How I Would Become a Data Analyst if I had to Start Over in 2024 | 6 Month Plan

Summary

In this video, Alex discusses how he would become a data analyst if he had to start over from scratch. He emphasizes the importance of understanding what a data analyst does, learning key skills (SQL, Excel, and Tableau), and building a portfolio to showcase these abilities. Alex also recommends using free resources like YouTube for learning, and if possible, paid platforms like Udemy or his own Analyst Builder. He highlights the importance of working with recruiters, preparing for interviews, and suggests that it's possible to land a data analyst job within six months with dedicated effort.

Takeaways

• 📊 If starting over as a data analyst, the first step is researching what a data analyst does and determining what type of data analyst to become.
• 📚 Focus on learning three core skills: SQL, Excel, and Tableau. These skills cover most entry-level data analyst job descriptions.
• 🎓 If money is tight, YouTube is a great resource for free learning, but platforms like Udemy, Coursera, and the analyst's own Analyst Builder offer more in-depth courses.
• 📝 Building a project portfolio while learning the skills is essential to solidify the knowledge and create a more impressive resume.
• 📁 Include key projects and skills in the resume, even without work or educational experience, to catch hiring managers’ attention.
• 🔎 Working with recruiters is highly recommended to increase the chances of landing a job. This approach is more effective than applying to many jobs independently.
• 💼 Be prepared for two types of interviews: general interviews and technical interviews, with SQL being the most common focus in technical assessments.
• ⏳ Aiming to learn the skills, build a portfolio, and secure a job within six months is an optimistic but achievable goal, depending on dedication and market conditions.
• 📈 Continuous learning is important, with future skillsets possibly including AI and cloud platforms as they become more integrated into the industry.
• 💡 Landing a job quickly is crucial, but remember that the long-term goal is to grow in the field and potentially advance to data science, engineering, or related roles.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?

The video focuses on how the creator, Alex, would become a data analyst if he had to start over from scratch. He shares a step-by-step process, including learning essential skills and preparing for job interviews.

Why does Alex suggest researching the role of a data analyst first?

Alex suggests researching the role to understand what a data analyst does and to determine which type of data analyst to become, such as in healthcare, finance, or general analytics.

What three main skills does Alex recommend learning to become a general data analyst?

Alex recommends learning SQL, Excel, and Tableau because these are the most commonly required skills in job descriptions and provide the best chance of landing a data analyst job quickly.

Why does Alex recommend learning only three skills at the beginning?

He recommends focusing on three skills (SQL, Excel, Tableau) to streamline the learning process and improve the chances of landing a job quickly. Learning more skills would take additional time but may open up more job opportunities later.

How does Alex suggest learning these data analyst skills if you're broke?

Alex suggests using YouTube, which offers free resources. He also mentions that his own YouTube channel covers 90% of the skills needed to become a data analyst.

What platforms does Alex recommend for paid courses?

For those who can afford paid courses, Alex recommends Udemy, Coursera, and his own learning platform, Analyst Builder, which provides more in-depth content than what is available on YouTube.

Why does Alex emphasize building projects while learning skills?

Building projects helps solidify the skills you’re learning and allows you to create a portfolio that can be showcased on your resume, making you more appealing to potential employers.

What does Alex suggest including on a resume if you have no work or education experience?

Alex suggests focusing on listing the skills you’ve learned (SQL, Excel, Tableau) and showcasing projects you've completed to demonstrate your practical experience.

Why does Alex recommend working with recruiters?

Alex recommends working with recruiters because they often have direct connections with companies, which can help bypass the large volume of applicants applying for jobs through traditional means.

How long does Alex think it would take to become a data analyst if starting from scratch?

Alex believes it is possible to become a data analyst in about six months if you dedicate yourself to learning the skills, building a portfolio, and actively working with recruiters.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Starting Over as a Data Analyst

The speaker discusses how they would start their career as a data analyst again from scratch, comparing it to having amnesia and remembering only the desire to become a data analyst. They would first research what data analysts do, then decide what type of data analyst they want to become (e.g., healthcare, financial, marketing). The focus would be on becoming a general data analyst to maximize job opportunities.

