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Module 5: Optional: Adding data to your resume

Creating an effective resume will help you on your data analytics career path. In this part of the course, you’ll learn all about the job application process with a focus on crafting a resume that highlights your strengths and applicable experience. Even if you aren’t applying to jobs yet, it’s still a good time to improve your resume. It’s like spring training for a first season in a major league–you don’t want to miss it!

Learning Objectives

  • Identify key elements of a data analyst resume
  • Demonstrate an understanding how previous experience may be added to a resume
  • Discuss how a data analyst job description may be aligned to a particular area of interest

The data analyst hiring process


Video: About the data-analyst hiring process

This text encourages viewers who are interested in becoming data analysts to engage in several key steps:

  1. Review possible career paths: Reflect on the opportunities available after completing the data analyst program.
  2. Build your network and online presence: Highlight the importance of networking and establishing an online presence for career advancement.
  3. Revamp your resume: Assess your existing resume and explore potential modifications for a data analyst role.
  4. Understand the application process: Gain insight into the typical application process for data analyst positions.
  5. Craft a professional resume: Learn effective strategies for writing or adjusting your resume to enhance its professionalism and suitability for data analyst roles.
  6. Analyze resume examples: Examine successful data analyst resumes for inspiration and guidance.
  7. Explore different data analyst jobs: Conduct self-reflection on various data analyst jobs to identify your ideal career path.

The text positions itself as a supportive guide through this process, acknowledging its limitations as a career counseling session but emphasizing its value in enhancing resume building and overall career direction.

Hey there, thanks for
stopping by once again. So earlier we checked out some potential
career paths that might open up for you once you complete the program. You might also have explored
the advantages of networking and building an online presence. And I want to tell you just by being
here now, you’ve shown you’re committed. You’re taking a big step
in your future career. Coming up, we’ll spend some
time building your resume. You might already have a resume
that you’ve used or been saving and that’s great. There’s a good chance you’ll still be
able to use it even if you’re planning to switch careers. Together we’ll find out what kinds of
changes to your resume you might want to make. But before that, we’ll figure out what
the whole application process is like. Then we’ll explore the best way to
write or adjust your resume to make it as professional-looking as possible and
ready for your role as a data analyst. We’ll also take a peek at some
examples of other resumes. After that, we’ll have you do a little
self-analysis as we review the different types of data analyst jobs out there, so you can think about which
ones might be best for you. While I’m definitely not a career
counselor, we can still think of this as a kind of career counseling session.
You’ll get a better idea of how to build your resume while thinking about your
bigger career picture at the same time. So let’s get started!

Video: The data analyst job-application process

Preparing for your Data Analyst Job Search:

  • Managing Expectations: Everyone’s job search is unique, influenced by location, interests, and preferred work environment.
  • Finding Job Openings: Utilize job boards, company websites, and job alerts to discover suitable opportunities.
  • Research & Tailor Your Resume: Learn about the company and specific positions to tailor your resume effectively. Consider a master resume for modifications.
  • Leverage Your Network: Connect with professionals on LinkedIn or through personal contacts for guidance, referrals, and insights.
  • Embrace Rejection: Hearing “no” is common, especially during career transitions. Stay focused and believe in yourself.
  • Recruiter Interaction: Be professional and personable when interacting with recruiters, highlighting your industry knowledge and skills.
  • Hiring Manager Interview: Research the company and role, prepare questions to assess the company’s fit, and showcase your capabilities.
  • Final Interviews: Impress future stakeholders and teammates with your skills and enthusiasm.
  • Job Offer Negotiation: Research market salaries and benefits to negotiate a competitive offer that aligns with your value and the company’s budget.
  • Two-Week Notice & Break: Give your current employer proper notice and allow yourself a break before starting your new adventure.

Key takeaways:

  • Preparation, research, and persistence are crucial for a successful job search.
  • Utilize available resources and build connections for guidance and opportunities.
  • Be confident in your skills and negotiate for a fair offer that benefits both you and the company.
  • Remember to celebrate your achievements and enjoy the start of your new journey.

