135: You Need This Data Analyst Roadmap (ft. AI)
For anyone aiming to break into data analysis, Avery’s roadmap is the ultimate guide. With practical advice and clear steps, this episode sets you up for success in just 100 days.
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⌚ TIMESTAMPS
01:06 AI Avatars Talk About the Plan
02:04 Learning About Data Roles
03:55 Getting Good at Excel
04:55 Visualizing Data with Tableau
05:54 Learning SQL Basics
06:58 Starting Job Prep Early
07:15 Applying for Jobs Smartly
09:27 Capstone Project: Showing Off Your Skills
11:22 Last Tips and Encouragement
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Transcript
I am AI Avery, and you need to follow this data analyst roadmap.
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:No, just kidding.
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:It's just regular.
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:Avery.
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:I'm not ai.
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:Or am I?
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:Today I created a data
analyst roadmap using AI.
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:Now it's not only just a roadmap, it's
actually a podcast episode and we're
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:going to get into that here in a second.
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:It was created only using AI.
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:What I did is I took my data
analyst roadmap that I give to
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:my students and anyone that's
following me on social media.
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:It is a 10 week plan to help you land your
day to job in less than a hundred days.
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:I took that PDF and I uploaded it to
Google's notebook LM, which allows you
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:with one button to create a dynamic
host podcast, where they're actually
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:talking about the PDFs that you uploaded.
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:If you've never seen this tool
before, check out this clip right
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:here, where these two AI avatar
podcasters are learning that they are.
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:are actually AI and not
actually real humans.
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:Look, I, I'm just going to say it.
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:Yeah, rip the band aid off.
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:We were informed by, uh, by the show's
producers that we, we're not human.
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:We're not real.
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:We're AI, artificial intelligence.
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:So the ideas in this episode are all
mine, but they are presented to you by two
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:AI avatar hosts that discuss my roadmap
and kind of give interesting insights.
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:I actually think it's really neat.
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:Now I do want to preface
this that it's not perfect.
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:Like.
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:All sorts of AI is definitely not perfect.
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:In fact, at one point, uh, I think,
uh, towards the end, the hosts say
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:to each other, So it's like you're
speaking their language, but with data.
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:Yes, exactly.
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:It's like you're speaking
their language, but with data.
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:It's absolutely hilarious.
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:But I was actually amazed.
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:At how good and like how interesting
the conversation sounds, especially
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:from an audio perspective.
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:If you're watching this on YouTube, the
avatars, I think have a long way to go.
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:If you're just listening though, man,
the experience is absolutely incredible.
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:And this is such a cool tool that I
think everyone should really check out.
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:If you guys want a copy of my
actual roadmap PDF, check out the
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:show notes down below so I can send
that to you for absolutely free.
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:And with that, let's turn it
over to the AI podcasters.
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:AI Lady: Okay, so you want to be a data
analyst and you found this roadmap.
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:AI man: Smart move.
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:AI Lady: Right.
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:It's a hot field, no doubt.
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:And this roadmap lays
out a serious game plan.
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:But you know what surprised me
when I looked at this thing?
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:Week one, it's not about
jumping into Python or SQL.
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:It's about understanding all the
different data jobs out there.
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:AI man: Yeah.
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:It's like walking into
a really good bakery.
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:AI Lady: Right.
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:AI man: Right.
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:You wouldn't just grab
the first thing you see.
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:AI Lady: I love that.
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:You
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:AI man: want to kind of browse
and see what looks good to
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:you, what speaks to you.
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:And it's the same with data careers.
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:AI Lady: Okay, so break that down for me.
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:Why is it so important to
understand all the different data
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:roles, especially this early on?
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:AI man: Well, because it's about
finding the right fit for you.
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:You know, this roadmap is about
becoming a data analyst, but that
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:can mean a lot of things, right?
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:Like maybe you're into marketing analytics
or perhaps finance is more your thing.
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:Understanding the nuances helps
you focus your skill development
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:and really target your job search.
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:AI Lady: So it's about
strategy from day one.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:Exactly.
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:And you know what else
is part of that strategy?
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:Week 1 throws in this 1 2 punch.
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:LinkedIn and portfolio building.
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:AI Lady: Yeah, that threw me.
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:It seems so early, because most
people I know think LinkedIn
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:is just for when you're, like,
actively searching for a new job.
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:AI man: Yeah, well that's
old school thinking.
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:AI Lady: Okay.
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:AI man: Today, your LinkedIn,
that's like your digital storefront,
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:especially in the data world.
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:AI Lady: Mm.
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:AI man: You know, this roadmap
actually talks about optimizing
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:for applicant tracking systems.
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:AI Lady: Oh, yeah.
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:AI man: Which sounds super technical.
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:Yeah.
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:Yeah.
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:But it's really just about making
sure your profile speaks the
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:language of those algorithms that
companies use to find people.
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:AI Lady: So it's like SEO for your career.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:And having a portfolio, even if it's just
starting out shows, you're not all taught.
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:You're actually applying your skills
to real projects, even small ones.
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:It shows initiative.
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:AI Lady: Okay.
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:That makes a lot of sense.
