A statistician gathers data, uses statistical techniques to evaluate numerical data, and draws conclusions from the analysis. As a statistician, your responsibility is reviewing statistical data to resolve problems. Unlike other careers, including those in the medical industry, which can be quite stressful, being a statistician is considered a low-stress profession, which positively impacts your well-being. A career in statistics allows you to work in almost any industry.
Being a statistician, you can work in various industries, which lets you choose based on your professional goals and dreams. Also, you can work remotely because most of your work is done on a computer, promoting a healthy work-life balance. Since the demand for statisticians is expected to continue rising, studying statistics can help meet the high demand. Discussed below are five ways to make a career in statistics.
1. Acquire the necessary education
Becoming a statistician requires you to meet specific educational requirements, including a master’s or bachelor’s degree from a recognized or certified institution with an excellent foundation in statistics, mathematics, economics, computer science, material sciences, or econometrics.
Demonstrating your command of statistical analysis plus other subject domains will give you a unique competitive advantage when looking for a statistician job. When looking for colleges with a statistics major, ensure they’re accredited, as this is proof they offer quality education, which employers prefer.
2. Gain experience
Experience is vital to helping you secure a statistician job. With the help of statistician internships, you can gain real-world training and skills, bettering your employability chances. Joining data analysis contests can also help you build and evaluate your skills. While the challenges these competitions present may not be as structured, they teach you how to handle difficulties once you become a statistician.
3. Acquire the necessary skills
For a statistician to succeed, they must possess a special combination of analytical, technical, and leadership skills. Every competent statistician should have an in-depth understanding of various estimation methods, and they can implement their deep statistics knowledge in multiple applications. Every successful statistician should have:
- Problem-solving and analytical skills
- Strong mathematical skills
- Broad computer skills
- Collaborative and teamwork skills
- Industry knowledge
- Capacity to communicate outcomes to statisticians
4. Become certified
While most employers don’t need job applicants to have professional certifications to become eligible for open positions, having one differentiates you from the rest for desirable roles. The ASA (American Statistical Association), a top professional organization in the industry, issues two different credentials based on your experience level in statistics. The Graduate Statistician (GStat) is an entry-level certification and is followed by a more advanced one known as the Accredited Professional Statistician (PStat). These certifications don’t require you to do a test.
All you have to submit is an application fee and proof of your work experience to get certified. A CAP (Certified Analytics Professional) certification may also be helpful. However, you must pass a multiple-choice test and have at least three years of working experience in the industry.
5. Select a career path
As a statistics major, you have multiple career paths to choose from, including:
- Statistician
- Financial analyst
- Data scientist
- Biostatistician
- Marketing research analyst
- Economist
Once you find a career path you desire, find a job.
Endnote
Becoming a statistician comes with multiple rewards. Consider implementing these tips to make a career in statistics.
