Database Analyst

Database analysts are primarily responsible for manipulating, organizing, and understanding what is contained in collections of information (databases). This lets you find the answers to questions posed by your organization’s management about business and operational matters.

The best database analysts have both technical skills for collecting, organizing, and retrieving specific portions of databases, and enough general and business knowledge to understand the significance and utility of the information the databases contain. While people are regularly hired to do this work, it is also often performed by database designers, database administrators, computer systems analysts, computer systems architects, computer engineers, information architects, and others.

To do this job well, you must be proficient in computers, with extensive knowledge of the programming languages required to manipulate the databases. You must also be good at analytical thinking, detail work, and—given the realities of analyzing databases—performing well under time and quality pressure.

You normally cannot do this kind of work alone, so you must be a good communicator too, able to understand what the “real questions” are from management, and equally able to convey the answers derived from your analyses of available data. Because of the pressure, the complexity of most database analysis projects, and the sheer difficulty of the work, you’re often given wide latitude to dress, behave, and work without the usual constraints. Just be sure to deliver what you’re asked for, or tolerance for your idiosyncrasies will plummet.

If you have the right talents, this can be a satisfying and long-term career path because the expanded use of computers in more and more organizations will inevitably create growing demand for your skills and services.