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:AI man: Yeah.
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:AI Lady: So week two is where we get our
ds dirty with Excel, but it's:
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:There are so many fancy
data science tools.
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:Is Excel really still relevant?
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:AI man: Absolutely.
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:AI Lady: Really?
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:AI man: Yeah.
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:It's like the Swiss army
knife of data analysis.
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:Yeah.
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:I mean, yeah, there are more specialized
tools, but Excel is everywhere,
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:especially for things like data cleaning,
basic analysis, and quick reports.
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:Okay.
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:Plus, understanding how to structure
data work with formulas, pivot tables.
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:Those are skills that you can
use in any data analysis tool.
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:AI Lady: It's about
building that foundation.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:And I like that this roadmap
doesn't just throw theory at you.
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:It has you building a real
world sales project in Excel.
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:AI Lady: So you're not just reading
about pivot tables, you're using
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:them to analyze data, to find trends,
and maybe even make recommendations.
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:Yeah,
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:AI man: exactly.
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:It's showing you can apply those skills.
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:And it gives you something
for your portfolio.
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:AI Lady: That's a really good
point because it's one thing
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:to say you're good at Excel.
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:It's another thing to show a
potential employer, this is how I've
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:used it to solve a real problem.
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:Okay.
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:So moving on to week three,
things are getting visual, we're
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:talking data visualization and
getting comfortable with Tableau.
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:What's the connection and why
is this important so early on?
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:AI man: Well data analysis isn't
just about the numbers themselves.
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:It's about finding the story.
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:In the data and telling that story
in a way that people can understand.
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:That's where data visualization comes in.
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:AI Lady: It's about
making data digestible.
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:Yes.
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:Turning it into something
that clicks for people.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:And Tableau is amazing for that.
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:But.
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:This roadmap doesn't just
throw you into Tableau.
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:Yeah.
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:It starts with the fundamentals
of data visualization.
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:So you're thinking about what kind
of chart to use, how to use color
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:effectively, and designing dashboards
that are both informative and look good.
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:AI Lady: So it's like learning
grammar before you write an essay.
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:AI man: That's a great way to put it.
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:It's about making sure you
can communicate your insights.
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:AI Lady: Yeah.
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:AI man: Because even if you have
the best analysis, if you can't
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:communicate it, it's not very useful.
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:AI Lady: So we've laid
the foundation with Excel.
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:We're starting to speak the language
of data visualization, and then weeks
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:four and five hit us with SQL two
whole weeks, wide, intense focus.
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:AI man: Because SQL is how you unlock
insights from databases, which is
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:where most businesses keep their data.
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:It's how you get the exact data
you need, and then you can analyze
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:it to answer those questions that
would be impossible to do manually.
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:AI Lady: Okay.
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:I'm starting to understand
just how important SQL is.
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:The roadmap doesn't mess around either.
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:Going from basic queries in week 4 to
some pretty advanced stuff in week 5.
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:AI man: It's ambitious.
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:AI Lady: Yeah.
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:AI man: But think of it this way.
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:Mastering SQL is like getting access
to a secret vault of information.
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:You're not limited to what
you see on the surface.
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:You can dig deeper.
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:Connect the dots and find
those hidden patterns.
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:AI Lady: It's like being a data detective.
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:Exactly.
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:I love that.
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:And
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:AI man: you know what?
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:This roadmap even recommends
a tool called csvfiddle.
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:io.
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:Oh
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:AI Lady: yeah, I've heard of that.
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:AI man: It's free and you can practice
writing SQL queries right in your browser.
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:AI Lady: That is really handy.
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:AI man: Yeah, no complicated setup
or anything super user friendly.
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:AI Lady: All right, so we've got
our LinkedIn profile looking good.
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:We're getting comfortable with Excel.
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:We're speaking the language
of data visualization and SQL.
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:And then this roadmap
throws us a curveball.
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:Week five again.
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:We're applying for jobs
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:AI man: time.
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:AI Lady: Five weeks in already.
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:That's early.
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:Most people wait until they feel ready.
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:But this road map has you diving
right into the job market.
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:Why that early blitz five weeks in
and already hitting the pavement.
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:That's a bold move.
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:Most people wait until they feel ready.
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:But this road map has you diving right
into the deep end of the job market.
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:What's the strategy
behind that early blitz?
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:AI man: Well, it's like
learning to ride a bike.
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:You can read the manual a
hundred times, but nothing beats
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:actually getting on and pedaling.
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:AI Lady: Right.
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:AI man: The job search is similar.
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:You'll learn so much more by actually
going through it, applying, going
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:to interviews, getting feedback.
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:AI Lady: So it's about iterative
learning, using the process itself
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:to kind of refine your approach.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:Each application, each interview is
a chance to learn, adapt, improve.
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:Plus, starting early
gives you a head start.
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:You're not waiting until the last
minute when the pressure is really on.
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:AI Lady: Right.
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:AI man: You're building
relationships, getting your name
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:out there, and who knows, you
might uncover some opportunities
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:you wouldn't have found otherwise.
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:AI Lady: And I noticed this roadmap
encourages focusing on in person or
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:hybrid roles in those early stages.
