Data Analyst Job Description

For example, a data analyst working in the health care sector will be expected to perform data analysis with respect to customer requests and may have to develop methodologies and files for effective patient data management.

A business data analyst's job will cover features like understanding new software to translate the need of business managers into effective data management. Here are some general duties of data analysts of two fields, that will give you a broad idea of the domain and range of data analyst job description.

The business analysts create and define rules for handling multiple consumer websites of the firm. He helps in the designing and establishment of website features that are well within the constraints of the technical department. In other words, he understands the business needs and uses technical expertise of the team to achieves success.

The business analysts review the documentation work , functional requirements, information resources and systems applications of a firm and help in their improvement. Another facet of a business data analyst's job is that he evaluates various options for web applications, creates business process workflow, writes commands in SQL and improves databases.

These data analysts must have a knowledge of health care delivery system and types of employee benefits. They develop and design databases that involve the clients business objectives, data requirements and firm's business expectations. Knowledge of computer systems and data analysis tools is essential for executing the duties of a health care data analyst.

Generally, data analysts are required to have a four years degree in subjects like statistics, mathematics, business administration or computer science. The classes focus on imparting skills that improve the analytical ability of students. To gain a competitive edge, many students go for postgraduate degrees after their four years of graduation studies.

Besides educational qualifications, data analysts must have deep interest in mathematics and be willing to work in data oriented atmosphere. They must have strong knowledge in computers as data management work is closely related to computer systems. Strong writing skills are a must as they often prepare summaries and courses to present memos and reports.

Besides technical knowledge, it's always helpful if the candidate has knowledge about the sector in which he is going to work. For example if a data analyst is going to work in a business firm, an understanding of business practices and awareness about the fundamentals of management can go a long way in helping the candidate to achieve success.

What is the earning potential of data analysts? What is the career outlook in this field in future? Well, in USA, earning potential of data analysts depends on work experience and qualifications of the professional. Fresher data analysts must seek to gain good work experience in the initial years of their careers so that they have expertise in their field.

Once established in the field, it is easier to switch jobs and negotiate on salary part with the employers. In USA, data analysts with less than one year of work experience can earn anywhere between $36,737 - $79,229 yearly (approx). In India, freshers are able to command salaries between Rs 1,73,254 - Rs 7,45,662 per year (approx.).

It is to be noted that the salaries also depend on the educational qualifications, skills and the type of employer. While start up technology companies may pay lesser salaries initially, big blue chip companies can pay high salaries to even freshers, with requisite educational skills.

With increase in work experience, data analysts can move on to earn very high salaries in their respective domains of specialization. The demand of data mining and data management is certainly going to increase in the future, increasing job opportunities in this IT field.

The data analyst job description demands strong mathematical skills and technical knowledge. Students who have deep interest in maths and computers have a chance for lucrative career in this field.

The career development path is steady and one can scale new heights in this field. However, learning in this field never stops and so one has to remain updated about latest developments in the technical, statistical and business fields.