Today business revolves around data. From startups to small businesses, large companies, and international enterprises - every business deal with data in one way or another. Data analytics can be as diverse as the business world itself. Each industry and company use a different kind of data based on their services and goals. As a result, the job description and daily tasks of data analysts might vary a lot.
To learn more about what data analysts do and what does their workday looks like, we approached one of the data analysts at Flat Rock Technology - Ivaylo Markilov.
Ivaylo is part of our business process outsourcing unit and works as a data analyst for one of the largest international companies in the e-commerce industry. He joined the data analytics team almost two years ago with no experience in data analytics. He was named the best employee in 2020, which makes his career journey a real success story!
Why did you decide to become a data analyst? What drew you to the world of data analytics?
A career in Data Analytics is not something that I have thought of pursuing. Shortly after I moved to Varna, a friend of mine, who worked in Flat Rock, told me about the open opportunities in the company. The Data Analytics position was something that drew my attention. As I was not aware of data analytics, I did some research, and the more I learned about it, the more interesting it got. It seemed that the work you do as a data analyst highly depends on the company and field. For me, that meant a whole new area I could explore. A job that required a set of skills but at the same time offered diversity and flexibility. I believed that as a Data analyst, I would face a lot of challenges that would make me grow as a professional.
You were named the best employee of FRT in 2020. Tell us about your journey in the company
When I joined Flat Rock Technology in 2019, I did not have any experience in data analytics whatsoever. In the very first week, we started internal training with the company we work with.
At first, it was all very confusing. With a lot of help from the team, I was slowly able to put the pieces together. For the next couple of months, they helped me learn the different aspects of being a Data Analyst, all the necessary knowledge I need, and various tricks and shortcuts to make my work easier and faster.
I was able to get valuable information and insights from my coworkers' experience and knowledge and create a strong starting point for my development.
Being named employee of the year took me by surprise. I was never aiming for such an award. For me, it is crucial to give 100% of everything I know and can. A huge part of that is due to my colleagues. Knowing that no one will refuse to help me out or I can do something to help others drives me to improve myself every day. It is a true pleasure to be part of this team!
Can you walk us through a typical day at work?
As a data analyst, my job is to help our BPO client manage data for its customers. We ensure that their products are listed across multiple online marketplace sites. We also need to make sure that the quality of those listings is maintained. For this, we must make sure we are familiar with the inventory data provided.
It is hard to describe a typical day as we have a lot of different tasks. It might include ensuring that data is presented according to the marketplace sites' requirements, creating a custom report for our clients, and more.
Most commonly, we are working on Listing Quality, Sales, and Campaign performance reports. Every aspect of our work requires quick and creative thinking. I cannot say there is routine in this area as the workdays are very dynamic.
What do you like the most about being a data analyst?
I never thought that sitting in front of a monitor, staring at some numbers and letters, would bring me joy. Fortunately, I was wrong. Every day I get the opportunity to learn new things, perfect what I already know, and improve myself. Data analytics is a job that allows you to look at the business processes from a different perspective and shows you the bigger picture.
Another great thing is that the team is full of young, motivated, and cheerful people. I am glad I got the chance to know them. These are the main reasons I enjoy each day spent in the office.
What are the challenges you face during the workday?
The diversity in the task we get also means a lot of different issues. Sometimes they are based purely on close deadlines. Luckily, the people we work with know how difficult some tasks can be, so they do not pressure us.
Another big challenge we are facing is the data we work with. As we review the information we need, there are sometimes gaps or discrepancies that might slow us down. Knowing that something you can complete in a few hours will take days is frustrating.
On the bright side, the challenges we face push us to develop our knowledge further and acquire new skills.
What advice would you give to people who are interested in data analytics?
Do not judge a book by its cover. You might think that being a Data Analyst might seem boring. I thought that myself. And was I wrong. The dynamic of this position is something that can keep you motivated and thirsty for knowledge. Even if you think that there is a 99% chance you will not like being an Analyst, use this 1% to give it a shot! I am pretty sure you will be surprised.
We are hiring! Become a Data Analyst
Do you want to become a Data Analyst? We are hiring data analysts. If you love working with numbers, know excel, and have excellent spoken and written English, join our young and motivated team!