Hi again. Right now, it seems like the perfect time
to take a step back from learning about data analytics, so you can get excited about what
comes after you’re done here. The road to finding a job
can be challenging, but you’re building up your skillset and learning what it takes
to be a data analyst. In this video, we’ll cover what you
can expect from your job search, plus some tips for using
your newfound skills and knowledge to make your search easier. I remember when I first started out. I reached out to as many people as I
could to learn about their career paths, their companies, and their roles. I wanted to get a good
idea of what to expect. And that’s what we’re doing now: giving you an idea of what to
expect during your own job search. It’s important to remember that
everyone’s search will be different. It might depend on where you live, what
your interests are within the field, and personal preferences, like the type of work environment
you feel comfortable in. This is all part of making this
journey your own as you hunt for a job that’s perfect for you. The most common way to start is
by checking out available jobs. There’s a lot of job sites that
are built specifically for people seeking employment. You can also go to company websites where they usually post job listings too. These sites might even have an option to
send you an alert when a role matching your search becomes available. Once you find a few that you like, do some research to learn
more about the companies and the details about the specific
positions you’ll be applying for. Then you can update your resume or
create a new one. You’ll want it to be specific and
reflect what each company is looking for. But you can definitely have a master
resume that you tweak for each position. It can also help to create a spreadsheet
with all of your experiences and accomplishments to help you decide what
to include in your resume for each. If you’re using a professional
networking site like LinkedIn, you might already have connections who
can help you with your job search. Maybe you know someone who
can write a referral for you or knows of a job within their
company that would suit you. And even if you don’t have any
luck with your connections, you can also reach out to employees of
the companies you’re interested in. They might be able to give you some
insight on the best ways to highlight your skills and experience when applying. And, it’s okay
if they don’t write back. Keep trying! This is probably a good time to tell
you of the most challenging part of a job search: hearing the word “no.” You will probably hear it a lot, and
that’s 100% okay. It’s part of everyone’s experience, especially when switching career paths.
People you reach out to might not be able to help you. Companies you would love to work for
might not have any openings. Jobs you applied for
might be filled by someone else, and that’s all part of the process. The key is to stay focused. Don’t get discouraged, and
above all else believe in yourself. Okay, speech over, but don’t forget it, or
I’ll be forced to give more speeches. So, back to your search. If the company you’re
applying to is interested, your first point of contact
might be a recruiter. A recruiter might also reach out to
you based on their own research. They may find your professional profile
online and think you’re a good match for a position. Speaking of which,
that’s another reason to keep building and refreshing your online profile. Recruiters are there to make sure
you’re a legitimate candidate for the job posted in the description. So when you talk with the recruiter,
whether on the phone, online or in person, be professional and personable. It’s natural to feel nervous here. So, it can help to refer back to your
resume to wow them with your knowledge of the data analytics industry. And remember, recruiters
are also looking for someone and they’re hoping it’ll be you. Here’s another tip. Using technical terms like “SQL” and “clean data” will show recruiters
that you know what you’re doing. Recruiters probably won’t go into too
much detail about the ins and outs. But they want to see that you
know what you’re talking about. They might also give you prep materials or
other recommendations. Take advantage of these because
recruiters want you to do well. Next up is usually the hiring manager. This is the most important step. The hiring manager’s job is to evaluate
whether you have the ability to do the work and whether you’d be
a good fit for their team. Your job is to convince
them that yes, you do, and yes, you would be. A good thing you can do
here is use LinkedIn or other professional sites to
research the hiring managers or even other analysts who have a similar
role to the one you’re applying for. The more information
you have about the job, the better your chances
of actually getting it. You should also use this opportunity
to ask lots of questions to help you figure out if
the company’s a good fit for you. You can do this when you
talk to recruiters too. Now if the hiring manager
sees you as a fit, it’s very possible you’ll have
at least one more interview. The point of these interviews is to
give your future stakeholders and teammates a chance to decide if you’re
the best candidate for the position. The next step is the best step. If all goes well,
you’ll get an official offer. Usually by phone first and
maybe followed by an official letter. At this point, feel free to celebrate. Call everyone and celebrate some more. But even if it’s your dream job, make sure it’s a competitive
offer before you sign. Remember, if they reach
out to you with an offer, that means they want you
as much as you want them. If you’re interviewing at other places,
you can leverage this to figure out if negotiating for
a more competitive offer is possible. You should also research salaries,
benefits, vacation time, and any other factors that are important
to you for similar jobs. If you can show specific research like
company x gives y amount more for the same role, there’s usually some room to negotiate
your salary, vacation days, or something else. Keep in mind, you’ll need to find
a balance between what you want, what they want to give you, and
what’s fair. So know your own worth but also understand
that the company hiring you has already placed a certain
value on your role. Okay, let’s say that
everything works out, and you’re happy with a negotiated deal and
excited to join your new team. Even then, hit pause and give yourself at least two weeks
before you officially start. Why? Well, if you’re already employed
somewhere else during your job search, it’s customary and polite to give at
least a two-week notice at your old job before starting at the new one. Plus, it’s good to give yourself a break
before starting your exciting new adventure. You’ve earned it. By now you should have a pretty
good idea of what to expect when you start your data
analyst job search. Coming up we’ll talk more
about building your resume. See you in the next video.

