What can you tell me about data analytics?

amother

Fri, May 17 2019, 1:59 pm

I have a bachelor's in math. I've been teaching math in public school for the last 3 years, but I hate it. I'm thinking of transitioning into data analytics.

I've always been really good at math. I'm wondering what specific skills you need, if you enjoy it, what the job prospects and hours are, and any other info you have.

From cursory searches online, it looks like most jobs say that you need either a bachelor's or a master's in data analytics, mathematics, or computer science, so the actual degree shouldn't be a problem. I've taken advanced stats classes.

Last edited by amother on Tue, Jul 09 2019, 8:23 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Hotpink

Fri, May 17 2019, 2:18 pm

Do you know the data programs like R or STATA? Do you have database management knowledge ?

There are lots of jobs but not as many in frum companies . It’s a great field

amother

Azure

Fri, May 17 2019, 2:19 pm

amother [ Hotpink ] wrote:

Do you know the data programs like R or STATA? Do you have database management knowledge ?

There are lots of jobs but not as many in frum companies . It’s a great field

I am going to take a course in data analytics from IBM or Microsoft over the summer to learn these specific skills.

Last edited by amother on Tue, Jul 09 2019, 8:22 am; edited 1 time in total

amother

Hotpink

Fri, May 17 2019, 2:19 pm

The jobs are mostly full time but sometimes remote . Or you can freelance . That varies so much by the company. IME it’s nit very easy to find a position thats 9-3 or something .

amother

Hotpink

Fri, May 17 2019, 2:21 pm

If you have those three particular skills I think you wouldn’t have a problem finding a job. It’s a very diverse career in that you can work for any industry . I love it. Hatzlacha!

ggdm

Thu, May 23 2019, 6:23 am

Sorry for the delay, I forgot your post over Shabbat. I have a few friends who work in data science. I'm not in the US, though.

Some work in a big company. One friend with a math degree is in a bank and basically she always gets all numbers and does more orless the same analysis every month or so. Additionally they have tasks like investigate the effect of the new plan X. It is a very relaxed 9 to 5 job in a team of 3-4. Another friend with an engeneering degree is in a big chemical company. Her job is basically to help out any department who needs help. So she mainly analyzes production and test procedures to tell them why their data is unusable Wink

She is a people person and enjoys it a lot. It's in theory 9 to 5 and cozy (she can decide with the team of 4-5 colleagues what department request to accept), but she is very ambitious and works way too much. Third friend with a computer science degree is in a pharma company, similar task description, but basically all she does is convince people that they shouldn't hate her ("AI is gonna take our jobs"). She's alone with a boss who is from a non-science field. So I'd say big company data sience jobs are a great choice, but I'd select a place where they are not starting from scratch with that sort of thing. You can get predictable and 9 to 5.

A former colleague with a computer engineering degree is now a data science consultant. He is doing projects, typically 2-8 months, typically mid-size to big companies. Sometimes two in parallel. He travels all over and spends a lot of time in hotels when he works at the clients. There is high demand and good pay, put lots of pressure to get results. He enjoys it and says he learns so much about how different companies work. He is single and young. He asked me to join him, because he has so much work, but the traveling is not for me. Otherwise I think it is highly rewarding and interesting.

My recommendations for getting in there: Do a machine learning online course. Even if you already know the math, it will give you the terminology and conceptual framework. I liked Andrew Ng's course on coursera, but there are many. Learn R, preferably with some data analysis packages like janitor or the tidyverse packages. Get comfortable with RStudio, maybe git, maybe relational databases. Basically look into the "IT side" of data science, which you will probably be missing a bit coming from math and not computers.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask. My answer may take a while due to time zones and my little dragon keeping me busy, but I will answer.

amother

Lemon

Thu, May 23 2019, 10:58 am

I work in the tri-state area and my company has been looking for data analysts. They seem to be in hot demand. I agree with a previous poster that programming in certain languages definitely gives you a step up.

amother

Indigo

Thu, May 23 2019, 11:25 am

There can be a big difference between data analytics and data science when it comes to the required technical skills. Some of the posters above are talking about data science, but OP expressed interest in data analytics.

amother

Azure

Fri, May 31 2019, 12:25 am

amother [ Indigo ] wrote:

What is the difference?

I'm actually not sure which one I'm more interested in. I thought the two were interchangeable.

Last edited by amother on Sun, Jul 07 2019, 1:03 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Azure

Fri, May 31 2019, 12:27 am

ggdm wrote:

My recommendations for getting in there: Do a machine learning online course. Even if you already know the math, it will give you the terminology and conceptual framework. I liked Andrew Ng's course on coursera, but there are many. Learn R, preferably with some data analysis packages like janitor or the tidyverse packages. Get comfortable with RStudio, maybe git, maybe relational databases. Basically look into the "IT side" of data science, which you will probably be missing a bit coming from math and not computers.

If you have more questions, feel free to ask. My answer may take a while due to time zones and my little dragon keeping me busy, but I will answer.

I was planning on doing R and Python, which, from descriptions on LinkedIn, seem to be the two most commonly required languages for data analysts.

Can you link some of these recommended courses?

Last edited by amother on Sun, Jul 07 2019, 1:03 pm; edited 1 time in total

forgetit

Fri, May 31 2019, 12:35 am

I have an acquaintance who works at IBM. Let me know if you want to speak to her: she might have something of value to share.
BTW, I think she is a contractor and therefore has flexibility in hours, but she probably doesn't get benefits.

amother

Azure

Sun, Jun 02 2019, 1:41 am

Delete

Last edited by amother on Sun, Jul 07 2019, 12:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Azure

Sun, Jun 02 2019, 1:44 am

amother [ Indigo ] wrote:

From my cursory Google search, I think that I am more interested in data analytics than data science.

Last edited by amother on Sun, Jul 07 2019, 12:58 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Babyblue

Sun, Jun 02 2019, 4:23 pm

A friend works for an accounting firm doing debt capacity analysis for companies. She just has a BA with a math major. Not sure if this is the type of thing you're looking at.

ggdm

Mon, Jun 03 2019, 6:09 pm

smileforamile wrote:

I was planning on doing R and Python, which, from descriptions on LinkedIn, seem to be the two most commonly required languages for data analysts.

Can you link some of these recommended courses?

Andrew Ng on machine learning:
https://www.coursera.org/learn.....rning
I did this years ago and liked it very much, but it is with Matlab, not R

I never did a course to learn Python or R, but this one looks like what I would try in your case:
https://www.coursera.org/speci.....ython

If this specific course is not good, search for one with similar topics.