Data Analyst

The goal of a data analyst is to give people in an organisation reliable information so they can make better decisions. Without this role, teams often rely on gut feeling or incomplete numbers.

To do that, analysts spend most of their time getting data from internal systems, checking it for errors, and turning it into reports or dashboards. A lot of the work is making sure the numbers are correct before sharing them. Writing a clear summary or presenting findings to a non-technical audience is also a regular part of the job.

The main tools are SQL for getting data out of databases, Excel for quick analysis, and a BI tool like Power BI or Tableau for dashboards. Most analysts also use Python or R for larger or more repetitive tasks. You do not need to build machine learning models in most analyst roles, but knowing how to write a clean script saves a lot of time.

The work culture varies by employer. At a consulting firm, work is project-based and deadlines are tight. At a bank or insurer, the environment is more structured and documentation matters. At a startup, you often work closer to the product and get more freedom. In the Netherlands, common employers include financial institutions, government bodies like the CBS, and large retailers. Analysts often move into more specialised roles over time, such as Data Scientist, Quantitative Analyst, or a role in Strategy or Management Consulting.