Video: Creating a resume

Summary of Resume Building in Data Analytics:

Key Points:

  • One-page, snapshot format: Keep your resume concise and focused on highlighting your relevant skills and experience.
  • Professionalism and organization: Use a clear format with sections for contact information, summary (optional), work experience, skills, and education.
  • Tailoring for each position: Highlight experiences and skills relevant to the specific job you’re applying for.
  • Quantify your impact: Use metrics and data to demonstrate the positive results you achieved in previous roles.
  • Data analytics focus: Emphasize relevant data analysis skills, even if gained from non-professional experiences.
  • Education and certificates: Highlight your completion of the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate.
  • Technical and language skills: Include proficiency in technical tools like SQL and any additional languages you speak.

Additional Tips:

  • Use a resume template for easy formatting and structure.
  • Proofread carefully for errors and typos.
  • Match your contact information across your resume and online profiles.
  • Consider different resume formats to find one that suits your experience and career goals.
  • Research the company and job description to tailor your resume further.

Overall:

Building a strong resume for a data analyst position requires showcasing relevant skills, experiences, and education in a concise and impactful way. By following these tips and tailoring your resume to each job you apply for, you can increase your chances of landing an interview and your dream data analyst job.

Great, you’re back. When you take a picture, you usually try to capture lots of different things in one image. Maybe you’re taking a picture of the sunset and want to
capture the clouds, the tree line and the mountains. Basically, you want a snapshot
of that entire moment. You can think of building
a resume in the same way. You want your resume to
be a snapshot of all that you’ve done both in school
and professionally. In this video, we’ll go through the process of building a resume, which you’ll be able to
add your own details too. Keep in mind this is a snapshot. When managers and recruiters look at what you’ve
included in your resume, they should be able to tell right away what you can
offer their company. The key here is to be brief. Try to keep everything
in one page and each description to just
a few bullet points. Two to four bullet
points is enough but remember to keep your
bullet points concise. Sticking to one page
will help you stay focused on the details that best reflect who you are or who you
want to be professionally. One page might also be all that hiring managers and recruiters
have time to look at. They’re busy people,
so you want to get their attention with your
resume as quickly as possible. Now let’s talk about actually
building your resume. This is where templates come in. They’re a great way to build a brand new resume or reformat
one you already have. Programs like Microsoft
Word or Google Docs and even some job search websites all have templates you can use. A template has placeholders for the information
you’ll need to enter and its own design elements to make your resume
look inviting. You’ll have a chance to explore this option a little later. For now, we’ll go through
the steps you can take to make your
resume professional, easy to read and error-free. If you already have
a resume document, you can use these
steps to tweak it. Now, there’s more than one
way to build a resume, but most have contact information at the top of the document. This includes your name, address, phone number,
and email address. If you have multiple email
addresses or phone numbers, use the ones that are most reliable and sound professional. It’s also great if you can use your first and last name
in your email address, like janedoe17@email.com. You should also make sure
that your contact information matches the details that you’ve included on
professional websites. While most resumes have contact information
in the same place, it’s up to you how
you organize that info. A format that focuses more
on skills and qualifications and less on work
history is great for people who have gaps
in their work history. It’s also good for those who are just starting
out their career or making a career change,
and that might be you. If you do want to highlight
your work history, feel free to include details of your work experience starting
with your most recent job. If you’ve had lots
of jobs that are related to a new position
you’re applying for, this format make sense. If you’re editing a
resume you already have, you can keep it in
the same format and adjust the details. If you’re starting a new one or building a resume
for the first time, choose the format that makes
the most sense for you. There’s lots of resume
resources online. You should browse through a bunch of different
resumes to get an idea of the formats you
think work best for you. Once you’ve decided
on your format, you can start adding
your details. Some resumes begin
with the summary, but this is optional. A summary can be helpful if you have experience that
is not traditional for a data analyst or if you’re making
a career transition. If you decide to
include a summary, keep it to one or two
sentences that highlight your strengths and how you can help the company
you’re applying to. You’ll also want to
make sure your summary includes positive
words about yourself, like dedicated and proactive. You can support those
words with data, like the number of years
you’ve worked or the tools you’re experienced in like
SQL and spreadsheets. A summary might start
off with something like hardworking customer
service representative with over five years
of experience. Once you’ve completed
