The lack of analytics work experience and how to overcome it?

Kunal Jain 27 Feb, 2019 • 4 min read

overcome work experience in analytics, data science, interview questions

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Now, let me present the two sides of a debate going on in my mind:

One of the most common reasons quoted for rejection of Freshers (or people with non-analytics experience) for analytics jobs is lack of experience! What an irony for someone young wanting to enter the field! They can’t get experience without a job. They can’t get a job without experience!

A quick survey of about 20 freshers (trying to enter the world of analytics) I did before writing this article, revealed that on an average, they had been rejected 25+ times due to lack of work experience – even for junior roles.

It is dis-heartening to see the difficulty faced by these people!

Having said that, I have been on the other side of the table for more than last 4 years. Let’s look at what one of my colleagues has to say:

We were expanding our in-house analytics team from 2 members to 5 members. Instead of hiring an experienced professional, we thought of bringing really smart people (straight out of college) on-board. Post their joining, we took them through a very structured induction and training programme and even got them certified from the SAS training institute (all of this, at the cost of delaying important projects for business owners). We were hoping to get loyal and smart analysts, who would pay for these investments through high quality work.

3 months after joining, the first person left to start his own venture. 6 more months later, the remaining 2 people left the Organization to join other companies offering them better salaries!

Imagine the kind of costs, the team leader had to bear. Loss of business from key stakeholders, loss of time, knowledge and efforts. To make it worse, they were back to where they started – a 2 member team! I think, he was lucky that he did not get fired!

P.S. While I am saying Freshers, what I refer to is people with no analytics experience.

[stextbox id = “section”] Let’s understand the problem:[/stextbox]

How do we solve for this problem? Lets look at the reasons why employers prefer people with work experience over Freshers:

  • Attitude towards work and Maturity in taking decisions – Most of the employers feel that people out of college take immature decisions and need to be mentored on attitude towards work. This is less of a concern with people shifting careers, until and unless there is a specific reason from the past.
  • Time to bring a new person up to speed – An analyst typically takes anywhere between 2 – 6 months to come to speed with the subject. It can easily be a year before you see anything significant coming out of an analyst.
  • Short life span – Because of the demand for trained professionals in the industry, Freshers tend to leave jobs either in search of higher pay or expectation of better role / work. Leaving for better work / role as such should not be a problem, as long as it is actually the case.

A few things which can work as strengths for freshers:

  • Ability to learn – People fresh into their roles, typically have higher ability to learn. It might be because of higher willingness or because they have been just out of an environment conducive to learning.
  • No need to un-learn old habits – This is a big advantage with freshers. You can mould them the way you want. You want them to put a framework before touching data – train them in that manner. Try doing it with someone who is in the practice of doing it the other way.
  • Ability to look at everything with a fresh perspective – How good can an analyst be, if he does not ask questions? Experienced people find it difficult to do so, as they may already have a perspective on the subject.

So, here is the strategy, which a fresher needs to follow:

Address the concerns of the employers (listed above) and emphasize on your strengths.

[stextbox id = “section”]How do you implement this?[/stextbox]

Well, everyone needs to carve out his or her own way. But here are a few tips, which might get you started:

  • Start learning analytics early – there is no substitute for hard work and real knowledge. Even if you spend 3 – 4 hours every week reading about the subject, or undergoing trainings at MOOCs (e.g. Coursera, eDX), doing certifications in the last 2 years of your college, you would know more than a lot of people in the industry (at least the theoretical part of the journey).
  • Become an expert on at least one programming language – You can choose the language you want. I would choose Python or R, if I was passing out in near future.
  • Participate in contests – Now that you have the knowledge, apply it! You can participate in coding contests, hackathons or analytics competitions on platforms like Kaggle. It gives you immense learning while you compete alongside the best data scientists in the world.
  • Contribute to these communities – Whether it is your contributions on Github / stackoverflow or Kaggle, all of them will count immensely when scoring a point with the recruiter.
  • Attend events and network with people in the industry – See if your college is arranging some talks / conferences on the subject. Are there seniors / batchmates you have, who are already in the industry? Reach out to them.
  • Get an internship – Internships are a good way to gain work-experience. We have 2 summer interns in our office this summer and none of them had analytics work experience before. By the way, they are doing a fabulous job (to all those recruiters who think work experience is mandatory)
  • Try getting a job in companies which are open to hiring freshers / non-experienced people. For example, companies like Mu-Sigma, Fractal, WNS, Citi etc. are open to hire people without prior work experience.

