CNBC called it the Sexiest Job of the 21st Century (seriously), Information Management says studies show CIOs plan to spend more on data analytics than any other technology category in 2016, and Bloomberg calls it the Future of Everything. So why are we not all Data Analysts? For those of us not too far gone in a different direction, here are three things you need to do to snag a job in Data Analytics.
Get Educated
Most Data Analytics jobs will require formal education in data science or information technology. If you are a seasoned IT vet looking to transfer skills to a new position in Data Analytics, look for local courses or certificates to brush up on emerging technologies and get some of the fundamentals down. It’s not enough to slap “Hadoop” on your resume and call yourself experienced, you need a solid foundation to prove you are truly qualified for the role.
If you are just starting out and looking for the right school for a degree in Data Analytics, look no further. Information Management has put together a list of the Top 25 Degree Programs for Data Analytics Professionals. Arizona State, DePaul, and Columbia made the list. Check out the rest here.
Target Your Resume
You may be tempted to keep the same standard resume and blanket-send it to every job you see online. That would be on a list of How NOT to Snag a Job in Data Analytics. Hiring managers and recruiters are looking for a set technical and soft skills that are specific to the position they are hiring for, so you need to show you know those skills. While this adds another step to your job application process, it’s really not that difficult. Skim the job description for the hard and soft skills keywords and inject them into your resume.
This is where the slapping “Hadoop” on your resume will come back into play, but only with a degree or certification to back it up. A typical Data Analytics job description will list language skills like SQL, Hive, Pig, Python, SAS, and R to name a few. If you know any of these (SAS and R are musts) then they need to be on your resume, up top.
Soft skills can be injected into your resume as well, but a good place to put these is the cover letter. Communication skills and business acumen are both highly sought-after skills for these positions, so use your cover letter to show you are a good communicator and have general business knowledge.
Join the KellyMitchell Talent Network
Now that you have the education box checked and the resume targeted, join KellyMitchell’s network of highly skilled, Data Analytics professionals and get connected with your next Data Analytics opportunity today. KellyMitchell works with Fortune 500 Corporations Nationwide and posts new positions daily, so if you don’t see something on the site today, your next gig could open tomorrow.
Joining the Talent Network adds you to our database so our recruiters can search those highly targeted keywords and degree/certification to find you for the next big Data Analytics opportunity. This way you never miss when a job opens that might just allow you to work with the future of everything.