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Why Data Analysts Should Consider Consultancies

Over the past decade, the world of Data & Analytics has seen consistent growth in the number of consultancies around, particularly throughout the Nordics. Naturally, the household names, the so called “Big Four”, dominate the industry, but an influx of more niche and targeted consultancies are starting to change the shape of the market.  With new technologies and a never-ending stream of Data challenging businesses, it should be no surprise that many are turning to consultancies for help. And with this increase in demand, follows a need for top talent. But, with so many potential options out there, why should Candidates look to move away from client-side?  THEY’RE INVESTING The Data & Analytics industry is booming, despite the fact that the demand for talent is significantly higher than the supply. As a result of this, a lot of the biggest consultancies are now trying to gain a foothold in this area of the market, investing money into building out their Data teams.   However, they’re facing competition from a number of emerging niche consultancies with direct focus on Data, or even more specific expertise, such as Cloud computing. As a result, consultancies are putting a lot of time and resource towards getting the best people and securing the highest level of competencies. Not only does this put candidates in a strong position, but also means that the majority of consultants are working in environments surrounded by a very high level of expertise.  THEY’RE FEELING ‘THE YOUTHQUAKE’ Consultancies generally have a very strong reputation and often feature highly on graduating students’ lists of preferred employers. In Norway, in the list for most attractive companies amongst students, three consultancies featured in the top ten. The promise of exciting projects, a fast paced environment, fast career progression and adaptability continue to draw the best young talent around.  Interestingly, however, in neighbouring Sweden the list is drastically different, with no consultancies featuring. In fact, in the Swedish list, we see a greater emphasis on home-grown companies with Spotify, IKEA and Volvo all featuring. Potentially this is because Norway lacks tech giants, and world dominating furniture companies, and instead is home to Equinor, Telenor and Aker Solutions.  EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE, EXPOSURE There’s no denying that success at a consultancy relies on a lot of hard work. But, with that, comes a number of benefits and working at one is a great way to get a lot of experience, quickly. Those early on in their careers in a consultancy will frequently face different projects, and will gain a lot of exposure to different situations and problems. Consultants also get hands-on experience in dealing with stakeholders, both internal and external, and, as a result, get to develop skills in explaining their findings to those who are non-Data literate.   They’re also, often, prestigious and highly sought-after places to work at and, with that, comes a level of status and renown that looks great on a CV. Plus, the fact that they’re home to a lot of top talent makes consultancies great places to form a strong network of fellow Data Analysts.  THERE’S SPACE TO GROW From working with a number of consultancies, it’s a abundantly clear that they offer great opportunities for internal growth. It’s not unusual for a Graduate Consultant to build a career and climb the ranks, gaining more and more responsibility as they advance.  Plus, as I mentioned above, consultancies also provide lots of opportunities for your long-term career, given the hands-on skills Consultants develop in technological competence alongside stakeholder and client. Companies like people with consultant backgrounds on their CVs as it highlights exposure to and number of different projects and experience in stakeholder management.  If you’re looking to take the next step in your career, and think a consultancy might be the right place for you to go, Harnham can help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

by Elise Myhren

16. January 2020

What Will Happen In The World Of Data & Analytics In 2020?

