Finding a needle in a haystack: How a BI analyst works with data and why it's important

Contents: 

• Who is a BI analyst?
• What they do
• What skills need to be developed specialist
• How much do analysts earn? We studied salaries in Belarus.
• How to become a BI analyst

Who is a BI analyst?

A BI analyst is a specialist who analyzes data in a company using certain tools and methods of business intelligence (BI). It transforms raw data collected from various sources into valuable and easy-to-understand information in a Data Warehouse (a storage facility for collecting and processing historical business data), which will help make strategic and tactical decisions in the organization.

BI analyst carries out ETL processes (Extract, Transform, Load) extracts, transforms, and loads processed information into a consolidated source for further analysis. It transforms large volumes of seemingly irrelevant data into important and relevant information. His work is aimed at improving the efficiency and quality of decision-making, as well as increasing the company's competitiveness in the market.

What does a BI analyst do?

Collecting data from databases, CRM and ERP business planning systems, web analytics, media, social networks, and other sources.A BI analyst determines what exactly is needed for analysis and report development, and works on data acquisition and integration.

What skills does a BI analyst need to develop?

To achieve success in their field, a BI analyst needs to develop certain personal and professional skills. Soft skills include:

• Analytical thinking.You must be able to understand complex data, identify relationships and patterns, and conduct in-depth analysis to uncover important informational aspects.
• Logical thinking.The ability to reason logically and establish cause-and-effect relationships is important.
• Creativity.You must be able to find new ways to accomplish tasks, propose innovative approaches and solutions to improve business analytics processes.
• Attention to detail.You must pay attention to the smallest details, not ignore them, and ensure their accuracy and integrity during the analysis.
• Communication skills.You need to be able to communicate effectively with a team, talk simply about complex issues, taking into account different audiences.
• Time management.Ability to organize your work, set priorities, and cope with tasks under tight deadlines.

The professional skills of a BI analyst include next:

• Skills in working with various business intelligence tools: Tableau, Power BI, QlikView, MicroStrategy, Excel tables, etc. In addition, you need to be able to visualize data and create reports.
• Skills in working with databases and SQL to extract, process, and analyze information.
• Understanding of basic statistical methods and models for conducting statistical data analysis, including regression, cluster analysis, time series to identify patterns and their impact on the future of the company, etc.
• Knowledge of principles and processes in various areas of business to effectively analyze data and provide valuable recommendations.
• Skills in working with large and complex datasets, including cleaning, transforming, and aggregating them.
• Understanding the specific requirements and features of the company's subject areain which the BI analyst works, to create adapted analytical solutions.

How much does a BI analyst earn? We studied salaries in Belarus

This profession offers various career prospects. Depending on their experience, skills, and achievements, a BI analyst can move up the hierarchy and reach more senior positions. While a junior or mid-level BI analyst can expect a salary of $1,000–$1,500 per month, their income and career opportunities will increase significantly as their knowledge and competencies expand.
Skillbox.by editors analyzed portal vacancies hh.ru and rabota.by and concluded that the career path of a BI analyst can be built according to the following scheme:

• A senior BI analyst, as a rule, earns from $1,500 to $2,500. He is responsible for project management, developing strategic decisions, and leading a team of specialists.
• A data architect can expect a salary from $2,500 to $5,000. This specialist creates and manages data infrastructure, develops data models, and ensures effective data flow in companies.
• A product analyst earns from $3,000 to $6,000. He is responsible for strategic planning, coordination, and management of analytical projects and a team of analysts.
• The salary of the Head of Business Analytics starts at $4,000. This specialist is responsible for the strategic development of the department, team management, and interaction with the company's senior management.

However, it should be noted that salaries can vary significantly depending on the region, industry, and company size. At the same time, the profession is compatible with the remote nature of work, which does not limit experienced specialists in their choice of companies.

How to become a BI analyst

The qualifications of a BI analyst may vary depending on the company, but most often, employers indicate higher education or specialized courses as requirements. If we talk about universities, then education in information science, data analysis, statistics, economics or related fields is suitable. But when choosing distance learning, it is worth paying attention to the relevance of educational programs and the ability to build a portfolio.

In addition to theoretical training, candidates should have experience working with data. This can be gained through practical training or internships. Entry-level positions such as assistant or associate analyst will help you gain this experience and learn business intelligence tools, such as Tableau, Power BI, QlikView, and others. Certification from leading BI tool providers is a big plus. They will validate your knowledge and skills, which will help attract the attention of potential employers.

BI analytics plays an important role in modern business. It helps companies understand data, identify trends, opportunities, and risks, optimize processes, and improve operational efficiency.

It is important to understand that BI analysis is not only about mastering tools and technical skills, but also about understanding business needs, the ability to communicate with stakeholders, and search large volumes of information for the necessary information.

If you are interested in studying BI analytics and want to get a better understanding of the profession, we recommend exploring the following resources:

• «Institute of Business Analytics» is a YouTube channel that offers free educational video lessons and guides on business intelligence.
• www.it-world.ruis a professional community. There you can meet and communicate with colleagues, find useful resources for work.
• R4Marketing, IT Resume — Telegram channels that publish useful and relevant information daily, and sometimes vacancies in top projects and companies.
• From the literature, we recommend paying attention to the books by Alan Cooper "The Inmates Run the Mental Hospital" and the Dama International project team "DAMA-DMBOK: Dama International Data Management Body of Knowledge". There you will find useful information about the field of BI, which will help you acquire basic knowledge and skills for work.