To become a Big Data Analyst:
- First, get a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology/Computer Science/Statistics.
- Acquire work experience as a Data Analyst.
- Advance your educational background by obtaining a Master’s degree or a relevant Certification in Data Science/Data Analytics/Big Data Management.
Apart from degrees, you must possess the following skills to become a successful Big Data Analyst:
- You should be proficient in coding in at least two programming languages like R, Python, Ruby, C++, Java, Scala, and Julia. Coding is the foundation for numerical and statistical analysis on massive datasets.
- You should have a strong knowledge of Mathematical and Statistical concepts, including Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, Probability Distribution, Hypothesis Testing, Bayesian Analysis, etc.
- You should be able to work with different computational frameworks such as Excel, SQL, Hadoop, MapReduce, Spark, Storm, Cognos, SAS, MATLAB, Tableau, etc.
- You should be comfortable with relational and non-relational database systems like MySQL, NoSQL, HDFS, Oracle, DB2, MongoDB, CouchDB, Cassandra, etc.
- You should develop strong business acumen.
- You must possess excellent communication skills.
Here’s a list of the top career options in Big Data:
1. Big Data Engineer
Big Data Engineers design, develop, test, evaluate, and maintain Big Data solutions for businesses/organizations.
2. Data Architect
Data Architects design and build and maintain complex database systems for businesses/organizations.
3. Data Scientist
Data Scientists are professionals who are well-versed in Mathematics, Statistics, and ML. They must uncover the hidden patterns in large datasets and interpret the data in ways that can benefit businesses.
4. Big Data Analyst
A Big Data Analyst’s job is much like that of a Data Scientist, as in, they also have to analyze data from disparate sources to identify new business opportunities, ways to enhance business operations, increase customer satisfaction factor, and so on.
5. Data Warehouse Manager
Data Warehouse Managers handle everything associated with the design, implementation, maintenance, and support of data warehouse systems and data repositories.