Do you want to be a data analyst that the market needs? Here are the must-have skills for you. We believe that many people are planning to grow as data analysts and preparing to develop new skills to welcome new opportunities in 2023. You guys are all asking the same question: how to become a sought-after data analyst?

Statistics reveal that the number of job openings for data analysts is expected to grow by 23 percent by 2031. As the most popular and promising career in the Big Data era, a data analyst job is one of the most sought-after careers with very high competition.

The question is what skills can make you an outstanding data analyst? Sertis invites everyone to find answers in this article with 6 in-demand data analyst skills in 2023. Practicing these skills will guarantee that you will be a sought-after professional by companies across industries.

1. SQL

SQL stands for Structured Query Language. It is the main programming language to access relational databases, which is a database that is organized as a set of tables with rows and columns. A relational database is used to store Big Data as it supports large amounts of data and is easily queried. This type of database is widely used nowadays, as we can see many popular relational databases such as MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle Database, IBM DB2, etc.

SQL is used to communicate with this type of database. We can execute SQL commands to query and extract the desired data, calculate values, organize data, and find the correlation of the data. SQL is a must-have skill for those who work with databases. For data-related roles, especially data analysts, we must extract data from the organization's databases to perform an analysis on a regular basis. Most of the widely-used databases are SQL databases, making SQL one of the most important skills you need. SQL also integrates well with other programming languages, and there are a lot of applications that support SQL.

2. R or Python

R and Python are statistical programming languages that have the ability to perform advanced data analytics that spreadsheets such as Excel can't achieve by just writing a few lines of code. R is mostly used to develop statistical analysis models, while Python, as a multi-purpose language, can be used in a range of applications.

With the advanced capabilities of R and Python, these languages have become another highly sought-after skill in data roles. They can help with more accurate analytical results and more powerful analytical models. In addition, both languages are open-source, making them easy to learn with a community of professionals with these language skills to help one another. Therefore, it is another skill that is worth practicing for those who want to stand out in the data field.

3. Statistics and probability

Statistical and probability skills allow us to predict outcomes or probabilities from data based on trustworthy logic. The skills require a combination of basic math skills, data analytics skills, and critical thinking.

These skills will help us understand what data is telling and enable us to collect data, analyze, and spot patterns and trends in data. It helps us achieve analytical results that are based on valid logic and avoid biases. This thinking will enable us to find answers from data or find insights to support the best business solutions. This makes us a trustworthy and sought-after data analyst in the market.

4. Data management

Data management skills include collecting, organizing, and storing data in ways that are suitable, safe, efficient, and cost-saving.

To develop these skills, we must understand the nature of the data, and be able to select the right tool for each purpose. We also need to understand the difference between various types of databases and how each of them works. In most cases, there will be a data engineer whose role focuses specifically on managing the infrastructure of the data, but if a data analyst has this skill, it will streamline the process and improve the efficiency, making the data analyst, even more, wanted across industries.

5. Data visualization

In addition to analyzing and finding in-depth insights, another important role of a data analyst is to present the analysis results in a way that is easy-to-understand, in order to make the most out of the insights we found. Therefore, data visualization skills are another skill set that will help us become a successful data analyst.

Data visualization is the translation of data into visual contexts such as graphs, maps, charts, or other elements to communicate the essence of the analysis results in a way that is easily and immediately understood. For example, using line graphs to show changes in data or maps to show the locations. This will make data easier to understand than presenting it in text. To be a data analyst with excellent visualization skills takes practice to be able to select visual elements that best convey the data and select and use various data visualization tools such as Tableau or PowerBI effectively.

6. Econometrics

Econometrics is the application of statistical analysis in future economic forecasts and behavioral analysis. Predicting future trends from past data is another important role of data analyst work, as well as is the groundwork in the field of data science.

This skill allows data analysts to be able to analyze and predict based on various types of data, especially economic data. This will open opportunities, particularly in the financial or investment industries, as well as enable data analysts to extend their career path to data science.

Mastering these skills will pave your way to being one of the most sought-after data analysts across industries, or Join us at Sertis, Thailand's leading Big Data and AI solution provider. You will get a chance to embark on new challenges from clients in various industries, and work with a team of experts in data analytics, data science, and data engineering. Meet the teams with shared expertise and passion to learn and grow together. At Sertis, lifelong learning is our essence. Come and join us on this journey to success.

Check out open positions and opportunities at: https://www.careers.sertiscorp.com/jobs