Most of us had the chance to learn remote work during the Covid-19 lockdowns. Even after returning to normalcy, the shift remains ongoing, with 48% of employees aiming to maintain remote work opportunities.
Hardly caused by the pandemic, the roots of WFH lie with technological advancement enabling smooth communication and video conference platforms.
The US Bureau of Labor predicts data science employment opportunities to grow by 36% by 2031. This spike is not unique to the States, as data scientists are one of the most sought IT professionals worldwide, and it’s accelerating. Let’s jump straight to the main question.
Are There Remote Job Opportunities in Data Analytics?
The short answer is – yes, plenty. However, several things must be considered before choosing a remote data analytics career path.
Data Analytics and remote work can easily go hand in hand. Most of the time, these specialists work by themselves, gathering, aggregating, and presenting data. Yet communication is inevitable.
They must present the analysis to the stakeholders for further action, and that means a data analyst must understand the business model to extract value from the dataset.
Expect to be in continuous touch with a stakeholder or project manager if you’re seeking remote data analyst employment. Some companies choose to have their analysts in the office. Simultaneously, others don’t see problems coordinating tasks remotely and aim to hire for the experience rather than geographic proximity.
There are thousands of open remote data analyst positions on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and so on. Meta, Bloomberg, TikTok, Oracle, and even Coca-Cola are big companies hiring data analysts.
That’s because most big businesses nowadays handle vast amounts of information. Data analysts transform big data into revenue. Choosing an industry, you are genuinely interested in will help you along the way.
Remote Data Analyst Requirements
Working remotely poses specific challenges. Firstly, you must have excellent time-management skills. It’s easy to get distracted at home with no team manager breathing over your shoulder. Furthermore, remote freelancers often work with multiple contractors, and you must ensure deadlines are met for each.
It’s up to you to create a comfortable working environment. Prepare the necessities like a speedy and stable Internet connection, camera and microphone for remote chats, and software to fulfill your tasks.
No less important are a comfortable chair and a big screen monitor. If your tasks involve big data gathering, guarantee your Internet plan has sufficient bandwidth and the router is powerful enough to maintain multiple proxy connections.
Data Analyst Skill Set
Data analysis is for people who did well in math. Moreover, unlike some other IT branches, data analysts are often expected to have an academic degree in statistics or computer science.
Most Data analyst job posters will list bachelor’s degree requirements, going up to a master’s for a Data scientist, and there’s a phenomenally high rate with PhDs.
Although having an academic degree is a significant advantage, its value is changing. Instead of having a ‘certified piece of paper,’ you can demonstrate the knowledge you gained outside of the university, with many US students unable to afford higher education.
Online learning platforms have been gaining traction for quite some time. On Turing Collage, worldwide specialists from renowned global brands join together to release outstanding data analysis and computer science courses optimized for real work experience.
It doesn’t mean that university programs become obsolete. Instead, there’s a split between specialists that require more in-depth theoretical knowledge and software professionals that can do without it.
How to Prepare for a Job Interview?
As a remote data analyst, you should expect thorough questioning. Employers will want to verify your soft skills, such as time management and communication, and getting by without prior experience is tricky because it lacks trust, which is so important for remote contracts.
However, your skill set and experience with data analysis tools will make or break the interview. You should expect questions about statistics, like linear regression, median values, and so on.
Coding questions will check your knowledge of SQL, R, and Python languages. Be prepared for data analysis and visualization tools; having a concrete example with your work is the best.
Lastly, demonstrate you are result oriented and have strong critical thinking skills. Data analysts bring outstanding value by outlining performance issues that require immediate attention.
Critical thinking will get you miles as you will be able to identify setbacks that are crucial for business longevity. Concentrating on the result will convey a message of dedication and place you high on the hiring list.
Upcoming Challenges
Data analysis is not for the faint-hearted but just as promising. There will be thousands of available data analyst positions in the foreseeable future, many of which allow remote work.
Preparing for upcoming challenges is essential, but if you follow outlined tips, the chances of landing a lucrative opportunity are great!
