Break into Tech in 3 Months: A Beginner’s Guide
Are you trying to get into data analysis but don’t know where to begin? Is the data world confusing? Don’t worry! This guide makes it easy to start your data career. We’ll show you how to land a data analyst job, even if you’re a beginner.
Many people get stuck, unsure what skills to learn or how long it will take. We’ll explain the steps and share tips to help you get your first job.
The Analyst Advantage: Why This Role is Your Best Entry Point
Target Analyst Positions (Data, Business, Marketing, Financial)
When you’re first getting into data, think about analyst jobs. It could be a data analyst, business analyst, or even a marketing analyst. Any job that uses data is a great start. You’ll learn skills that can move you forward. Each role will give you skills that you can use later. This can really help you grow in your career.
Key Skills for Analyst Roles: SQL and Excel
SQL and Excel are the most important tools to know. If you understand how to use Excel to analyze data, you’re already on your way. Learning SQL isn’t as hard as you think. If you are good with Excel, you can learn SQL easier.
SQL Mastery: How Long Does It Really Take?
People always wonder how long it takes to learn SQL. It can take a weekend or a few months. The most important thing is to start and keep going! Don’t get nervous and do nothing.
The Learning Curve: Overcoming the Mid-Point Plateau
The 20-40% Hurdle: Why People Give Up
Most people want to quit when they are 20-40% into learning something new. Learning a new language can be hard. If you already know one language, it is easier. It’s like learning Spanish when you know Portuguese. It is easier since they are similar languages. If you’re trying to learn your very first language, it will be hard at first. This is normal.
The Power of Accountability and “Skin in the Game”
An accountability partner can help you stay on track. When you invest in learning through courses or programs, you’re more likely to stick with it. Money makes you care more and want to finish what you started.
Staying Motivated: Tips for Pushing Through
Here are some tips to stay motivated:
- Set goals that are easy to reach
- Celebrate the small wins
- Find people that will support you
Beyond the Books: Landing Your First Data Role
Mastering the Technical Skills: What To Do After You Learn
After you learn SQL and Excel, work on projects. Knowing these skills puts you ahead. This will make sure you can apply what you learned.
The Numbers Game: Applying for Jobs
Don’t be afraid to apply for many jobs! Applying to jobs is a numbers game. Some people apply to hundreds of jobs before getting hired. Tech jobs are very competitive, so put in the effort.
Networking: Leveraging Your Existing Connections
Talk to people you know. You probably know someone in the data space. You can always meet somebody that knows somebody else. It will lead you closer to your goal.
Brute Force Your Way In: From Learning to Earning
Freelance Opportunities: Upwork and Fiverr
Try freelancing on sites like Upwork or Fiverr. It can help you gain experience. Small jobs are valuable to show that you have experience.
Setting Realistic Expectations: The Transition Timeline
It takes time to switch careers. It could take 3 months to a year. It’s okay if it takes longer than you expect. Also, tech isn’t going away, so don’t worry!
The 90/90/90 Rule: Overcoming the Odds
Remember these stats:
- 90% of people don’t start.
- 90% of those people give up.
- 90% of the people don’t apply enough.
Be one of the few who keep going and don’t give up!
Start Your Data Journey Today
Changing careers into data is possible. Focus on skills such as SQL and Excel. Understand that it will take time to learn and apply to jobs. Start today and unlock all the possibilities that await you.
Unlock Your Career Potential
Frequently asked questions
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Contact us at [email protected] — we’re here to help.
What is the Data Engineering Academy?
Data Engineering Academy is created by FAANG data engineers with decades of experience in hiring, managing, and training data engineers at FAANG companies. We know that it can be overwhelming to follow advice from reddit, google, or online certificates, so we’ve condensed everything that you need to learn data engineering while ALSO studying for the DE interview.
What is the curriculum like?
We understand technology is always changing, so learning the fundamentals is the way to go. You will have many interview questions in SQL, Python Algo and Python Dataframes (Pandas). From there, you will also have real life Data modeling and System Design questions. Finally, you will have real world AWS projects where you will get exposure to 30+ tools that are relevant to today’s industry. See here for further details on curriculum
How is DE Academy different from other courses?
DE Academy is not a traditional course, but rather emphasizes practical, hands-on learning experiences. The curriculum of DE Academy is developed in collaboration with industry experts and professionals. We know how to start your data engineering journey while ALSO studying for the job interview. We know it’s best to learn from real world projects that take weeks to complete instead of spending years with masters, certificates, etc.
Do you offer any 1-1 help?
Yes, we provide personal guidance, resume review, negotiation help and much more to go along with your data engineering training to get you to your next goal. If interested, reach out to [email protected]
Does Data Engineering Academy offer certification upon completion?
Yes! But only for our private clients and not for the digital package as our certificate holds value when companies see it on your resume.
What is the best way to learn data engineering?
The best way is to learn from the best data engineering courses while also studying for the data engineer interview.
Is it hard to become a data engineer?
Any transition in life has its challenges, but taking a data engineer online course is easier with the proper guidance from our FAANG coaches.
What are the job prospects for data engineers?
The data engineer job role is growing rapidly, as can be seen by google trends, with an entry level data engineer earning well over the 6-figure mark.
What are some common data engineer interview questions?
SQL and data modeling are the most common, but learning how to ace the SQL portion of the data engineer interview is just as important as learning SQL itself.