you collect and analyse data from various sources to study the trends. You use data mining tools to gather and store data. From your analysis, you determine market trends and help the organisation solve various problems. You also prepare reports for internal and external audiences.
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how much do data analysts make in greece?
As a data analyst, you make an average salary of €48,000 per year. However, your earnings fluctuate based on your experience and educational qualifications. In an entry-level role, you take home a salary of €33,000 annually. With experience and added certifications, you are likely to take home a higher salary. The highest-paid data analysts in Greece earn over €58,000 per year.
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what skills do I need to be a data analyst?
As a data analyst, you require extensive knowledge of data analysis and the use of statistical tools. You also require personal attributes like analytical skills and problem-solving ability to handle challenges that arise during data modelling and visualisation. Your proficiency in programming languages is also important in data mining, data cleaning and database management.
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how do I become a data analyst without a degree?
If you don’t have a degree in mathematics or statistics, it’s still possible to work your way up to a data analyst position. You can take up data entry jobs to gain relevant experience and acquire professional certifications in data analytics to prove your abilities.
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can data analysts work remotely?
Yes. Most of the duties of a data analyst, like mining and data modelling, can be done remotely. You only need a laptop and internet access to complete your duties. Contract-based, part-time or freelancing positions allow you to work remotely as a data analyst.
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how do I find a job as a data analyst?
Finding a job near you as a data analyst is easy. Search our job offers. Have you found what you're looking for? Then submit your application using the ‘Apply’ button top right on the page. No jobs available right now? Then log in or register an account to send us your resume and we'll pass it on to a recruiter who will contact you if an opportunity opens up for you.
