In one of my previous articles, How to Get Experience in Data Analytics without a Full-Time Job, I discussed a few ways to gain experience in data without being in a full-time data job. However, I didn't talk about one significant approach: making your current role more data-driven. By using data into your existing job, you can demonstrate a focus on data and employ analytical skills typically used by data analysts.
Why Make Your Role Data-Driven?
The main idea behind making your role data-driven is to collect and analyze data relevant to your job and use the insights to make informed decisions. It also shows potential employers your transferrable skills (e.g. problem solving, communication) and your data analysis ability.
How I Made My Part-Time Roles More Data-Driven: Two Examples
Okay, now how do you make your roles more data driven? Well it depends on a lot of different factors like your job and industry. But I'll go into how I incorporated data analysis into two of my part time roles.
Example 1: Tutoring Job
In my part-time tutoring job, I decided to monitor my students' performance in tests, quizzes, and assignments. I recorded all their grades in a spreadsheet to analyze their performance. If I noticed they didn’t do well on quizzes or tests, I tried to determine whether it was due to a lack of test-taking skills or a misunderstanding of the concepts. Depending on the cause, I changed my tutoring approach to address the areas they needed to improve. As a result, my students’ grades improved significantly. On average, I helped raise grades from an F to a C.
This approach essentially involved analyzing student performance data, extracting insights on how they did, and accordingly adapting my tutoring methods, which contributed to raising their grades.
Example 2: Content Marketing Role
Currently, I hold a part-time role in content marketing, which means creating content to attract people to our product. I wanted to see how our content was performing, especially on LinkedIn. I looked at things like content type (image, document, video, etc.) and themes. I also analyzed LinkedIn metrics like impressions, likes, comments, as well as company page metrics such as daily visitors and follower count.
By understanding which posts and content types received the most engagement, I could change our content strategy. This data-driven approach led to a 50% increase in follower count and a 35% boost in page views in less than 90 days.
In summary, by collecting and analyzing LinkedIn metrics, I gained insights into which posts were most effective. This enabled me to enhance post performance and page views, which in turn increased the number of people signing up for our product.
Getting Started With Data-Driven Approaches in Your Role
To get started, consider what type of data is relevant to your role. Think about how you can use this data for analysis to enhance business operations or solve problems. You can also approach your manager/supervisor with your idea and see what they think. Here's how you can approach them:
Be Prepared: Before you approach your manager, make sure you have done your homework. Understand the data you want to use, and have a clear idea of how it can benefit your role or the organization.
Be Clear: When presenting your idea, be concise and to the point. Explain how incorporating data analysis into your role can lead to better decision-making and improved outcomes. Use concrete examples if possible.
Show Initiative: Express your enthusiasm for data analysis and show that you are willing to take the initiative in implementing data-driven methods in your role.
Seek Feedback: Ask your manager for their input and suggestions. Express that you value their expertise and would appreciate any guidance they can provide.
Conclusion
Making your role more data-driven doesn’t require a significant shift in your career; it’s about incorporating analytical thinking and using data to make better-informed decisions. As you take steps to become more data-oriented in your current role, you can not only improve your performance but also gain invaluable skills that are sought after in the job market.
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