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I've been in Accounting for 3 years now and since I graduated I have always known I wanted more of a analytical type of role. Something involving data and being able to turn that into useful information. It really fits what I enjoy doing and I find enjoyment in finding what secrets data can hold. (Plus I make random analytical excel spreadsheets all the time for random things at home).
I always thought a Accounting/Finance background would have been solid for this type of job, but the more I look at data or analytic positions I'm seeing a lot more requisitions looking for people with computer science degrees and programming backgrounds. I personally have a solid finance and business background (also have a MBA, B.S is in Accounting), I'm an advanced Excel user, and I have working experience of SQL, Access, and some other database systems and visual analytic programs. I never really did much with programming, but I do know basic HTML/CSS and I can understand some Python. (Enough to look at it and know what it does but probably couldn't write it off the top of my head.)
Is the computer science background or programming experience really necessary? What should I be working on if I want a job as an analyst working with big data? As I've gotten older I really learned many of my strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, and I think analytics and data is where I want to be!
I've been in Accounting for 3 years now and since I graduated I have always known I wanted more of a analytical type of role. Something involving data and being able to turn that into useful information. It really fits what I enjoy doing and I find enjoyment in finding what secrets data can hold. (Plus I make random analytical excel spreadsheets all the time for random things at home).
I always thought a Accounting/Finance background would have been solid for this type of job, but the more I look at data or analytic positions I'm seeing a lot more requisitions looking for people with computer science degrees and programming backgrounds. I personally have a solid finance and business background (also have a MBA, B.S is in Accounting), I'm an advanced Excel user, and I have working experience of SQL, Access, and some other database systems and visual analytic programs. I never really did much with programming, but I do know basic HTML/CSS and I can understand some Python. (Enough to look at it and know what it does but probably couldn't write it off the top of my head.)
Is the computer science background or programming experience really necessary? What should I be working on if I want a job as an analyst working with big data? As I've gotten older I really learned many of my strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, and I think analytics and data is where I want to be!
You bring up a lot of points, so I'll do my best. If you have more questions, I'm here
The very short answer: Yes, you need some programming. You don't have to be a wizard, but you need to be pretty strong in SQL and decent at either Python or R.
The longer answer: It depends on what you'd like to do eventually. The next logical step is to take a "Data Analyst" role, which it sounds like you could do already based on your background. It varies from company to company, but the general requirements are:
-Analytical degree
-Strong Excel
-Light to Medium SQL
-Some kind of data visualization software (Tableau, etc.) is a bonus
-Python or R is considered a bonus
The programming really comes into play in at least one of two scenarios:
-Big Data. Once you start talking Big Data, you need a programming foundation to operate the tools used to navigate the data. Hadoop, Spark, etc. Just getting around the data efficiently takes an understanding of the programming.
-Data science. If you want to start doing things like predictive modeling or machine learning, that's when the programming really comes into play. You didn't necessarily say as much in your post, but it's so closely related that I thought I'd mention it.
You'll use SQL no matter what; better to brush up on it now. You don't need to be an expert, but you need to know your queries and your joins.
Your degree is absolutely appropriate anything for in the field, they just want to make sure it's analytical in nature. Accounting, math, computer science....all are ok. Don't worry there.
So from there, the questions become: "what kind of role would be ideal for you?" (data analytics vs data science vs data visualization, etc.?) and "could you afford to take a potential salary hit?"
I ask the second question because, with your background, you probably make more than a typical data analyst (generally in the 50-65k range). The decrease in salary is a potential consideration for anybody. If that's not a decrease for you, then go get a data analyst job like, yesterday. If it IS a decrease, can you weather the drop in pay long enough to pick up the skills to do something that pays more? The more advanced fields have a floor of about 90k, and the average is more like 105-120k ish, but it can take a couple years to get there.
If you like it, learn what you can, keep it on your resume, and move into something more advanced when you're comfortable. If that's Big Data Analytics, then you'll need some programming. NoSQL, as well as any combination of Hadoop, Spark, Hive, Pig, and more (you'll see them keep popping up in the listings).