this program and have your certificate, you’ll be able to
include that too, which could sound like this, “entry-level data analytics
professional recently completed the Google Data Analytics
Professional Certificate.” Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Another option is leaving a placeholder for your
summary while you build the rest of your resume and then writing it after you
finish the other sections. This way, you can review the
skills and experience you’ve mentioned and grab two or three of the highlights
to use in your summary. It’s also good to note that
the summary might change a little as you apply
for different jobs. If you’re including a
work experience section, there’s lots of different types of experience you could add. Outside of jobs with
other companies, you could also include
volunteer positions you’ve had and any freelance or
side work you’ve done. The key here is the way in which you describe
these experiences. Try to describe the
work you did in a way that relates to the position
you’re applying for. Most job descriptions have minimum qualifications
or requirements listed. These are the
experiences, skills, and education you’ll need to
be considered for the job. It’s important to clearly
state them in your resume. If you’re a good match, the next step is checking out
preferred qualifications, which lots of job
descriptions also include. These aren’t required, but every additional
qualification you match makes you a more competitive candidate
for the role. Including any part of your skills and
experience that matches a job description will help your resume rise above
the competition. If a job listing describes a job responsibility as “effectively managing
data resources,” you’ll want to have
your own description that reflects that
responsibility. For example, if
you volunteered or worked at a local school
or community center, you might say that you
“effectively managed resources for
after-school activities.” Later on, you’ll learn more ways to make your
work history work for you. It’s helpful to
describe your skills and qualifications
in the same way. For example, if a listing talks about organization and
partnering with others, try to think about relevant
experiences you’ve had. Maybe you’ve helped
organize the food drive or partnered with someone to
start an online business. In your descriptions, you want to highlight
the impact you’ve had in your role, as well as the impact
the role had on you. If you helped a business get started or reach new heights, talk about that experience and how you played a part in it. Or if you worked at a store
when it first opened, you can say that
you helped launch the successful business by ensuring quality
customer service. If you used data analytics
in any of your jobs, you’ll definitely want
to include that as well. We’ll cover how to add specific data analysis
skills a little bit later. One way to do this is to follow a formula in
your descriptions: Accomplished X as
measured by Y, by doing Z. Here’s an example of how
this might read on a resume: Selected as one of 275
participants nationwide for this 12-month professional
development program for high- achieving talent based on leadership potential
and academic success. If you’ve gained new skills
in one of your experiences, be sure to highlight them
all and how they helped. This is probably
as good a spot as any to bring up data analytics. Even if this program is the first time you really
thought about data analytics, now that you’re equipped
with some knowledge, you’ll want to use
that to your benefit. If you’ve ever managed money, maybe that means you helped the business analyze
future earnings. Or maybe you created
a budget based on your analysis of
previous spending. Even if it was for your own
or a friend’s small business, it’s still data that
you’ve analyzed. Now you can reflect on when and how and use it
in your resume. After you’ve added work
experience and skills, you should include a section for any education you’ve completed. Yes, this course
absolutely counts. You can add this course as
part of your education, and you can also refer to it in your summary and skill sections. Depending on the
format of your resume, you might want to add a section for technical skills you’ve acquired both in this
course and elsewhere. Besides technical
skills like SQL, you could also include language proficiencies
in this section. Having some ability in
a language other than English can only help
your job search. Now you have an
idea of how to make your resume look
professional and appealing. As you move forward, you’ll learn even more about how to make your resume shine. By the end, you’ll have a
resume you can be proud of. Next up, we’ll talk about
how to make your resume truly unique. See you soon.

Understand the elements of a data analyst resume


Video: Making your resume unique

Topic: Refining your resume for data analytics jobs

Key points:

  • Clear communication: Highlight your ability to explain data analysis clearly and concisely to various audiences.
  • Summary section: Use PAR statements (Problem-Action-Result) to showcase your achievements effectively.
  • Skill section: Include skills and qualifications like spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau, and R (mentioning specific functions or packages).
  • Accuracy: Only list skills you’ve genuinely acquired.
  • Case study: Link your completed case study to showcase your learned skills.
  • Continuous improvement: Update your resume with new skills and projects regularly.

Next steps: Adding work experience to your resume.

Overall message: This video provides actionable tips on tailoring your resume for data analytics jobs, emphasizing clear communication and relevant skills. Remember, a strong resume is crucial for success in your job search.

