In the past, businesses had limited data and needed quite a lot of guesswork when it came to making sales, marketing, advertising, and getting to know their customers. Just a few decades ago, the world was nowhere near as connected as it is today, and businesses would take much longer to gather any data on their customers, often having to go out and speak to them in person to gain any actionable insights. However, running a business today is very different.
Companies no longer need to make cold calls or pound the pavement knocking on doors to speak to their customers as the world has become so much more connected thanks to the internet. In fact, companies these days can gather data on their customers that can transform the way that the business is run by simply looking at their activity online. This has led to a greater amount of data than ever before being collected by companies of all sizes and in all industries around the world.
This data is then used to gather insights into decisions, improvements, and more that can be done to get the best business results and drive the company towards success. If you are looking for a new career option, working in big data has many benefits to consider. Some of the main reasons why more and more people are choosing to work in this field include:
Growing demand around the world
Data has brought about significant transformations to the way that businesses around the world do things. With an increasing number of businesses around the world now gathering large amounts of data on a daily basis and looking to put this data to use to back the decisions that they are making in terms of their business, the demand for good data analysis and good data science professionals is on the rise.
Businesses around the world today are gathering such large numbers of data that the professional industry is struggling to keep up, which has, in turn, caused a shortage of data analysis and data science professionals. As a result, this is driving a growing demand for data professionals in various industries and businesses of all sizes around the world.
If you are interested in getting into a career path where your skills are in extremely high demand and want the opportunity to work in almost any industry and find work in a variety of different businesses, a data science-based degree offering the chance to gain skills in different areas such as this one with a module in prescriptive analytics from Saint Bonaventure University is a great option.
Technology is growing
While data has always had a part to play in businesses in some form or another, the fields of data science and data analysis were, until quite recently, mainly used in research and academics. The rapid growth and development of technology in recent times has been mainly behind the massive increase in the amount of data that modern businesses are collecting. These days, companies have access to technologies that would have been completely unheard of just a couple of decades previously, and technology is showing no signs of slowing down, particularly when it comes to technology like smart devices and the IoT that can be utilized further by companies to collect even more data and ultimately used to drive decisions.
Growth of the IT industry
With technology and data collection both on the rise, the IT industry is also growing substantially, becoming one of the most lucrative and in-demand industries to work in around the world today. However, options for getting into IT might seem limiting, especially if you do not want to work in areas like computer science or software development.
Data analytics and data science are considered to be under the IT industry umbrella, so getting into these fields gives you the option to get into this ever-growing, lucrative industry with generous starting salaries and lots of opportunities for career progression and advancement. Both data science and data analytics comprise of roles that utilize a variety of IT tools that allow professionals to get into this industry even without computer science, programming, or development knowledge and experience.
Excellent career outlook
Another main advantage of working in a career in data analysis or data science is the great career outlook. When you choose this field, there are many different opportunities that you can enjoy to take your career in the direction that you want. Data is being collected by a huge range of businesses of every size and in every industry around the world, meaning that for professionals who have the necessary skills and knowledge to work in big data, the opportunities are endless when it comes to the type of work that you can do and the companies that you will work alongside with.
Rather than being limited to just one industry or field, data science and data analysis professionals can work in a huge range of different industries throughout their careers including marketing, healthcare, public safety, eCommerce, politics, and many more. No matter where you are, you will find companies and organizations that are collecting data that they need to be able to make sense of and gain insights from.
Enjoy interesting work
While data analysis and data science may not sound like the most interesting job in the world to some, you may be surprised to find that working in these fields isn’t always about staring at numbers in front of a computer. Although sifting through large datasets is always going to be a part of this role, getting insights from the data that you analyze can be extremely interesting, and in these roles, you might be the first to uncover new insights and learn a huge range of new things about different businesses, target markets, demographics, and more.
When you work in data science, for example, you’re not just analyzing data but also looking for problems that we might not have even realized we had in order to find solutions for them. It’s no surprise that data scientists often play a huge part in the invention and creation of new technology products, for example. Both data science and data analysis can be interesting roles that require lots of problem solving and creative thinking.
How to get into a career in data
If you are interested in the idea of working as a data scientist, data analyst, or business intelligence analyst, there are various pathways to getting into this career. You can find apprenticeships and other alternative options to career entry. However, the most popular option is a college degree.
Most big data careers today will require you to have a minimum of an undergraduate degree in a relevant subject. Relevant majors to consider when getting your undergraduate degree to prepare you for these types of careers include data science, data analysis, business analysis, economics, mathematics, computer science, and IT.
Once you have your bachelor’s or master’s degree, it’s a good idea to get as much work experience as possible. Many positions are looking for professionals with work experience, which you can gain through programs like graduate internships. Along with improving your experience levels, this can help you get a better idea of what to expect from the industry and figure out what you want to do in future roles.
Building your Big Data career
Once you have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant subject, there are lots of different options to consider when it comes to taking your career to the next level. Some data professionals prefer the idea of working their way up the career ladder in their role in the workplace. However, you can also improve your chances of getting promoted and finding more senior roles by getting a relevant advanced degree qualification such as a master’s in data science.
To work as a data scientist, you will usually be required to earn a doctorate in data science or similar, so this may be a goal for your career after getting experience working in data analytics or business intelligence.
In addition to an advanced degree, there are various professional certifications in big data that can be used to improve your career outlook and help you take your work to the next level. Many business analysts take professional certifications from Microsoft, for example, who offer some of the best certifications for business analysts to help them stand out from the competition and advance their careers by building more credibility in the field. Bear in mind that some professional certifications have entry requirements, with some requiring an advanced degree while others will only need you to have gained a relevant bachelor’s degree.
Today, big data has become a rapidly growing career field as an increasing number of companies around the world are gathering large amounts of data every day. Since raw data does not always make sense to people without the training and experience to make sense of it, this has led to a significantly growing demand for data professionals.