Another option is data visualization. Like charts? Take what you know and learn Tableau, Qlikview, Business Objects, or anything else to make data pretty. You'll hear employers say that they want you to "tell a story" with your data....and there's whole jobs dedicated to doing it.
If you find that you like predictive elements of data, then there's Data Science. That's where Python and R are huge.
The reasoning behind programming in analytics (as opposed to data science, where it's required for everything) is that it lets you interact with the data more efficiently. Rarely will your data be "clean", rather, you'll have missing fields, outliers, and all sorts of mess you have to tidy up before you can really start analyzing it, and it's easier to do if you can script up a means to do it. You know how it's easier to just "fill" a series of columns in Excel rather than typing everything in manually? Same idea. You're just programming your own version of "fill" to do things like "replace all missing values with the mean" or "change all words to lowercase".
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Our business intelligence department is growing, and required skills include SQL at least enough to extract data from a relational database. Most important is Tableau, but also Sharepoint and to a lesser extent Jaspersoft. Business experience and knowledge, related to the kind of work we do are also required. Even an expert in big data has to understand what the data is and means, and to do the appropriate visualization.
Why? You'll be "aged out" of tech far quicker than in accounting.
This may possibly be correct, but I don't care for straight up accounting. I think a happy medium would be a financial analyst role, but in general I learned I really love actually looking at data and manipulating it in different ways. Accounting is mostly just record keeping and verification, I really want to do more with actually using that data and actively working with it. Not just glorified data entry like a lot of Accounting is. Plus, I've always been very interested in stats and data. I remember when we got AWstats on a website I moderated and I was obsessed with the different metrics it could track and the ways those numbers could be presented. This is just a small example of my deep interest in analytics.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hivemind31
I hope that helped!
This is awesome!! Thank you so much for the info, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. This really explains some of the areas I'll need to brush up on or dive deeper into (Python, better SQL (Its been a long time..), more visualization tools, etc) I'll definitely be looking into all the areas you mentioned in the future and I can build a great roadmap to success from this.
Regarding pay, right now I'm right around 55k with decent benefits (mid COL area). This is pretty fair for my current experience experience, but I should be able to bump it up to 65k within the next year since I just recently finished my MBA. From what I've seen, most analytic/analyst roles seem to pay around 60k starting, with more senior roles paying 80k and low six figures . If anything, it would probably be an equal transition in pay as of the present time. There is probably more accessible upwards mobility in my current field, with opportunities to move into director or even VP roles in the next 5-7 years (and possibly c level executive roles in 10-15 years), but at what cost? If I actively dislike the work, the pay may not be worth it. I'm not someone that needs to be a millionaire, I just want to earn a comfortable living and support my family.
To add one more comment, It's reassuring hearing that someone with a business/accounting background would be suitable for this type of role, because for the roles I have applied to they have mostly wanted CS grads or people with strong programming backgrounds. Like you, I would think a business/finance background would be suitable, but currently it seems to be a hurdle to getting even considered for some of these roles. Plus with all the dreadful auto filter HR software out there dumping resumes out for not meeting specific criteria, it makes it all the harder if the company is deadset they want a Computer Science degree or something. Hopefully once I build up my skills in my weak areas, revamp my resume, my education and background will not be a hurdle to me anymore.
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Is the computer science background or programming experience really necessary? What should I be working on if I want a job as an analyst working with big data? As I've gotten older I really learned many of my strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, and I think analytics and data is where I want to be!
programming is not essential but writing interfaces between data sets would be useful. learning systems integration would be most essential (hadoop, parallel processing, ...)
This is awesome!! Thank you so much for the info, it means a lot to me and I really appreciate it. This really explains some of the areas I'll need to brush up on or dive deeper into (Python, better SQL (Its been a long time..), more visualization tools, etc) I'll definitely be looking into all the areas you mentioned in the future and I can build a great roadmap to success from this.