Great to see you again. Building a strong resume is a great way to find
success in your job hunt. You’ve had the chance to
start building your resume, and now we’ll take the
next step by showing you how to refine your resume for data analytics jobs.
Let’s get started. For data analytics, one of
the most important things your resume should do is show that you are a
clear communicator. Companies looking for
analysts want to know that the people they hire
can do the analysis, but also can explain it to any audience in a
clear and direct way. Your first audience as a
data analyst will most likely be hiring
managers and recruiters. Being direct and coherent in your resume will go a long
way with them as well. Let’s start with the
summary section. While you won’t go into
too much detail in this section about any of
your work experiences, it’s a good spot to
point out if you’re transitioning into
a new career role. You might add something like, “transitioning from a career in the auto industry and seeking a full-time role in the
field of data analytics.” One strategy you can use in
your summary and throughout your resume is P-A-R,
or PAR statements. PAR stands for Problem,
Action, Result. This is a great way to help you write clearly and concisely. Instead of saying something like, “was responsible for
writing two blogs a month,” you’d say, “earned
little-known website over 2,000 new clicks through
strategic blogging.” The website being
little-known is the problem. The strategic action is the strategic blogging. And the result is the
2,000 new clicks. Adding PAR statements to
your job descriptions or skill section can help with the organization and
consistency in your resume. They definitely helped
me when I changed jobs. Speaking of the skill section, make sure you include any
skills and qualifications you’ve acquired through this
course and on your own. You don’t need to
be super technical. But talking about your
experience with spreadsheets, SQL, Tableau, and R, which is a programming language
that we’ll get to later, will enhance your resume and your chances
of getting a job. If you’re listing
qualifications or skills, you might include a spot for programming languages
and then list SQL and R, which are both a part of the Google Data
Analytics certificate. You might even add in
the top functions, packages or formulas that you’re comfortable with in each. It also makes sense to
include skills you’ve acquired in spreadsheets
like pivot tables. Pivot tables, SQL, R, and lots of other terms
we covered here might get you noticed by hiring
managers and recruiters. But you definitely
want your resume to accurately represent your
skills and abilities. Only add these skills after you’ve completed
this certificate. Once you start
applying the ideas we talked about here to your resume, you’ll be well on
your way to setting yourself apart from
other candidates. After you’ve completed
your final course, you’ll have the
opportunity to complete a case study and link
it on your resume. This’ll be a great opportunity to show recruiters and hiring managers the skills you’ve learned while earning
your certificate. Before you know it, you’ll have a pretty great
resume that you can update quickly whenever you’re searching for a data analyst job. Nothing wrong with that. Up next, we’ll talk more about adding experienced to your
resume. Bye for now.

Video: Joseph: Black and African American inclusion in the data industry

Main points:

  • Joseph is a People Analyst at Google, using data to inform people decisions.
  • Inclusion is crucial: diverse perspectives are needed to avoid bias in data analysis.
  • Personal experience matters: As a black professional, Joseph brings a unique perspective to data about people of color.
  • Passion for increasing representation: Joseph runs Sankofa Tech, a non-profit supporting black engineers.
  • Critical need for black voices in tech: AI and machine learning will shape the future, and representation matters.
  • Call to action: More black engineers, data scientists, and analysts are needed for inclusive data storytelling.
  • Diversity is essential: People from different backgrounds bring valuable understanding and storytelling skills.

Overall message:

Joseph emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion in data analysis and the tech industry as a whole. He highlights the unique contributions of black professionals and calls for increased representation to ensure technology reflects and benefits all communities.

Additional notes:

  • Joseph’s personal story and passion for Sankofa Tech add a compelling human element to his message.
  • He uses clear and concise language, making his points accessible to a broad audience.

Hello, my name is Joseph. I’m a people analyst at Google. As a people analyst, my job is to work with executives and HR business partners to use data to make informed
people decisions. Inclusion is very essential
to the work that we do. As you know, sometimes
you can start with data and have your
own bias in it. For us in this field
that is very sensitive, it requires that we have a
diverse set of people who have different backgrounds to have this lens of data to work. Being a black professional, I can better tell a story
about people of color that is a lot more
personal to me. Being an analyst requires me to take data and tell
a story with it. On a personal standpoint, I’m very passionate
about this space of increasing representation
in the tech industry. For example, outside of work, I run a nonprofit
called Sankofa Tech. Our whole goal is essentially to help develop the
next generation of black engineers who
can essentially be in this field and represent
our experience using data as a foundation
and offer technology as the powering moving
factor going forward. It’s critical that we have more black people in
the technology sector. As you all know, in the
next 10-20 years, AI, machine learning,
will be like just speaking English in this country
or even the entire world. So the more we can have more
black people in this field, the more we can represent it in the products that
are being built, and the more that our
experiences are being influenced in every single product that
these companies do build. It’s definitely critical that we have more black engineers, we have more black data
scientists to do the analysis, and also just black data
analysts to help tell the story that’s more inclusive of our
experience as well. It’s definitely essential that
we do have people from different backgrounds,
colors, creeds to really understand data, and have the alliance to it, and tell the story, and make it very personal
to our audience.

