Understanding the World of Analytics

Rajendra Sankhlecha is a seasoned analytics professional in the banking and financial services domain and has been with companies like Flipkart, Axis Bank, TransUnion& MuSigma.

With years of experience, Rajendra has quite a lot of expectations from the talent pool of India. In an interview, he shares how an individual can kick start their career in analytics.

1. A lot of challenges are being faced to get good talent. What do you think the entry-level talent pool should be aware of?
   Talking about the domain of analytics, today’s entry-level talent lacks a lot of problem-solving skills which is one of the major requirements to excel in this field. They should know how to approach a problem and solve it objectively and not subjectively. Analytics is all about transforming raw data into information. One should be able to acquire knowledge and skills towards it.
2. What initiatives should be taken to bridge the Skill Gaps?
   Freshers are mostly hired through campuses so the universities and colleges should prepare the individuals in such a way that they are ready enough to face any kind of interview. Internships are a good way to train them and then provide them with Pre Placement Offer. These boosts their confidence and, help them perform excellently.
3. What kind of skills should an individual possess in terms of hard and soft skills?
   A fresher should have good knowledge about analytical tools, be well versed with SAS, R, and Python etc. Certifications can be helpful and might add an advantage when they are being justified in the interview.
4. What traits would you say make a great analyst?
   Curiosity, problem-solving skills, out-of-the-box thinking, hunger to learn new things, open to exploring new ideas, connecting the dots, knowing data deeply, ability to work with ambiguity. And more importantly, the ability to 'Think in Math, Speak in English' to enable consumption of analytics.
5. How do you see Analytics evolving today in the industry as a whole, not just in India but across the globe?
   I see a surge in self-learning and adaptive systems being deployed across business lines and domains. To a point where we will be able to develop models and frameworks capable of reasoning rather than just predicting. Also from a consumption paradigm perspective, not only organizations will be using analytics but individuals will rely more and more on data to drive choices and actions.
6. What is your expectation from the analytics aspirants?
   For an individual to excel in something there should always be eagerness. Be focused and be clear about the roles and domains you want to get into. Start preparing from day one and, come out with flying colors.