Regarding pay, right now I'm right around 55k with decent benefits (mid COL area). This is pretty fair for my current experience experience, but I should be able to bump it up to 65k within the next year since I just recently finished my MBA. From what I've seen, most analytic/analyst roles seem to pay around 60k starting, with more senior roles paying 80k and low six figures . If anything, it would probably be an equal transition in pay as of the present time. There is probably more accessible upwards mobility in my current field, with opportunities to move into director or even VP roles in the next 5-7 years (and possibly c level executive roles in 10-15 years), but at what cost? If I actively dislike the work, the pay may not be worth it. I'm not someone that needs to be a millionaire, I just want to earn a comfortable living and support my family.
To add one more comment, It's reassuring hearing that someone with a business/accounting background would be suitable for this type of role, because for the roles I have applied to they have mostly wanted CS grads or people with strong programming backgrounds. Like you, I would think a business/finance background would be suitable, but currently it seems to be a hurdle to getting even considered for some of these roles. Plus with all the dreadful auto filter HR software out there dumping resumes out for not meeting specific criteria, it makes it all the harder if the company is deadset they want a Computer Science degree or something. Hopefully once I build up my skills in my weak areas, revamp my resume, my education and background will not be a hurdle to me anymore.
Thanks again for the awesome advice!
No problem. If you're going straight analytics (as opposed to data science/machine learning/predictive modeling), you can focus more on the SQL and the visualization than the Python (all is best, of course....but the brain can only take so much!). If you're making 55k now, I'd go straight for an analyst job, and just highlight the existing data analysis you've done as part of your existing role. The pay will be similar, but you'll be on the path you wanted.
As for visualization, personally...I prefer Tableau. If you've never used it, there's free training on the Tableau website, but you can highlight the existing functionality of Excel for now to get a foot in the door.
I really wouldn't sweat the degree. In my experience, I've never (or very rarely, and forgotten) seen a request for an analytics role that requested CS and NOT some sort of finance/accounting. Most of the time they even say "or similar logical/analytical type role". I've even seen some that put things like "astrophysics" on there. They just want to make sure you're a logical thinker, and decent at math. There's some bonus points if you have a degree that's IN "data analytics" or whatever, but that's fairly new, so it's hardly an expectation.
I've known several straight finance folks that have segued directly into Business Analyst roles just by learning SQL. If you're already know the basics, you're already there.
Tip: In your search, I'd search for the visualization tool you'd like to use. keywords like "Tableau" for example....even if you don't know it (for most positions, it's just a "nice to have" anyway). Searching for SQL will bring up a lot of DBA type jobs, and searching for Data will bring up a lot of Scientist jobs. But the visualization tools are used almost exclusively for analytics and data science. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice all! I'm in a situation similar to the OP, except I have a degree in Econ and work in inventory management - which for now has been data cleanup. I'm a bit behind the OP, 4 months into the job vs 3 years.
I want to keep advancing my knowledge at a gradual pace. I think the path I want is to learn some SQL, which I'll be using on my current job, and eventually get certified in that by May 2017. At my job, they use Excel as a front end for SQL queries (using connections), so I want to get familiar with that and the visuals there. Once I have a good grasp there, then I'll move on to Tableau.
I've been in Accounting for 3 years now and since I graduated I have always known I wanted more of a analytical type of role. Something involving data and being able to turn that into useful information. It really fits what I enjoy doing and I find enjoyment in finding what secrets data can hold. (Plus I make random analytical excel spreadsheets all the time for random things at home).
I always thought a Accounting/Finance background would have been solid for this type of job, but the more I look at data or analytic positions I'm seeing a lot more requisitions looking for people with computer science degrees and programming backgrounds. I personally have a solid finance and business background (also have a MBA, B.S is in Accounting), I'm an advanced Excel user, and I have working experience of SQL, Access, and some other database systems and visual analytic programs. I never really did much with programming, but I do know basic HTML/CSS and I can understand some Python. (Enough to look at it and know what it does but probably couldn't write it off the top of my head.)
Is the computer science background or programming experience really necessary? What should I be working on if I want a job as an analyst working with big data? As I've gotten older I really learned many of my strengths/weaknesses, likes/dislikes, and I think analytics and data is where I want to be!
SSRS, Hadoop, Tableau. Also depends on where your degrees are from. For profit diploma mill or state school?
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