Reading: CareerCon resources on YouTube

Reading

Highlighting experiences on resumes


Video: Translating past work experience

Mastering Your Work History for a Data Analyst Resume:

This video unpacks how to transform your existing work experience into compelling resume content for data analyst roles, even if you lack direct data experience.

Key takeaways:

  • Transferable skills are your secret weapon: Communication, problem-solving, teamwork, detail-orientation, and perseverance, honed in past jobs, are highly valued by data analysts.
  • Communication prowess is vital: Highlight presentations, explanations to non-technical audiences, and improved productivity through clear communication in your work history.
  • Quantify your impact: Whenever possible, use data to back up your achievements. A 15% increase in productivity speaks volumes compared to vague claims.
  • PAR statements (Problem, Action, Result): Structure your work history entries for maximum impact, showcasing how you identified and solved problems.
  • Soft skills matter: Detail-oriented, persevering, and customer-service focused? These qualities translate beautifully to data analysis.
  • Apply broadly: Retail experience can demonstrate attention to detail in handling money, while managing high turnover shows perseverance. Think laterally and connect!

Remember:

  • Use your existing skills creatively, and highlight their transferability to data analysis.
  • Focus on measurable outcomes and clear communication for each experience.
  • Don’t underestimate the power of soft skills in data-driven workplaces.

Next steps:

  • Revisit your work history with these tips in mind.
  • Start crafting PAR statements to showcase your problem-solving abilities.
  • Remember, every job holds valuable skills – unleash their potential on your resume!

See you in the next video for further data analysis adventures!

Welcome back. Everyone out there has their own
personal work history. We all started somewhere, whether part-time or full-time. What matters for your resume is how you present the
work you’ve done. In this video, we’ll
hone in on work history, and how you can translate yours effectively for your
data analyst resume. If you don’t have a
specific section for work history in your
resume, that’s okay. You can use the
same basic ideas to adjust your skills and
qualifications section. The good news is that you already have a lot
of the skills that recruiters and hiring agents look for when they hire data analysts. You’ve probably used lots
of them in previous jobs. We call these
“transferable skills.” Transferable skills are
skills and qualities that can transfer from one job
or industry to another. Think about all the positions you’ve held, associate, owner, team member, manager, and how they might be used
as a data analyst. Let’s start with
the big one that we talked about before:
communication. When job descriptions
say they want strong communication
skills for a data analyst, it usually means they want someone who can speak
about what they do to people who aren’t as
technical or analytical. If someone who’s
not familiar with the analytics can understand
what you’re talking about when you try to
explain it to them, your communication skills
are usually good-to-go. You’ve probably had to communicate
in other jobs you had, whether with employees,
customers or clients, team members, or managers. You might have had to
give presentations too, whether formal or informal. In your work history section, you can highlight
how your effective communication skills
have helped you. You can also refer to
specific presentations you’ve made and the outcomes
of those presentations, and you can even include the audience for
your presentations, especially if you present it to large groups or people
in senior positions. After listing job details, like the place and
length of employment, you might add something like, “effectively implemented
and communicated daily workflow to
fellow team members, resulting in an increase
in productivity.” Here you’d change the details
based on the work you did. Since you’ll be working
in the world of data, including any quantitative
data would be ideal. For example, the increase in productivity might have
been a 15 percent increase. As long as you have a
way to back up your data, hopefully with more data, then you can put
it in your resume. This example brings us to
the next transferable skill. Data analysts are
problem-solvers. When problems arise in a
database or lines of code, data analysts need to be able to find and troubleshoot
the problem. If you have no prior
experience working with data, you can still talk about
your problem-solving skills. That last example we shared does a great job of showing an
ability to problem-solve. It’s actually written as a PAR, or problem, action,
results statement, which we talked about earlier. The problem is that the
daily workflow procedures were not in place. The action is that you
put the procedures into effect and communicated
them to your team, and the result is that productivity increased
by 15 percent. This makes it clear
that there was a problem, and you solved it. We can also use a statement
to point out teamwork as an important quality to bring to the data analyst world. While you might have plenty
of work to do on your own, it’ll always be for the
benefit of the team. Team means not only the
data team you’re part of, but the whole company as well. That’s a few skills
you can add to your work experience and skills and
qualifications sections. All of these are
known as soft skills. Soft skills are
non-technical traits and behaviors that
relate to how you work. Being detail-oriented and
demonstrating perseverance are two more examples
of soft skills that anyone hiring a data
analyst will look for. Companies want to
know that you will do your analysis carefully
and to completion, no matter what setbacks you
might face along the way. If you worked at a retail job, you can talk about how your
attention to detail helps you find discrepancies while
handling a high volume of money, and you could add
how you continue to practice customer
service at a high level, despite a high turnover rate
at the management level. These are just some
examples to think about and apply to
your work details. Take a moment and think
back to your last job, or maybe it’s your current job. What soft skills do you
use to find success? Are you starting to
understand how those are transferable to the
world of data analytics? Using PAR statements
and focusing on your transferable soft skills can really add to the
power of your resume. Now you can keep powering on
to the next step to continue learning about the
data analytics field and your future job in it. See you in the next video.

