The majority of companies realize the value of a data-driven business strategy and need talented individuals to provide insights.

FREMONT, CA: Data is all around, and everything that people do results in new data. Every kind of electronic message, which we either receive or send, like withdrawing money from a bank, every website that people visit, contributes to data storage. In the modern world, data is a commodity whose value is priceless. Data analytics helps businesses make sense of the massive volumes of data for further growth and development. Capitalizing on analytics is the difference between successful and failing firms in the present and the years to come. Here are some of the essential skills for data analytics.

• SQL

SQL, or Structured Query Language, is the industry-standard database language and is possibly essential for data analysts. The language is often thought of as the better version of Excel, and it can handle large datasets that Excel simply cannot.  Almost every organization requires someone who knows SQL or builds or changes those database structures altogether. Each month, thousands of job postings needing SQL skills are posted. While non-techies can benefit from learning this tool if companies are looking to work with Big Data, learning SQL is the primary step.

• Critical Thinking

Using data to find answers to the questions means figuring out what to ask in the first place, which can often be tricky. To succeed as an analyst, users have to think like an analyst. It is the responsibility of a data analyst to uncover connections that are not always so clear. While this potential is innate to a certain extent, there are several tips firms can try to improve critical thinking skills. Asking basic questions about the issue at hand can help firms stay grounded when searching for a solution, rather than getting carried away with an explanation that is complex than it requires being.

•  Data Visualization

Telling a story with data is vital to getting the point across and keeping the audience engaged. If the findings can’t be seamlessly and quickly identified, firms will have a difficult time getting through to others. Data visualization can have a make-or-break effect when it comes to the effect of the data. Analysts leverage eye-catching, high-quality charts, and graphs to offer their findings in a clear and concise method. Visualization software is considered an industry-standard analytics device, as it is user-friendly.