In today’s highly digital world, businesses can access more data sets than ever. Data can be shared at a number of different consumer touchpoints. Data is certainly a powerful tool for any business when processed methodically and purposefully.

It’s not enough to have access to data. Data analysis that produces actionable insights is what’s critical for any organization. And it takes a certain type of person to make sense of a large volume of data. On top of that, this individual must also help others in the organization understand seemingly complex reports. This type of professional is called a data analyst.

A data analyst is a professional who gathers, reads, organizes, and interprets data collected from various sources. They create reports that help the organization understand its customers and make data-driven decisions. Data analysts are highly sought after in virtually all industries — from eCommerce and real estate to the medical field.

Working with a data analyst can help make the rest of the team’s jobs easier. For example, if the website development team wants to improve the number of visitors and duration of user visits, they can seek the help of a data analyst. Data analysts can collect information on the target audience and visit information. Then, they can analyze these data points to make observations and propose website changes to achieve better results.

Hiring a freelancing data analyst is the way to go when looking for data analysis services. Getting remote talents means you can get the job done without bloating costs and sacrificing the quality of work.

If you’re still on the fence about hiring a freelancer for your data science needs, here are three reasons to consider:

Global Talent Pool

Data analyst professionals are in high demand. This can create a shortage of data science talents in your area. By hiring freelance for data analyst needs, you can open your business up for high-skilled talent worldwide.

You can hire someone with top data science and soft skills to be the right fit for the job. You must focus on the talent’s expertise or ability instead of their location.

Save Money

Hiring full-time employees typically requires more than the basic salary. You need to allocate more resources like office space, equipment, and supplies. Freelance data analyst remote talents get the job done at a fraction of the cost. They only need to get paid with the freelance data analyst hourly rate. Plus, you can hire talent part-time or for specific hours only.

Scalable Alternative Staffing Option

Remote staffing is highly scalable. Companies can get the most value from their overhead budgets by taking advantage of this alternative staffing option. Plus, hiring remote talents give businesses the flexibility to expand their team quickly during busy periods.

Your business can also utilize this customizable staffing solution. There may be times when you only need to add a freelance data analyst to your team for a particular project. Hiring someone part-time or for a specific contract period makes more sense.

The tasks of a freelance data analyst may seem straightforward: analyzing data. But there are other steps before and after the actual data analysis step. Here are some of the tasks and processes that come with the data analyst job:

• Identification of needed data points relevant to the project
• Collecting data or research
• Data generation
• Cleaning data
• Data sanitization
• Data manipulation or organization
• Analysis of collected data and statistics
• Data interpretation
• Data visualization
• Write reports for the client
• Presenting reports to clients or project teams
• Review and updating of tools for data analysis
• Coordination with the rest of the data management or project team
• Apply relevant data privacy measures
• Database management
• File management
• And other freelance data analyst jobs

Freelance data analysts use their experience in the data sciences to help their clients turn data points into actionable insights. By working on the above tasks (and more), they can help businesses make data-driven solutions to maximize their resources and achieve their goals.

When looking for a freelancer to provide data analytics services, it’s essential to be thorough. You need someone who has a suitable combination of soft and technical skills. Make sure to look for the following during the screening process:

Background in Data Science

Data science is an important technical skill of a data analyst. Freelance data analysts can get their data science skills from various sources. Some take the formal route of computer science and data analysis courses in educational institutions. Others learn the basics from their previous jobs and HR training sessions.

Proficiency in Data Analyst Tools

Since your freelance data analyst will handle large volumes of data, they must use data analysis tools and software. Sifting and reviewing information can take hours upon hours if done manually. Data analytics software helps them become more efficient and accurate in their work. Training a freelancer on how to navigate tools means investing resources like time and money.