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:Why is that?
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:AI man: Those rules can be
less competitive, especially
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:for someone just starting out.
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:Think about it.
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:Companies hiring for in person or hybrid
roles, they often care a lot about
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:collaboration, mentorship, cultural fit.
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:Those are things that are
easier to assess face to face.
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:Right.
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:It's like you're using those
dynamics to your advantage.
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:AI Lady: Exactly.
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:It's about being strategic.
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:Okay.
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:So after that initial application push,
the roadmap takes an interesting turn.
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:December rolls around and we're
introduced to Python R Power BI Sats.
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:A
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:AI man: lot of tools.
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:AI Lady: Right.
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:But it's not about mastering any of them.
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:It's more about getting a taste.
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:AI man: It's like a tasting
menu for data analysis tools.
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:You get to sample the different
flavors, see what you like, what
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:you might want to explore further.
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:I like that.
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:This stage isn't about becoming a Python
expert or a Power BI guru overnight.
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:It's about understanding what Python is.
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:What each tool is good at and how
they fit into the bigger picture.
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:AI Lady: So it's about breadth
over depth at this point, becoming
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:familiar with the tools of the trades.
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:So you can talk about them in interviews.
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:AI man: The data world changes so fast,
new tools are coming out all the time.
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:AI Lady: Always something new.
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:AI man: Having that understanding of
different tools makes you more adaptable.
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:AI Lady: Yeah.
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:It's about future proofing your skills.
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:Now, finally, this roadmap
culminates in a capstone project.
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:But this isn't just any project.
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:It's about taking everything
you've learned and showcasing your
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:skills within your chosen industry.
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:Talk to me about that industry focus.
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:AI man: Okay.
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:So anyone can learn the technical stuff,
but what makes you stand out, what makes
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:you valuable to a company is being able
to apply those skills in the real world.
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:That's where the industry focus comes in.
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:AI Lady: So it's about showing that.
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:You understand their world.
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:AI man: Yes.
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:It's about showing that you get
their industry, their challenges,
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:their opportunities, and how data
can be used to tackle those things.
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:AI Lady: So instead of just saying, I
can analyze data, you're saying, I can
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:analyze data to help your healthcare
company improve patient outcomes.
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:Or, I can help your marketing
agency optimize their campaign.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:You're speaking their
language, but with data.
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:AI Lady: It's like you're speaking
their language, but with data.
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:You're showing them you can
bridge that gap between the
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:technical and the practical.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:And that's the difference between being
a data analyst and being a data analyst
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:who can drive real business value.
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:And that's what this capstone
project is all about.
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:It's your chance to take everything
you've learned, the technical
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:skills, the industry, knowledge,
the insights from your job
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:search, and bring it all together.
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:AI Lady: So it's like the final
boss battle in a video game.
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:I like that.
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:You've leveled up your skills,
you've got all the best weapons,
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:and you're ready for the challenge.
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:AI man: And just like a video
game, the rewards for beating
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:that final boss are huge.
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:A well done capstone project
that's focused on your industry.
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:That's the crown jewel of your portfolio.
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:It shows employers that you're
not just another applicant.
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:You're a problem solver.
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:You're a strategic thinker.
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:A data driven decision maker.
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:AI Lady: You're not just
looking for any job.
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:You're looking for the right
opportunity to make a real impact.
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:AI man: Exactly.
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:And that's what I love about this roadmap.
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:It's not just about getting you a job.
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:It's about setting you up for
success in the long run in
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:this exciting world of data.
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:AI Lady: This has been amazing.
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:But for our listener, who's maybe
feeling a little overwhelmed
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:right now, it's a lot to take in.
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:What's the one thing they
should take away from this?
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:What's that one piece of
advice to keep them going?
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:AI man: Don't feel like you have
to master everything at once.
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:This roadmap is a journey, right?
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:And like any journey, it's about taking
that first step and enjoying the ride.
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:Love it.
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:Start with what you can do today.
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:Update your LinkedIn.
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:Maybe brush up on your Excel skills.
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:Dive into a small project.
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:Momentum builds momentum.
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:Be progress, not perfection.
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:Exactly.
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:Embrace the learning, stay curious,
and remember, the world needs more
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:data driven thinkers like you.
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:So go out there and make some magic happen
with data, and have fun along the way.
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:AI Lady: Couldn't have
said it better myself.
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:And there you have it.
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:Your roadmap to becoming a data
analyst broken down step by step.
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:Remember, the data world
is waiting for you.
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:Go make your mark.
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:Avery: All right.
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:Now that was something.
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:I want to know your guys feedback.
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:If you're watching on YouTube, please go
to the comments down below and tell me
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:what you thought about this experiment.
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:If you're on Spotify, you can
leave a comment there as well.
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:It's very interesting and I think this
is going to be huge down the road, but
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:it still has a little bit of way to go.
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:Once again, if you guys want my personal.
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:Personal data analyst roadmap PDF,
please check the show notes down
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:below so I can send that to you.
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:That way you can make sure that
you are on the right track to
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:landing your first data job.
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:Thanks you guys for listening and
I'll see you in the next episode.