05:01

📊 Essential Skills to Learn First

The next step is to learn core data analyst skills, with a focus on SQL, Excel, and Tableau. These three are chosen because they are highly likely to appear in job descriptions, making them essential for breaking into the field quickly. SQL is especially important, appearing in about 75% of listings. Although there are other tools like PowerBI or Looker, learning Tableau gives the flexibility to adapt to similar BI tools.

10:02

💻 How to Learn Data Analyst Skills for Free

For someone starting with no money, the recommendation is to learn data analytics skills for free on YouTube. The speaker mentions their own channel as a resource, along with other free content available online. For those with some money, platforms like Udemy and Coursera are recommended. The speaker has also created their own learning platform, 'Analyst Builder,' which offers in-depth courses and interview preparation for aspiring data analysts.

📈 Building Projects and a Portfolio

To strengthen a resume, the speaker recommends building projects as part of the learning process. These projects, such as SQL, Excel, and Tableau-based examples, will serve as portfolio pieces that demonstrate real skills. After two months of learning, the speaker advises spending an additional week or two creating 4-5 projects to include on a resume and portfolio site, which will make it more compelling to recruiters and hiring managers.

📝 Crafting a Simple but Effective Resume

Once the skills and projects are ready, the speaker emphasizes the importance of a clean and focused resume. Even if the person has no work experience, including skills, projects, and a summary can make a good impression. The goal is to highlight what's most relevant to data analytics positions while passing automated resume filters that many companies use.

🤝 Partnering with Recruiters

The speaker encourages working with recruiters early in the job search process, as they can provide direct connections to companies and help bypass the frustration of online job applications. The advice is to reach out to multiple recruiters on platforms like LinkedIn and actively engage with them to increase job search success.

🎯 Preparing for the Interview

The final step is to prepare for interviews, which often have two parts: a general interview and a technical interview. General interviews focus on questions like why the applicant wants the position, while technical interviews assess specific skills like SQL. Preparing thoroughly for both is essential, and practicing SQL questions can significantly boost confidence for technical interviews.

⌛ Realistic Timeline for Landing a Data Analyst Job

The speaker outlines a realistic timeline of 6 months to go from learning skills to landing a data analyst job. While self-learning and building projects can be completed in about 2-3 months, the job search process, which includes working with recruiters and interviewing, may take longer. The speaker notes that external factors like the job market or location may impact this timeline.

🚀 Future Skills: Cloud and AI

For those with more time or resources, the speaker recommends learning cloud platforms and AI tools. Although not critical for landing a job in early 2024, these skills are expected to become more essential in the future as they integrate more into the data analytics field. For now, they are nice-to-haves but could be more necessary in the next 3-5 years.

Keywords

💡Data Analyst

A data analyst is a professional who collects, processes, and performs statistical analyses on large datasets to provide insights that help companies make informed decisions. In the video, the speaker describes how they would become a data analyst if they had to start over, emphasizing key skills needed and the steps involved to land a job in this field.

💡SQL

SQL (Structured Query Language) is a programming language used for managing and manipulating databases. The speaker highlights SQL as one of the most important skills for aspiring data analysts because it is mentioned in about 75% of job descriptions, making it crucial for analyzing data stored in relational databases.

💡Excel

Excel is a spreadsheet tool widely used for data analysis and visualization. The speaker emphasizes that Excel is a must-have skill for data analysts, as it is included in nearly all job descriptions. Its functionalities, such as formulas and pivot tables, are valuable for organizing and interpreting data efficiently.

💡Tableau

Tableau is a business intelligence (BI) tool used for creating interactive data visualizations. The speaker recommends learning Tableau because it is a popular tool in the data analytics industry and is often interchangeable with other BI tools like Power BI. Mastering Tableau can open up job opportunities for analysts.

💡Portfolio

A portfolio in this context refers to a collection of projects that showcase an individual's skills and expertise. The speaker advises creating a portfolio of SQL, Excel, and Tableau projects to enhance a resume. This portfolio demonstrates hands-on experience and makes a candidate more attractive to potential employers.

💡Projects

Projects are practical applications of learned skills, such as analyzing datasets or creating dashboards. The speaker emphasizes that building projects while learning new skills is crucial to solidify knowledge and provide tangible examples of one’s abilities on their resume, helping them stand out to recruiters.

