After graduating from college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I started in equity research, and then I transitioned into consulting, hoping the varied projects would help me figure it out which worked. Consulting exposed me to different industries and made me realize that I wanted to specialize in something more analytical and data-driven.

That’s when I decided to explore data science and data analytics. Over six months, I sent out 120 applications. Out of those, I landed seven interviews: one through a recruiter on LinkedIn, three through internal referrals, and three from cold applications. I made it to the final round for two companies, and surprisingly, I landed my current role through a cold application!

Here’s what I've learned through my data analyst job hunt:

Skip the Cover Letters: Quantity Over Quality

At first, I thought cover letters were the key to standing out from other applicants. I’d spend hours perfecting each one, tailoring them to the specific role. However, over time, I realized that despite my additional effort, my response rate wasn't higher for the jobs where I sent cover letters. Let's face it: they probably weren't even being read. Since I was working full-time while applying, I needed to be more strategic about time management. I shifted my strategy to prioritize consistency and quantity over quality. My goal became to submit three applications a day. This isn't to say that I didn't customize my applications; I ensured my resume was tailored for each job description, highlighting the most relevant experiences and skills.

Make LinkedIn Work for You

LinkedIn became a critical part of my job search. First, I ensured my profile was detailed and up-to-date:
I updated my job descriptions to highlight achievements and quantify impact. I added relevant skills like SQL, Python, and data visualization to make my profile more searchable.
I included keywords to ensure recruiters could easily find me.
But LinkedIn isn’t just about having a polished profile—it’s also a powerful networking tool. I reached out to people in my connections who worked at companies I was applying to and asked for referrals. Sometimes, I even contacted second-degree connections for informational interviews or coffee chats.
These conversations were incredibly helpful. They gave me insights into company cultures, helped me understand what hiring managers were looking for, and occasionally led to internal referrals, which significantly increased my chances of landing interviews.

Apply to Recently Posted Jobs

Timing is everything. I quickly learned that applying to jobs posted within the last 24-72 hours gave me the best chance of getting noticed. When you apply early, your resume is more likely to be reviewed before the flood of applications comes in.
After submitting an application, I’d take an extra step to find someone on LinkedIn who worked at the company and message them. Sometimes it was a recruiter or hiring manager, other times it was someone who has a similar role, but I'd send them a quick message to introduce myself, express my interest in the role, and sometimes ask for advice, a quick chat or sometimes even a referral. These small efforts often made a big difference. They allowed me to stand out and demonstrate my genuine interest in the position.

Improve Your Technical Skills

Technical skills are essential for data analyst roles, and this was where I spent most of my preparation time. Nearly every company I interviewed with had 1-3 technical rounds, often focusing on SQL. Some tests were on platforms like HackerRank, while others were live coding sessions with an interviewer.
Here’s what I focused on:

• Joins: Inner, left, right, and full.
• Window functions: ROW_NUMBER, RANK, etc.CASE statements: Useful for conditional logic.
• CTEs (Common Table Expressions): Helpful for organizing complex queries. I used online platforms like DataLemur, HackerRank, and LeetCode to practice SQL. I mostly focused on past tech interview questions, and sometimes, they would even have past questions from the exact company I was interviewing for. Additionally, I studied A/B testing basics and statistics, especially when interviewing for data science positions.

Embrace Rejection and Keep Going

Rejection was definitely one of the toughest parts of the job application process. Whether it was rejection minutes after applying or rejection after 4 interviews, it's never easy to feel like you aren't good enough. It's easy to internalize the rejections and question your abilities after a while. But I tried to keep reminding myself that rejection is a normal part of the process and a "no" is one step closer to a "yes." Here's what I learned from getting comfortable with rejection:

• Reflection: After each interview, I’d reflect on what went well and what I could work on in the future.
• Feedback: I always asked interviewers for feedback (even though they never responded).
• Perspective: I reminded myself that rejection wasn’t personal. Sometimes it’s about fit, sometimes it’s bad timing, and sometimes there is a more qualified candidate. Each rejection taught me something valuable and brought me one step closer to finding the right opportunity. Landing My Role After months of applications, SQL practice, and interviews, I finally landed my current role as a Revenue Data Analyst at a digital media company. And funny enough, it came from a cold application. That's not to say it's not worth taking the other steps to get referrals or network - you never know how things will work out. I love my new job and use SQL, data visualization tools, and other data analytics tools daily to solve interesting problems at the cross-section of digital media and e-commerce. While job searching is never easy, making this career pivot was worth the effort.

Conclusion

The road to becoming a data analyst wasn’t easy, but it was worth the hard work. Here's my advice if you are an aspiring data analyst:

• Don’t waste time on cover letters. Focus on quantity.
• Use LinkedIn to your advantage. Keep your profile updated and network, and ask for referrals.
• Sharpen your technical skills. SQL is the most important skill to have ready for interviews.
• Don’t let rejection stop you. Learn from it, and don't take it personally.

Your next gig is out there waiting for you. All you need is persistence, consistency, and a thick skin.