We can all agree that modern society runs on data. Digital transformation has become a watchword in modern business and as we continue to digitize our physical world, the need for skilled data analysts will only grow. With the right skills, transitioning to a career in data analytics can lead to stable employment in a high-paying industry. Having the key analytical skills in data analytics will make you stand out as a professional data analyst. 

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What are analytical skills?

Analytical skills are the capacity to recognize a problem, search for relevant information, and come up with a logical solution. They are valuable abilities in a variety of fields, but they are especially crucial in finance when analyzing financial products. 

As a data analyst, you have to be good at breaking down big amounts of data into smaller, easier-to-understand portions for decision-making. You will be frequently in charge of cleaning up corrupted data, determining data quality, and preparing reports. It will be an added advantage to have technical skills such as database programming languages (SQL, Oracle, Python) and other analytical applications. 

Why Are Analytical Skills Important?

Analytical skills in data analytics are important because they enable people to solve problems and develop concrete decisions and plans to address them. They’re useful in a variety of fields, including data science, project management, marketing, law, medicine, scientific research, accountancy, and so on.

Top 6 Analytical Skills to Set You Apart As A Data Analytics Professional

Critical thinking

Knowing what to ask and how to ask the proper questions is a crucial skill to master and apply in your professional life. As a Data analyst, you must be a critical thinker capable of analyzing data to assist in the making of business decisions.

This skill can be used to spot trends and make decisions. To draw attention to relevant patterns in your function or department, you don’t have to be a data analyst. All you need to know is what the right questions are and how to ask them for the best possible results.

Statistics

Every data analytics specialist must understand statistics. The understanding is tied to the ability to interpret statistical data. Even data mining techniques borrow so much from statistics in areas like predictive analysis, standard deviation, nonlinear regression analysis. These techniques help you analyze, interpret and present information in a more articulate manner required of you as a data analytics professional.

Data visualization

To get your message across and keep your audience engaged, you’ll need to be able to create a compelling story with facts. You’ll have a hard time getting your message through to others if your findings can’t be simply and immediately recognized. 

Using a combination of text and images is a good way to make your data easier to understand .Graphs and charts are the foundations of data visualization, but data can now also be displayed using infographics and other visual tools. Data analysts can use data visualization to assist business decision-makers (who may lack significant analytical knowledge) in identifying trends and comprehending complicated ideas at a glance. 

This capacity allows you the data analyst to obtain a deeper knowledge of a firm’s position, communicate relevant findings to team leaders, and even influence company decision-making. 

Statistical programming 

It’s critical to know how to analyze and understand statistical data if you want to work in data analysis. Microsoft Excel is particularly good at automating specific features and instructions for more efficient data analysis. It features its programming language, VBA, for creating macros, or pre-recorded commands. When used effectively, VBA can save a lot of time for human analysts on projects that are done often and repetitively, such as accounting, payroll, and project management.

R or Python can do whatever Excel can and at a faster rate. They’re both industry-standard robust statistical programming languages for doing advanced analysis and predictive analytics on large data sets. To work as a true data analyst, you’ll need to know at least one of these languages in addition to SQL

Problem-solving 

Problem-solving abilities may appear to be synonymous with analytical abilities, but they are simply another ability that is used in the analytical process. Employers are looking for those that can solve problems and deal with any unexpected situations or concerns. After identifying a problem and performing thorough research, the next step is to discuss alternative solutions. You utilize your problem-solving skills to organize all of the information you’ve gathered into a clear action plan.

Mathematics 

You can’t be in a science field and you have no appetite for math. Data science borrows much from math in areas such as linear algebra, calculus, and much more. Principles in linear algebra are particularly important when dealing with the creation of algorithms. When you understand why algorithms are needed to collect data, then you stand a better chance to explain deductions and conclusions from the data which will influence decisions.

How do data analysts develop analytical skills?

Developing your analytical skills in data analytics can help you reach your career goals no matter what field or business you work in.

Let’s look at some of the things you can do to improve your analytical skills

Take some tests

There are lots of free internet resources for assessing your analytical skills and critical thinking abilities. These are usually math or logic-based, and they can help you educate your brain to think strategically about challenges. Even though these exams have little or no influence on your actual job obligations, they can help you rewire your brain.

Assume leadership positions. 

To succeed as a leader, you’ll need a variety of skills. Seek out opportunities to lead initiatives that will allow you to put your analytical abilities to the test. When it’s up to you to figure out the best way to accomplish things, not just for yourself but for the entire team, you’ll develop a natural talent for thorough analysis.

Find a mentor

This is sound advice no matter what skills you’re aiming to improve. A mentor in your area who has successfully navigated the challenges of your job is like a cheat code for improving your analytical abilities. Your mentor can provide you with insight into how they handle problems, which you can then apply to your analytical framework.

Become a keen observer of what’s going on around you.

Try to read between the lines when you’re watching movies or TV shows, seeing advertisements, or listening to a politician’s speech. Look for plot holes, evaluate why a commercial is effective (or not), and listen to what the politician isn’t saying.

All of these simple habits can help you improve your analytical abilities while also making you a more engaged and attentive citizen.

Play games

Don’t just play any games, play logical games. Think of Rubik’s Cubes, Sudoku puzzles, and Chess as examples. These games can help you improve your analytical skills while having a good time.

Conclusion

Having the essential analytical skills in data analytics can greatly transform your career path. Plumlogixu offers flexible, online-based training with one on one live mentorship with industry experts data analytics Bootcamp curated to include all the above. Review the Data Analytics Career Track course now to get started.