💡Technical Interview

A technical interview is an assessment where candidates are tested on their technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities, usually in skills like SQL or Python. The speaker mentions that most data analyst interviews include a technical portion, and preparation for this is key to securing a job.

💡Recruiter

A recruiter is a professional who helps companies find qualified candidates for job openings. In the video, the speaker suggests working with recruiters early in the job search process. Recruiters can connect candidates with job opportunities that may not be publicly advertised and help speed up the hiring process.

💡Learning Platforms

Learning platforms such as YouTube, Udemy, and Coursera are recommended by the speaker for acquiring data analytics skills. These platforms offer affordable or free resources to help individuals learn SQL, Excel, and Tableau, among other skills. The speaker also mentions their own platform, Analyst Builder, for more in-depth learning.

💡Resume

A resume is a formal document that summarizes a person's work experience, skills, and education. In the video, the speaker talks about building a strong resume by highlighting relevant skills (SQL, Excel, Tableau) and including project work. A well-structured resume helps candidates pass through automated systems and catch the attention of hiring managers.

Highlights

Research what a data analyst does to understand the role and choose which type of data analyst you want to become (e.g., healthcare, finance, or general analyst).

Focus on learning three key skills to become a general data analyst: SQL, Excel, and Tableau.

SQL is essential, appearing in around 75% of data analyst job descriptions. Excel is found in nearly 100% of job descriptions.

Learning a BI tool like Tableau will make you proficient in other similar tools like Power BI or Looker.

YouTube can be a free resource to learn these skills; for more in-depth learning, platforms like Udemy and Coursera are recommended.

Amnesia Alex would dedicate around two months to mastering SQL, Excel, and Tableau.

Building projects while learning these skills is key to solidifying knowledge and adding experience to your resume.

Creating a portfolio with projects in SQL, Excel, and Tableau will make your resume more competitive and appealing to hiring managers.

Work with recruiters early on in your job search to improve your chances of landing interviews and bypass applying to hundreds of jobs.

To succeed in an interview, prepare for both general questions (e.g., about yourself and the company) and technical questions (usually in SQL).

You can practice for technical interviews on platforms like Analyst Builder, which offers specific interview preparation in SQL, Python, and other tools.

Landing a job could take between 3 months to a year, but focusing on skills, projects, and recruiters can reduce the timeline to around 6 months.

Even though AI is not currently a must-know for data analysts, it may become more integrated in the future, making it beneficial to learn over time.

Developing a good resume tailored to data analyst roles is essential to passing automated screening systems and getting the attention of hiring managers.

Consider future career growth, like transitioning into data science or data engineering, as new tools and skills become necessary.

Transcripts

what's going on everybody welcome back

to another video today we're going to

talk about how I would become a data

analyst again if I had to start over

from

[Music]