Hiring someone who knows how to operate the typical tools and software data analysts use would be best. Examples of such programs include:

• Microsoft Excel
• Google Sheets
• Microsoft Power BI
• SQL
• Python
• SAS
• And more

Data Visualization

Data analysts must have excellent data visualization skills to help the rest of the company analyze the data in simpler terms. The abundance of data will only be put to good use if data scientists can assist their clients by organizing and analyzing it well.

Data visualization outputs can be in the form of an interactive dashboard, charts, or Excel spreadsheets. Your data analyst must know the right type of report they must generate to help you, their client, make well-informed decisions.

Communication Skills

You also need to check candidates’ soft skills for freelance data analyst jobs. Communication skills are important for freelance data analysts because they must present their findings to clients. They also have to be able to work with other people on their team and talk about the data reports and insights in a way that everyone can understand.

Attention to Detail

When it comes to data analytics, details must be checked closely. Any small mistake like an additional zero or missing decimal point can impact the final report. A data analyst requires excellent attention to detail to create accurate reports.

Ability to Practice Patience

To do well in data analyst jobs, professionals must have patience. A good data analyst must be willing to invest painstaking hours in collecting, sanitizing, analyzing, and organizing data. Your data analyst must also be patient when they try to explain their findings to you, their client. Not all company members are well-versed in data science terms, so you need someone willing to take the time to create easily digestible reports.

Getting Data Analyst Freelance Services

There are many ways to hire a freelance data analyst. You can scour various websites or your network to find the right person for the job. You may also try and find the best freelance platform for data analyst services.

However, the entire process can take up much of your time and energy. You’re probably already busy juggling different hats if you’re a business owner. Your best option? Leave the recruitment process to a remote staffing agency like 20four7VA.

20four7VA is a top-notch virtual staffing agency with over a decade of experience. We’ve helped over 2,500 clients find the right remote talents they need—from administrative virtual assistants (VAs) to remote web developers. We can do the same for your business!

We help skilled global talents find clients and rewarding career opportunities. But on top of that, we also help clients make finding and working with remote professionals much more uncomplicated and hassle-free.

Meticulous Screening and Recruitment

We have a thorough 8-step vetting process to find the best VAs for our talent pool. Our recruitment specialists evaluate and select candidates based on the job requirements, qualifications, and skills. They also check each applicant’s background for inconsistencies and verify their credentials.

Cost-effective Staffing Solutions

We are experts at creating scalable, cost-effective staffing solutions for our clients. We ask relevant questions during the free consultation call to determine your needs. We’ll search our network of VAs to find the most suitable people for the jobs you need to fill.

Dedicated Client Support

Creating a productive and hassle-free virtual workplace for our clients and VAs is a must. This is why we have dedicated account managers to help clients address their concerns. These account managers also assist with VA management to establish solid client-VA working relationships.

In-House Training

A continually developing and improving VA will help your company grow and remain competitive. All 20four7VA virtual assistants (VAs) have access to free in-house training. Continuous learning allows VAs to learn new skills or sharpen their existing expertise.

HR & IT Support

Our services continue beyond the recruitment stage or once the contract has been signed. We help make virtual staffing as convenient as possible. As such, all 20four7VA clients have access to human resources and technical support services. These include payroll processing, time-tracking, and troubleshooting. It’s like getting a whole support team packaged with your virtual data analyst.

Various institutions have recognized our continued efforts to create a more inclusive and productive virtual workplace. We’re grateful and inspired by the awards and recognitions we’ve received over the past years, including:

• 2022 Inc. 5000 List Honoree
• 2023 OA500 Honoree
• World Staffing Summit’s Top 100 Staffing Companies to Work for in 2023
• World Staffing Summit’s Top 100 Staffing Leaders to Watch in 2023
• Women’s Business Enterprise WBENC Certification

These awards and certifications are the results of our dedication to our two main missions:

1. Help clients grow through cost-effective staffing solutions
2. Provide global talents rewarding jobs, especially those who don’t have access to such career opportunities in their area

Interested in finding a freelance data analyst to help you create more data-driven decisions and strategies? Book a free consultation with 20four7VA today!