If you work on even some of these pointers, you can address the concerns mentioned in the article before. Next, emphasize on your strengths and make a mature decision – no short term decision please!

Are you a recruiter / a fresher / or experienced analytics professional? What is your take on this debate? Who do you prefer to recruit? Why? Any tips to freshers wanting to join the industry? Please share them through comments below.

 

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photo credit: Caro Wallis via photopin cc

Kunal Jain 27 Feb 2019

Kunal is a post graduate from IIT Bombay in Aerospace Engineering. He has spent more than 10 years in field of Data Science. His work experience ranges from mature markets like UK to a developing market like India. During this period he has lead teams of various sizes and has worked on various tools like SAS, SPSS, Qlikview, R, Python and Matlab.

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Responses From Readers

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Yash Agrawal
Yash Agrawal 26 May, 2014

Amazing article sir! Thanks you so much.

Suman
Suman 26 May, 2014

What about people like me after 3.3 yrs wants to get in to analytics??? I am facing same issue like the fresher. No relevant work exp so no job.

Parul Dadhich
Parul Dadhich 26 May, 2014

Thanks Kunal, very beautiful and helpful article for freshers. I am also suffering from same condition except for I am having a 5 year of exp. Initially I joined the firm as a tester (at the time we join as fresher, we were having no option but to go in the project HR put us) Post 2 years, I changed my competency and entered a project which comes under Analytics but have found that we are moreover focused upon reporting only. Major part of my job included SQL & VBA with reporting being done on Excel. Now , I want to work on some pure analytical projects but whenever I ask for it, senior members check the past exp and I am not getting any opportunity as such. To achieve my goals, I have start learning SAS and am planning to go for L0 SAS soon. Can you please guide me what else could be done to choose the correct path towards future. Any suggestion would be of great help. Regards, Parul Dadhich

Vishal Mantri
Vishal Mantri 26 May, 2014

Nice one but what about a six to seven years professional with no analytical experience ?

pranay
pranay 26 May, 2014

following this forum..........of discussion

pranay
pranay 26 May, 2014

Sir, I would request you to pls start training on R and modelling techniques

Rahul
Rahul 26 May, 2014

Hii kunal I am a fresher with good programming knowledge in SAS. I want to get into analytics field .Being from a BTech background i have good.programming knowledge.Plz suggest me how to go further in this path. As being a fresher there are no relevant course offered by institute in analytics..

Ankit
Ankit 27 May, 2014

Nice article Kunal

rajesh
rajesh 27 May, 2014

Dear i want to change my career and want to start with SAS course am an MBA in marketing with commerce background having no experience for the same.do u recommend me for doing this and also find some jobs as a beginner in this field or any alternative u can suggest.pls

Sharan
Sharan 27 May, 2014

Dear Kunal, I am very afraid about the program which is scheduled on 1st June on Analytics for Beginners, as i wouldn't be able to attend because of some financial reasons. Can you please let me know when Is the next batch for this course also can I utilize this discount coupon next time. Kindly suggest. Sharan

Sneha
Sneha 28 May, 2014

Hi Kunal, Thank you for taking efforts to write these articles. It is really very helpfull.

sheetal
sheetal 28 May, 2014

Hi, Nice articles. U have highlighted what the fresher's (applies mostly to ppl striaght out of college) should do. But what about those ppl with work exp of few yrs n wanting to make career change into analytics. They r also treated as fresher's n are rejected way before even being called for interview in spite of having willingness to learn n also contribute in the organization thru past experience. Companies should, at least, give such professionals a chance before concluding as , not suitable' for the job.

abhinav
abhinav 02 Jun, 2014

Hi, Following some of the above would really help. Have seen so many people with interest in this area without any idea of what it is all about. Regards, Abhinav

pawan
pawan 06 Jun, 2014

Hi Kunal, Amazing article! I need your help regarding the analytic career that I intend to start after an stint of 3.4 years in an IT company. With a view to get into analytic I self learnt Base SAS and completed the certification this month. However now I am puzzled about the next move that will take me close to analytic. I am not getting any project relevant to SAS in my present company. I can switch but do not want to be just a SAS programmer. Can you please guide me what should be the next step after base sas. I think of getting into predictive analytics. And as i am not from commerce background what statistics fundamentals should I learn. Any other suggestions? Please help

Mark McNally
Mark McNally 12 Jun, 2014

You could find the people you need if you would consider older (>50) technical professionals. Just because they graduated from university 30+ years ago with technical degrees, they have the fundamentals and experience to tackle any fresh task. I think you are worried too much that experience taints quick learning.

