Are data analysts happy?

Working as a data analyst is a lifetime learning position. Acquiring a bachelor's and a master's degree in the required field might not be enough to get you a headstart in your career. You need to understand the intimidation that comes from command-line interfaces, working with big databases, and other tasks. As technology changes and methodologies change for working with large databases, you must constantly evolve and adapt to stay afloat.

While working on tasks like building machine learning models might seem fun, data analytics is just a small portion of that. A massive portion of your time will be spent on mundane tasks, on trying to understand where the data is coming from, and making sure it is authentic. And if the data is not satisfactory, you will have to spend hours/days building a data pipeline to extract the desired data.

Data analytics is also not a domain where advanced skills can get your career to new highs. If you are someone looking for ways to build a career in this industry, you need to constantly keep in touch with industry professionals. Attend hackathons and meetings, establish your LinkedIn and Twitter connections, and do not limit yourself to your current company. The more valuable connections you have, the more established your profile will be in front of your employers.

In light of all of this, data analysts are often expected to work long hours and be on call in case anything goes wrong, which is why a high percentage of data analysts report feeling burnt out at some point in their careers. Not to mention, for all of this responsibility, most data analysts feel underappreciated and underpaid.