Transform your passion for data into a compelling career in data storytelling!
Data storytelling as a career? This wasn't an option or discussion when I was in high school. I was good at math and loved art but there wasn't an intersection at the time for these two.
I instead started my college career thinking about accounting before ultimately switching to human resources management. I graduated several years back and loved my career in HR until the day I learned about data storytelling and Tableau.
I strongly believe exposure, education, and encouragement can go a long way for someone's career and life choices. Let's focus right now on the exposure piece. Maybe you are thinking, I like data storytelling but what careers are really out there?
Data storytelling is a valuable skill in a variety of industries, and there are several career paths you can pursue if you're interested in leveraging this skill. Let's explore just a few.
1. Data Analyst: Data analysts collect, process, and analyze data to uncover insights and trends. They often use data storytelling techniques to communicate their findings to stakeholders, helping them make informed decisions.
2. Data Scientist: Data scientists use advanced analytics and machine learning techniques to extract insights from data. They also play a key role in communicating these insights through data storytelling to drive business outcomes.
3. Business Intelligence Analyst: Business intelligence analysts focus on analyzing data to help businesses make strategic decisions. They use data visualization and storytelling techniques to present their findings in a way that is easy to understand for non-technical stakeholders.
4. Data Journalist: Data journalists use data analysis and visualization techniques to uncover stories within data. They often work for news organizations, creating data-driven articles, graphics, and interactive visualizations to inform the public about important issues.
5. Information Designer: Information designers specialize in creating visualizations and graphics that effectively communicate complex information. They use data storytelling techniques to design compelling visual narratives that engage and inform audiences.
6. UX/UI Designer: User experience (UX) and user interface (UI) designers focus on creating intuitive and visually appealing digital products. They use data storytelling principles to design interfaces that effectively convey information and guide users through data-driven experiences.
7. Product Manager: Product managers are responsible for overseeing the development of digital products and services. Those with a background in data storytelling can leverage their skills to ensure that product features are designed in a way that effectively communicates data-driven insights to users.
8. Marketing Analyst: Marketing analysts use data analysis and visualization techniques to measure the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and strategies. They use data storytelling to present their findings to marketing teams and stakeholders, helping them make data-driven decisions.
9. Data Visualization Consultant: Data visualization consultants work with organizations to help them effectively visualize and communicate their data. They provide expertise in data storytelling techniques and help organizations develop strategies for using data visualization to achieve their goals.
10. Educator/Trainer: Professionals with expertise in data storytelling can also pursue careers as educators or trainers, teaching others how to effectively communicate with data. This can include leading workshops, developing online courses, or providing one-on-one coaching.
The options for data storytelling as a career could go on and on. Not only are there many careers on the storytelling side but almost all careers and jobs are consumers of data at one point.
In my HR career, I used and distributed data every day as an artifact of my work. Here is the turnover report and here are our open positions and how long we've been recruiting.
At the time I wasn't considering where I came into the data story. The day I realized data visualization was the science and art of producing consumable data for non-data-focused roles, it was as if I was unlocking a prize for everyone else to enjoy.
I loved watching the end-users start to make connections and better understand what was happening within their businesses right under their eyes. "I knew our turnover rate but I didn't know turnover was down this year."
Data storytelling as a career has so many unique path options and opportunities. If you're curious and want to learn more about what's out there, reach out to someone on LinkedIn and ask. You are a data visualization consultant? What is that like?