Aflah Hasan VP
Aflah Hasan VP 13 Jun, 2014

Sir I am a Post Graduate Student in Statistics.My couirse will be over this month. I would like to enter Analytics field. I learned some softwares (Preliminary) like R.MATLAB, SAS etc. How to start? Can you guide me what to do next for a best Career? any oppurtunities available for freshers? thanks..

sravan
sravan 17 Jun, 2014

I am Hadoop/big data developer in BI / DWH ,good exp in Hadoop all eco systems, now i moved to predictive analytics,mahout recomendation engine. currently am learing R, i totally depended on R only.because of Open source, could you please guide me in R predictive analytics, my analytics are in retaile domain..

Samik
Samik 26 Jun, 2014

Hi Kunal, Very good article!Could you please guide on how to get exposure to actual project work without the work experience. I understand there are various sources available for theoretical learning (like courser, EDX) which provides excellent learning material that too free!. But I am not able to get my hands on an demo project where I get tot know the end to end lifecycle of an analytics projects and how they are executed.Thanks in advance.

sonika
sonika 10 Jul, 2014

Hi kunal, what exactly is thec work done under reporting and querying? Regards SK

sonika
sonika 10 Jul, 2014

Hi kunal How you corelate analytics with market research? SK

Reddy
Reddy 02 Aug, 2014

Dear Krunal, Gr8 and Amazing article! I need your guidance in getting job as Business analyst, currently i am working with leading private sector bank (from may 2011 till date) in Hyderabad , in Mortgage(corporate) loan portfolio team, and i am a b-tech(electronics) graduate 2008 passed out. kindly help me by resolving below mentioned quires. 1) I want to learn SAS before applying for ISB certification course, learning SAS is enough or do i need to do certification also is there any other course do i need to learn ? 2) Also planing to take foundation course in analytics from Jigsaw academy will it fetch any job opportunity as BA, as this academy advertising placement assistance. any other suggestions to switch my self from back end manager to business analyst. Thanks & regards, Reddy

Veer
Veer 05 Sep, 2014

Hi Kunal, I worked as Cognos reports developer for 3 years then I took a break of 3 years for maternity, not I want to get back into BI. What do I do, Please advise. Thanks

ABHISHEK
ABHISHEK 19 Jan, 2015

Hi Kunal, I passed out from college in 2013, B.Tech, ECE. In Jan'14, I joined Cognizant and left in June. I joined Jigsaw Academy, Fundamentals of Business Analytics Course and have completed it recently. And now I am pursuing Data Scientist and Big Data Specialist course from Jigsaw. I had taken all three courses in August itself because I had completely made my mind to get into Analytics. A fresher, but with some hand on experience of Predictive Analytics owing to 6-7 Case Studies I have done in the Fundamentals Course. Today, I am joining a Big Data Analytics Firm called Trendwise Analytics as an intern, to get some real business experience of Analytics, till I get a proper job. Actually, Thank You!! I came across the opportunity at Trendwise Analytics through your portal only, and capitalized on it. I want you to suggest me on- 1) Though authorities at Jigsaw Academy have told me they will arrange a few interviews for me. But I want to fast track my job search. How to do so? I have sent my resume to "[email protected]". Subject: "Resume- Abhishek Kumar." Please review it and provide some help in finding a job. 2) I have interests in Banking and particularly Investment banking domain. And as a fresher, should I focus on getting domain specific Analytics job or should I target niche Analytics company which offers cross domain experience in Analytics. 2) With long term objective, Should I go for some internationally recognized Global Certificates like "SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9: Regression and Modeling" or "SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner 7" or any other certificate. Is it right time for me to go for a certification or should I wait till I get a Job. If I should should go for a certification, then which one do you suggest? Regards Abhishek Kumar

Madhu
Madhu 02 Mar, 2015

Hi Kunal, I do not have relevant experience. Do you think a Masters degree will be suitable for me right now? I have received admits from a few universities for Business Analytics. I'm not sure if I should take it up. Please advice. Regards, Madhu

ajay
ajay 28 Mar, 2015

Very good article. I think "Attitude towards work and Maturity in taking decisions" is the biggest reason companies don't want freshers . fresher's hop very frequent unless they are bound by any bond.

