But what's it really like working in data analytics?
You know about the tools, the common projects, the day-to-day ... but what is it like working in analytics?
What does it actually feel like to work in data analytics?
My last post talked about the easily definable stuff - the skills/tech stack, the day-to-day, etc.
But what’s it actually like??? Here’s my more subjective take.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable
This field can be overwhelming. There’s always something new to learn. You’re getting asked questions all the time. You have to figure out a lot of things on your own.
As a result, imposter syndrome doesn’t go away. You just learn to get used to it and accept that this is what’s normal in this field.
And remind yourself that no one knows everything, but everyone knows something. Lean into your strengths and learn from your colleagues.
You’re always learning
The cool thing about this field is that there is always something new to learn. New technologies (I’m using dbt for the first time), new methods (I recently learned about Survival Analysis), new trends (AI/LLMs).
This keeps things interesting, but it can feel overwhelming. You frequently feel like you are behind, or you don’t know all the things you need to know.
But this also leads to further specialization and even new jobs. Analytics Engineer didn’t really exist as a title until a few years ago (this might be the first mention of it). Data Scientist roles have gotten more specialized - the Machine Learning Engineer title is now more common for roles focused on building automation, and the Data Scientist title is more commonly used for roles that help businesses make decisions using an advanced skillset.
You get so many questions
Your job is to help the business make decisions. You are also often the SME (subject matter expert) on the company’s data and data products (dashboards, pipelines, models, etc).
You are the keeper of the data and the wizard who can make sense of it. As a result … you get a lot of questions.
If you don’t like being asked questions all day long, including questions that you don’t immediately know the answer to or don’t even know how to solve, you might not like this field.
You also need to have questions of your own! This field is great for people who are curious and like to dive in and figure things out. If you’re not comfortable with that, you might not enjoy the work.
You need to be a self-starter
See above - the part about there always being something new to learn.
Sometimes, there is no one on your team to teach out. Either you’re the only person on your team doing data analytics, or no one has time to teach you, or no one else has experience with the new thing you need to learn.
You have to figure out how to teach yourself, or know how to find resources to learn.
If you’re someone who naturally takes initiative and can move forward even with ambiguity or no one to hold your hand or even push you forward, you’ll do well.
Imposter syndrome doesn’t go away
Given all of the above, this field can sometimes be a lot. It can feel intense. You will feel overwhelmed and occasionally question if you are good enough, smart enough, and people like you. (Where are my fellow 90s kids at?)
Think about all the things you’ve learned so far. Think about all that you have accomplished. (If you haven’t already, start a Hype Doc or Brag Sheet.)
You are good enough! You are smart enough! People probably do like you!
And the great thing is, you have the ability to keep learning and getting smarter!
Do you work in data analytics? What do you think? How would you describe what it’s like to work in this field? Let us know in the comments!
The "always learning" one is so real. But honestly the harder part is figuring out what to learn first. There's so much out there and there's no "one-size fits all" roadmap. So you either chase everything or end up paralyzed without direction.
I’m pivoting into the field and it’s insane how fast it’s moving. How do you keep up with the new tools that seem to come out daily?