scratch actually been thinking about

this a lot recently because things have

changed since I became a data analyst

six or seven years ago right uh the job

market is different the Tex Stacks are

different and a lot of people ask me

every single day hey how do I become a

data analyst and so I want to give a

good perspective of from today if I had

to completely start over exactly how I

would do that again now in this scenario

it's almost like I had Amnesia I

completely forgot everything I know the

only thing that was left in my memory is

that I really want to be a data analyst

that's all I have left so my sole

purpose right now is just to land a job

in data analytics and I'm starting from

scratch nobody knows who I am nobody

knows who Alex freeberg is or Alex the

analyst I'm just some person right who

wants to be a data analyst and I'm going

to tell you how I would do that as

quickly as possible so let's start from

the very very very beginning remember

Amnesia Alex doesn't remember anything

except that he wants to become a data

analyst he doesn't even know what a data

analyst does so the first thing that I

would do the very first step is just

research what a data analyst does and

this part just takes like a couple days

right you're just figuring out what they

do figuring out what kind of things you

might be interested in and then I would

determine what kind of data analyst do I

want to be do I want to focus on

healthcare because Healthcare uses

different tools than something like

financial analyst or a marketing analyst

or just a broad General en data analyst

which would learn kind of the tools that

I usually talk about on the channel so I

would try to figure that out and then I

would try to research what skills to

learn exactly for that position but for

this example for this scenario I'm just

trying to become a general data analyst

where I can get hired at any company so

that's the first thing that I would do

the second thing that I would do is then

start learning the skills because you

cannot become a data analyst with none

of the data analyst skills it's just not

possible now I've talked on my channel a

lot about what skills you need to learn

SQL Excel Tableau powerbi python then

there's a ton of others you could do R

AWS Azure looker and a ton of others but

Amnesia Alex wants to get a job as

quickly as possible so I'm not going to

recommend he learns all of those skills

I'm going to recommend that he only

learns three that's going to be SQL

Excel and Tableau now why do I recommend

those three skills in particular that's

because those ones are the ones that

have the highest probability of being in

a job description so SQL for sure is

going to be in like 75% of job

descriptions for data analyst Excel

should be in probably like 100% % and

then Tableau is just a bi tool so if you

know Tableau you know powerbi or you

know looker for the most part like you

know like 80% of the other ones and so

if you learn a tool you usually know the

other ones and so just learning a tool

you can switch Tableau for powerbi or a

lot of other tools but I recommend

Tableau just because it is a popular

tool that a lot of companies use and

those three skills are going to open up

probably 40% of the jobs for a data

analyst out there now of course the more

skills that you know the more jobs that

you can apply for right if you keep keep

adding skills to your skill sets then of

course you're going to be able to apply

for 50 60 75% of the jobs that are out

there but if I was starting over I would

just want to give myself the best chance

to land a job really quickly and so I

would just focus on those three skills

at the beginning now where would I learn

these skills I'm pretending Amnesia Alex

doesn't remember he's married doesn't

remember that he has any money in his

bank he is completely broke so if he has

absolutely no money I would recommend

that he goes on YouTube and learns all

the free things that you can find on

YouTube is basically a university a

YouTube University out there where you

can find anything and I myself have an

entire Channel dedicated to data

analytics and you can probably learn 90%

of what you need to learn just on my

channel but there's tons of other great

channels out there if you want to dive

into different things now if you're not

Amnesia Alex and you do have some money

and you remember who you are and you do

want to dive into some of these skills a

little bit more in depth than what

YouTube has to offer there are some

platforms that I do recommend I've been

using udemy for a long time I've also

been using course Sarah for a long time

I've even created my own learning

platform for data analytics called

analyst Builder on analyst Builder I

have all of my own full courses that go

a lot more in depth than what I have on

YouTube we also have a questions page

where you can practice for technical

interviews and we'll get into technical

interviews in just a little bit when we

talk about getting interviews so I'll

leave links in the description if you

want to check it out but learning the

skills is super important so that is the

next step that I would do and honestly I

think that I can learn SQL Excel and

Tableau within two months so that's kind

of assuming that I don't have a job

Amnesia Alex doesn't have any work to do

he's only dedicating just to those

skills I think two months is plenty of

time to really know those skills well

enough to land an entry-level job now if

I as Amnesia Alex would start applying

for jobs right now all my resume would

have is Excel Tableau and SQL that's one

of the worst rums I've ever seen so what

amnesia Alex is going to do or I am

going to do is I'm going to build

projects and build a portfolio when

you're learning the skills you should be

building project s with them so you

really solidify those skills so the

projects are just kind of complimentary

to learning the skills and then you can

put those projects on your resum at

least that's what I would do so now

instead of just those three skills at

the top we have three skills and we have

multiple projects underneath it I

probably do two in SQL one in Excel and

maybe one or two in Tableau all these

would go into a website and I have a

link in the actual resume but then I'd

have my actual projects on my resume

that will really fill out my resume and

make it a lot better that can take a

week or two weeks depending on how

quickly you can get those projects done