Rahul Jassal
Rahul Jassal 30 Mar, 2015

hey........great article. I am pursuing B.com(H) from DU and want to shift my career in analytics because i have done 2 month internship in R where i really liked the concept of data mining and that's why i am looking to kick start my career with Data science certification course of jigsaw academy. But, I just want to ask that being a commerce graduate will it be difficult for me to find a job as data analyst or business analyst? because i have seen that most of the company prefer to take BE/B.tech student. so, please suggest me something. Regards- Rahul Jassal

Pavithra
Pavithra 17 May, 2015

Hello , I have completed base SAS certification last year. I have been looking for analytical job since then. I am basically looking for a company that would give me maximum exposure towards learning and practical application of analytics. Please advise if there is anything else I should know before I get into a job. Also suggest of any openings in companies

Yogesh
Yogesh 01 Aug, 2015

Thanks Kunal Sir, this yogesh here..this blog is very helpfull and motivational... inspired me a lot.. thanks once again.... i am BE IT Graduate 2015 Passout looking for Businesss Analytics job...

vishu
vishu 01 Aug, 2015

Hi Kunal, very good article,I want to get into analytic field .Being from a B.Tech background i have knowledge about sql and vba .I did SAS base and advance training, but in my current company i am working as MIS reporting in excel.Please suggest what I have to do next for career in analytic. Thanks in advance.

Stella Maria
Stella Maria 03 Aug, 2015

Hi Kunal sir, Thank you for the article. I am facing exactly the same situation. I have done my post graduation in operations research and computer application in 2005-2007. After that almost 4+ years I was working with a private IT firm in kerala itself as a software trainer. And as my family is here in dubai, I left my job and came to dubai in 2012. And I am looking for a job here as business analyst. But I am going through the same situation which you mentioned in the above article. I hope u could guide me. As you mentioned in the article I am looking a company who hires freshers or something like internship. Once I approached citi bank here in dubai for an opening. But they said they are not hiring person in direct. Only I can do is join with their sales team which they have outsourced. So please help me sir. Should I do any online course or can I get any tutorial as I am here in dubai. Regards, Stella Maria

Naveen
Naveen 05 Oct, 2015

Hello Sir, I appreciate this article very much as it is very close to my past experience. I'm currently working in an analytics startup, but the path was extremely difficult considering my non-computer background and lack of analytics experience. I gave all my time and efforts to learn analytics from scratch for more than 1.5 years. I did several part time internships during college to get accustomed to real data and also participated in competitions. I even compromised on my CGPA and didn't appear in campus placements. Working in analytics is an absolute pleasure and it's definitely worth the risks I had taken. Regards, Naveen

jivesh
jivesh 21 Dec, 2015

Kunal Can you help me out in letting me know what all companies are there which hire Freshers(no experiance in analytics) ?

ANUPAM TIWARI
ANUPAM TIWARI 22 Dec, 2015

I did SAS and R language course from a reputed institute in Analytics last year. up till now I don't feel confident on any of these skills set such as running queries,modelling and analyzing data and other questions asked in interview. what should i do, should i look for some extra questions or tips to improve the same.

shruti
shruti 24 Oct, 2017

Hi, I am having 6years of IT experience but it is nt in the filed of Analytics. I have done few certifications as well but due to lack in practical exposure I am struggling in getting the job. Can you please help how can I achieve my goal.

shrutibansal
shrutibansal 24 Oct, 2017

Hi, I am having 6years of IT experience but it is nt in the filed of Analytics. I have done few certifications as well but due to lack in practical exposure I am struggling in getting the job. Can you please help how can I achieve my goal.

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