“I want to get into data analytics… but as an independent professional, not a full-time employee”
Big surprise — I get a lot of questions about how to get started in data analytics. My typical answers are to check out the How to Get an Analytics Job podcast, review current job postings, share a portfolio with hiring managers, etc. Pretty standard advice.
“But that’s not really what I mean,” I’m sometimes told. “I’m more interested in working for myself, not as an employee. How do I do that?”
First of all, bravo for the initiative. Drivers wanted, as one fuel emissions-falsifying company once said. That said, I don’t know that it’s a great plan to make your first career in analytics as an independent.
Statistically we are uncommon. There’s just not many independent data professionals, so it’s going to be hard to join the ranks starting from zero in the profession. But more fundamentally I believe that firsthand experience of what is expected of analysts is so necessary to have before you can offer a solution.
The best way to understand the pain points of poor data, lack of training, disengaged management and so forth is to live those pain points. So while it’s applaudable to enter the analytics arena with the ultimate hope to go independent, I’d say getting that full-time experience down is worth doing first.
Are you an analytics employee looking to go independent? Or an independent analytics professional with an opinion here? Let me know in the comments how you’d approach this goal or question.
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