What are the skills required for a research analyst?

Key skills required of research analysts include:

• Mathematics and statistics skills to work with the data and develop models

• Ability to recognize patterns to find useful information in the data that's sometimes unstructured

• Research, fact-checking, and validation skills to ensure valid data sources and verify accuracy

• Analytical and critical thinking skills to find value and understand what's in the data

• Communication, presentation, and writing skills to present findings derived from the data

• Financial skills to calculate the financial performance of companies, especially in accounting and finance operations

• Focus and organization to work on multiple tasks and projects

• Interpersonal skills to build relationships with teams from other departments

• Knowledge of the company's business to understand customer behavior and market trends relevant to the company's industry

• Technology skills to work with various research, data analytics, modeling, and predictive tools, as well as business productivity software

• Forecasting to determine future trends, often presented in charts, infographics, and other visual aids

• Problem-solving to address the challenges of data collection and analysis, as well as help guide decision-makers toward solutions that resolve issues revealed in the data