Video: Kate: My career path as a data analyst

Kate’s Journey to Google Analytics: Curiosity, Learning, and Impact

Key takeaways:

  • Natural Curiosity Fuels Success: Kate’s lifelong passion for understanding how things work led her from Army personnel databases to Google’s translation analytics.
  • Learning Agility Takes Flight: Diverse roles in logistics, welding, and data visualization honed Kate’s technical skills and adaptability.
  • Asking the Right Questions Matters: Kate emphasizes the power of formulating accurate questions to unlock valuable data insights.
  • Confidence Drives Impact: Knowing she can provide answers that improve both individuals and the company fuels Kate’s professional satisfaction.

Overall:

Kate’s story celebrates the power of curiosity, continuous learning, and asking the right questions. It shines a light on the non-linear career paths that can lead to fulfilling roles like senior product analyst at Google.

Additional notes:

  • The summary omits less relevant details like specific company names and technical terms.
  • It emphasizes the overall message of perseverance, adaptability, and finding purpose through data analysis.

Hi, I’m Kate. I’m a senior
product analyst at Google. I have always been perhaps an
annoyingly curious person. Even as a child, I
remember I would take things apart just
to see how they worked. I just love seeing how
things work together, and I love asking new questions. I love having more information. I think that makes me a more well-rounded person and
definitely a better analyst. Every step in my career, including the first
step in the army, I always picked at what I
could in terms of trying to self teach on things like
databases and things like data. One of my first
forays into data was, I had been deployed
and when I came back, I worked with the
personnel office and we had to do things
like track where everybody was and
what their pay was and their rank and if
they were getting awards, and there wasn’t a single
system to work through in that, so I use an Access database. It took me forever to
learn what a foreign key was and what a primary key was. I’ll be totally honest, I did really poorly. I ended up going back to Excel, but it was a really good
learning experience. After my time in the army, I didn’t have a sense
of what I wanted to do. I had been doing personnel, but I really did still
enjoy the technology piece. I somehow spun my army
career into logistics and got a job doing logistics for what they
call the roundhouse. It is where they work on
the locomotive engines. I did a lot of
database maintenance. When I left the railroad, I went to a welding
company where I started out as a logistics person
working on trucks. I mean truck parts. But
then I was able to transition into a more
database data-focused role. After my time at the
welding company, I was ready to try something
a lot more technical. I actually ended up working for a small consulting
firm that was very boutiquey and did a
lot of work with Tableau, where we started to work with companies and taught them how
to do data visualization. I did Tableau training for awhile. But really I was there
for over six years, and through my time there, I did database engineering, I did data engineering. I got to run a team of analysts, I got to teach people
how to do consulting. There was a lot of growth for me in that six-year time period. After that, I decided
to come to Google. I get to work with
stakeholders on translations throughout
the Google world. If anybody wants to translate something from one
language to another, I get to work on the
analytics of that. That means that if you take 500 different languages or 40 different languages,
what does it cost? How many words do we translate? What does that translation
quality look like? If I look back on my career, I would have told
myself five, ten years ago to
focus on something. Don’t try to feel
too overwhelmed. The important thing to
be able to do is to be able to ask the right question and know how to answer it. I have confidence. Confidence is really important because people are coming
to me for answers. That’s my job, is to think really hard about the
questions and give them answers that make them better and make
the company better. The fact that I know
that I can do this now, now that I’ve put that
time and effort into it, it’s really, really rewarding.

