Why should Statisticians consider Analytics as a career?

Ivy Apr 11, 2015 No Comments

Are you a statistician waiting to stretch your capabilities? Do you want to move beyond academics, biosciences and policy making? Then hold your breath.

A recent trend in analytics hiring reveals that “Statistics” is a desired degree for many of the job roles.

Statistical methods are applied to almost every area of business and industry.  From developing of analytics algorithms to constructing predictive models and studying complex datasets, statisticians have become critical to most analytics based functions.

Statistical analysis is no longer just for political pollsters, clinical trials and policy makers, but intrinsic to the business process too. So if you want to get involved in the exciting world of business,  add an analytics certification to your Statistics bachelor’s / post grad. degree.

Hiring companies want ‘analytics savvy’  people with a statistics background.

So how to know if you are ready for the ‘analytics savvy’?

• You love working with data, especially huge noisy datasets.
• Developing predictive models is your forte.
• Mapping a business problem into the statistical world and communicating it in business terminology is easy.
• Problem solving with the technical approach to “why”, is one your skills.
• You have knowledge of database and programming.
• You are familiar with the popular statistical software “R”, and / or SAS, SPSS.
• Your strengths lie in the following – Logistic regression in a Big Data environment, GLM/regression theory, experimental design, cluster analysis, decision trees, machine learning applications.
• You have useful niche skills like DOE, time series, survival analysis, or multivariate methods

So you may have ticked most or all the above, and what now?

Learn more about possibilities.

Advantages:

• Combining Statistics with an add-on course/ certificate in Data Analytics or Big Data Analytics increases your employability quotient.
• You can leverage your interest in science, technology, or business to suit both, your statistical knowledge and interest area.
• Opt for jobs in any of the following verticals –finance, insurance, eCommerce, manufacturing, Government (census, population research, policy making), pharmaceutical, environmental science, economic analysis, medicine, education, health and social services, elections, and other areas of government and business.
• Research in your chosen field of application, playing with various models to arrive at best-fit solutions.
• Expect a lower barrier to job entry – your statistical degree is your strength.
• Exercise options to work individually and/or as part of an interdisciplinary team.

A statistician’s toolbox is loaded with methodology, tools and approaches well suited to the business problems.

Here are some Job Roles that demand Statistics + Analytics skills:

Bottomline: With Big Data having fueled one of the most hyper-growth niches of employment, a statistician armed with an analytics certification can look forward to excellent career prospects in his/her chosen field.

So go ahead and check out at IVY for Analytics courses ideal for the Statistics student or professional.