or how well you know those skills but in

two weeks you can have five projects or

an entire portfolio created so up till

now it's 2 and a half months of work

invest in really learning and building

projects the next thing that I would do

is start creating a resume and this is

going to be a really simple resume

doesn't have to be anything crazy I've

done lots of videos on creating the best

resumé for data analytics and really I

would just highlight the things that are

really relevant and not include things

that aren't Amnesia Alex has no work

exper experience he has no education

experience so for him he's really just

going to be putting the skills and the

projects and maybe a summary section as

well but it's not going to be super

super impressive but it is going to have

a lot of what they are looking for in a

lot of job descriptions so I'm going

make a really really really good resume

because that is going to get past a lot

of these automated systems that kind of

check the resume first and when a hiring

manager sees it they're going to see the

skills that they're looking for they're

going to see projects that are

interesting and relevant to that

position and so hopefully I'd be able to

land an interview the next thing that I

would do is work with a recruiter and

this is one of those things where most

people when they're first starting out

don't do this they just start applying

to jobs and doing the LinkedIn you know

single click applies they don't work and

you get really frustrated and that's

because you're applying to hundreds of

jobs that thousands of other people are

applying for but recruiters are really

great because they have a connection

with the company so I would work with a

recruiter or as many recruiters as I

possibly could believe it or not there

was a time where I had no experience and

this was just you know six or seven

years ago and I was working with six or

seven recruiters at a time just juggling

them kept messaging them and asking them

and emailing them hey do you guys have

anything messing them on LinkedIn

reaching out to them cold calling you

just you kind of have to put yourself

out there so if I was starting over I

would do that tactic instead of applying

for a thousand jobs and then working

with a recruiter I would start out

working with a recruiter I also have an

entire video on how to reach out to

Recruiters on LinkedIn both by directly

messaging them and then also by finding

them and and cold calling and cold

emailing them so if you're interested in

finding out how to do that I would check

out that video now after I work with the

recruiter the very last thing that I

have to do in order to land a job is to

really nail the interview and get a job

offer that's it an interview is usually

comprised of two parts it's the general

interview and it's the technical

interview now the general interview is

one that you'll get on almost any

position so they're going to ask you

tell us about yourself tell us about

your work experience tell us uh why you

want this position and what you know

about the company these types of things

so you can just get ready for those by

researching the company researching what

they do and getting ready for that

interview the next part is a technical

interview and you're going to get this

in probably 75% plus of the interviews

that you have if it is a more technical

role typically it's either in SQL or

python just in general it's usually SQL

like 95% of the technical interviews

that I had over my entire career have

been in SQL so you really want to nail

that technical interview to show that

you know the skill well and that's why

we created analyst Builder like I was

talking about a little bit ago we have

that whole section where it's just

practicing for technical interviews in

either python MySQL postrace SQL

Microsoft SQL Server it is super awesome

just for that so I'd really want to

prepare for my interview I just practice

you know telling about myself practice

for the technical interviews I would

nail the interview and I would accept

the job position now that's usually the

longest process working with a recruiter

and Landing a job because all the

learning up till then is all self-paced

you can do that all yourself for free or

for very little money and then working

with a recruiter and then actually

Landing a job that can take anywhere

from 3 months all the way up to a year

and so in the shortest amount of time

possible if I really streamlined this

and I really worked hard at learning

those skills working with a recruiter

non-stop I like made it my job I think

it'd be very possible to do that within

6 months it's a really optimistic time

frame because 6 months to completely

change your career is pretty quick but I

definitely think it's possible if you

know I was starting over today I

definitely think I could do it of course

there are outside factors like the job

market if hiring is like really slow or

where I live or things like that but in

general I definitely think I could do it

within 6 months now to some of you that

may seem like a really long time but to

put it in perspective you're going to

have this job for the next 20 30 40 50

years and you're going to learn new

skills and you'll get promotions and

maybe you can transition into data

science or data engineering or any other

number of jobs that are related to data

analytics so that is the exact path that

Amnesia Alex would take in order to

become a data analyst as quickly as

possible now if I had a a little bit

more time I didn't need a job I had more

time to spend I would definitely be

learning something like a cloud platform

and then I be learning some AI as well

to work with those tools now I didn't

mention AI as a must know because even

now even today in the end of 2023 or

early 2024 depending on when I post this

um even today those tools are not crazy

integrated you don't have to know them

now in the future in 2 3 4 5 years they

may become more integrated into all of

our software into all the tools that we

use then it would become more of a

requirement to know those things so that

is exactly what I would do if you

haven't already be sure to check out

analyst Builder I am incredibly proud of

it it is one of the best platforms out

there for learning data analytics if you

like this video be sure to like And

subscribe below I will see you in the

next video

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