Data Analyst

What the job involves

A data analyst helps a business make decisions based on numbers. They pull data from different sources, clean it, calculate metrics, look for patterns and present the result as reports and dashboards. They answer questions such as which channel brings in more customers, where users drop off before buying and what has changed over a period. An important part of the job is explaining findings to people without a technical background.

Skills you need

• confident use of Excel or Google Sheets
• SQL for querying databases
• basic statistics and the ability to test hypotheses
• Python or another tool for processing data
• visualization tools such as Power BI, Tableau or Looker Studio
• logic and care about data quality
• the ability to explain findings clearly and work with business requests

How to start and learn

Start with Excel and basic statistics, then learn SQL, which almost every analyst vacancy asks for. After that add Python and one visualization tool. Practise on open datasets and put together two or three worked cases with conclusions for your portfolio. A technical degree is not required to begin, but you need an interest in numbers and patience. A typical first position is junior analyst, analyst assistant or intern.

Where they work

In Armenia data analysts work in banks and financial companies, marketing agencies, startups and product companies, e-commerce and telecommunications, and as freelancers. The profession is a base for growth into product analytics, data science or management.