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Data Analyst

Data analysts collect, clean and analyse data to answer business questions, then present the results in reports and dashboards. SQL is the core skill, supported by Python, spreadsheets and clear communication.

What the job involves

  • Write SQL queries to pull and combine data from databases.
  • Clean messy data and check it for errors.
  • Calculate metrics and spot trends, then explain what they mean.
  • Build reports and dashboards for business teams.

Core skills

  • SQL (joins, aggregation, window functions)
  • Python for data handling
  • Spreadsheets
  • Basic statistics
  • Data visualization
  • Communicating findings

Your learning path

Work through the steps in order. Each one links to the lessons and practice to use.

  1. Step 1: SQL fundamentals

    Start with SELECT, filtering, sorting and NULL handling. This is the part of the job you will use every single day.

  2. Step 2: Aggregation and grouping

    Summarize data with COUNT, SUM and AVG, group it with GROUP BY, and filter groups with HAVING. Most business metrics are aggregations.

  3. Step 3: Combining tables with JOINs

    Real data is spread across many tables. Learn every JOIN type and how to avoid duplicated or missing rows.

  4. Step 4: Advanced analytical SQL

    Subqueries, CASE, CTEs and window functions let you rank, compare periods and calculate running totals: the queries that separate beginners from analysts.

  5. Step 5: Python for data

    Python automates repetitive work: reading CSV and JSON files, cleaning values, and combining data from APIs and databases.

  6. Step 6: Statistics, visualization and communication

    Numbers only matter when people understand them. Learn basic statistics and present results clearly.

    Not on Laviyx Learn yet

    • Excel or Google Sheets (pivot tables, lookups)
    • A dashboard tool such as Power BI, Tableau or Looker Studio

  7. Step 7: Prepare for interviews

    Expect SQL query-writing questions, metric definitions and questions about how you would analyse a problem.

Projects to build

Projects prove your skills and give you something to show.

  • Analyse a public sales dataset and write up three findings with supporting queries.
  • Build a cohort or retention analysis with window functions.
  • Automate a weekly report with Python that reads a CSV and summarizes it.

Interview preparation

This path is a suggested order. Requirements differ between companies, so also read job descriptions for the roles you are applying to.

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