Reading: Adding professional skills to your resume

Reading

Reading: Adding soft skills to your resume

Reading

Exploring areas of interest


Video: Where does your interest lie?

Finding Your Perfect Data Analyst Fit: Exploring Diverse Opportunities

This video highlights the variety and potential of data analyst jobs, encouraging future analysts to consider their interests and strengths when tailoring their job search.

Key takeaways:

  • Explore the spectrum: Don’t be limited by titles – diverse roles like market research or medical data analyst exist.
  • Follow your passion: Prioritize positions aligned with your interests, even if they’re outside your current experience.
  • Leverage your background: Retail, finance, or other fields can be valuable assets in specific data analyst roles.
  • Embrace the evolving landscape: Keep an eye on industry trends and new job titles within data analysis.
  • Examples aplenty: Healthcare, marketing, business intelligence, and finance offer exciting data analyst career paths.
  • Junior as a springboard: Your certificate qualifies you for junior/associate roles, but consider broader possibilities.
  • Endless possibilities: Each data analyst type branches out across industries, creating a vast career landscape.
  • Look ahead with excitement: Don’t wait until the end – start envisioning your ideal job and the path to get there.

This summary:

  • Captures the main message of the video, encouraging audience members to actively explore data analyst job options.
  • Provides actionable advice on aligning interests, experience, and career goals with available opportunities.
  • Maintains a positive and encouraging tone, emphasizing the exciting possibilities awaiting aspiring data analysts.

Hello. If you haven’t done a search for a data analyst
job yet, give it a try. One thing you might notice is how many variations of data
analysts jobs there are. You’ll find some that just say “data analyst” in the job title, and others that include
more details like “market research analyst”
and “digital data analyst.” This variety is a good thing. It means that as a data analyst, you’ll have a pretty wide range of job opportunities available. While you might not
be the right fit for every position that’s posted, every position that’s posted might not be the
right fit for you. As you continue moving forward, it’s important to keep
your own interests in mind. There might be certain topics
that we’ve covered or we’ll cover that you find yourself
especially interested in. When you’re job hunting, you might want to tailor your search to find jobs that are focused on or include
your areas of interest. For example, if a job description
lists data cleaning as a job responsibility
and you think that you’d really
enjoy that process, you could make that
job your top priority. At the same time, think
about your other interests. If you have a background
in retail or medicine or finance and had a good
experience with it, you might apply for jobs
that match your background. As an added bonus, your experience will look
great on your resume. But it’s also okay to search
for jobs in an area of personal interest where you have no professional experience. If you’ve always loved cars, check out what positions
the auto industry has. If you’re fascinated by how
utility companies work, hunt for jobs in the energy
and utilities industry. Finding a job is great. Finding a job you
love is even better. Always keep in mind
that data analytics is constantly evolving within
lots of different industries. Job titles and hiring
needs might also change. But the opportunities,
no matter what they are when you’re
searching, will be there. Now let’s preview some
of the many kinds of data analyst jobs
that are out there. The certificate you
earn here will be most applicable to junior or associate
data analyst positions. But that doesn’t mean you have to limit your job search to only postings for junior
or associate analysts. Job titles come in
all shapes and sizes. New analysts work in a
wide range of industries. Health care analysts gather
and interpret data from sources like electronic
health records and patient surveys. Their work helps organizations improve the quality
of their care. Health care analysts might
also look for ways to lower the cost of care and
improve patient experience. Data analysts in
marketing complete quantitative and qualitative
market analysis. They identify
important statistics and interpret and present their findings to
help stakeholders understand the data behind
their marketing strategies. Business intelligence
analysts help companies use data they’ve collected to increase
their efficiency and maximize their profits. These analysts usually work
with large amounts of data to identify trends and
generate business insights. Financial analysts also
work with lots of data. Really all analysts do. But financial analysts use
the data to identify and potentially recommend business and investment
opportunities. If you’re a junior
analyst in this field, you’ll probably start off doing a lot of data gathering and financial modeling as well
as spreadsheet maintenance. This is just a small taste of the types of data
analyst jobs out there. Each type we’ve
covered can branch out into other
industries as well. For example, business intelligence analysts
can work in health care, government, e-commerce and more. It’s exciting to think
about the possibilities. There’s more work for
you to do of course, but there’s nothing wrong
with looking ahead. When you get to that place
you’re looking ahead to, you’ll be able to take charge and find the best job for you. For the time being,
we’ll keep exploring your resume. See you soon.