The New Year, and the new decade, have arrived. The past ten years saw Data move to the forefront of public conversation following a number of big leaks and controversies. But, realistically, the impact of the ease of access to a surplus Big Data has only just begun to be felt.  Whilst many are predicting what the world will look like by the end of the 2020s, discussing how far AI will have come and the consequences of automation on the job market, we’ve decided to look a little closer to home.  With that in mind, here are a few trends we expect to see over the next year.   ACCESS TO DATA SCIENCE WILL BECOME EASIER Data Scientists have traditionally been limited in number, a key group of individuals with PhDs, honed skills, and a vast understanding of Data & Analytics. However, with the advent of a number of new tools, more and more users will be able to perform Data Science tasks. However, many of the more sophisticated processes are still far from being replicated, so those currently working in this area shouldn’t be concerned. In fact, the more standard tasks that can be automated, the more time Data Scientists will have to experiment and innovate.  THE 5G EXPLOSION  Whilst there may have been a soft launch last year, the introduction of 5G will have a much more significant impact over the next year. With a flurry of compatible mobile devices around, and many more expected to come, we’re likely see 5G networks hit the mainstream.  In the world of Data, this is likely to have a huge impact on how businesses use the Cloud. Indeed, with mobile upload and download speeds set to be so fast, there is a chance that an online middle-system may no longer be as necessary as it once was.  THE RISE OF THE EDGE On the subject of the Cloud, it’s worth talking about Edge Computing. No, this has nothing to do with the pizza or the guitarist. Edge Computing has been a trend for a few years now, but, following an announcement from AWS, it looks set to become much more prevalent in 2020.  Concerned with moving processing away from the Cloud and close to the end-user, Edge Computing is already beginning to have an impact across a number of industries.  A NEED FOR AUGMENTED ANALYTICS It’s no surprise that the use of AI, Machine Learning and NLP is set to increase over the next year, so it shouldn’t come as a shock that Augmented Analytics are set to become more popular too.  The opportunities, and extra time, offered by using the automated decision making offered by Augmented Analytics are the perfect fit for the increasing number of organisations who find themselves with more Data than processing capabilities.  DATA WILL HELP FIGHT THE CLIMATE CRISIS  Whilst there is a fair argument that the amount of processing required by the world of Data & Analytics is detrimental to the climate, the benefits any insights can offer are likely to outweigh any negative impact.  Indeed, the UK government are already using Satellite Data to help reduce the impact of flooding, whilst Google’s EIE is being used to map carbon emissions with a view to better plan future cities. Given the recent, and tragic, bushfires in Australia, this is going to become an even more pressing issue over the next 12 months.  If you want to be at the forefront of the latest innovations in Data & Analytics, we may have a role for you.  Take a look at our latest opportunities, or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out how we can help you. 

by Ross Whatling

09. January 2020

How AI Affects Us from Journalism to Politics

It’s been nearly 40 years since the War Games movie was released. Remember the computer voice, JOSHUA, who asked the infamous, “Would you like to play a game?”. The computer had been programmed to learn. You might call it a forerunner of Artificial Intelligence (AI) today. Except AI is no longer the little boy who becomes a stand-in for a grieving family. Now, we’re no longer watching a movie about AI, we’re living in its times. But unlike a movie, we won’t find a solution after 90-minutes to two hours. Now, we must be cautious and pay attention or we will be leapfrogged by our own inventions. Can we change course at this late stage? As we enter a new decade, let’s take a look at some of the concerns and solutions posed by Amy Webb, author of The Big Nine: How the Tech Titans and Their Thinking Machines Could Warp Humanity.  How Did We Get Here? As Christmas approaches, we are cajoled by memories and makers to buy back our past and cement our futures with things. Our desires for instant gratification keep us from planning for AI properly. While it can be fun to watch AI play against Chess champions or worrisome to watch it direct our buying decisions, we remain secure in that its not yet to its full potential. But elements such as facial recognition and realistic generation cause concern for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is what will happen when systems make our choices for us. From the Big 5 of Tech to your local commercial or paper, our minds are already often made up. And even when we’re presented with the truth, we may not even realise it because our AI capabilities have grown exponentially and continue to grow making us wonder…what if? So, What Can We Do? Businesses, Universities, and the Media all have a part to play. And in our image-centric world, the greatest of these is Media. Universities can blend technical skills with soft skills and blend in degrees such as philosophy, cultural anthropology, and microeconomics just to name a few. The blending of these skills can offer a more robust understanding of the world around us.  Businesses can work to ensure a more diverse staff and improve inclusion. Shareholders and investors can help by slowing down when considering investments in AI to allow for determining risk and bias before moving forward. And when it comes to the Media, there’s general agreement the public needs greater media literacy. While AI-focused accusations of deepfakes in news and on television abound, there is a greater concern in that much of what people believe to be fake, isn’t. So, the question becomes, how does the media generate trust in a public that no longer believes what it  reads, sees, or hears?  It’s this casting of doubt which is the greater danger. Why? Because it requires no technology at all. While it’s best to be informed, it can be tricky to navigate in today’s world. So, it’s up to not only the news consumers, but is up to researchers, journalists, and platforms to separate the wheat from the chaff. Or in this case, the real from the fake before the news reaches its audience. From Socrates who taught his students to question what they learned to the students of the 20th century expected to remember only what was needed for a test; we have come full circle. But at a unique time in our world, in which the questioning has not much to do with challenging ourselves but is at best used to sow distrust.  While tech companies like Facebook and Google have jumped on the bandwagon to expose fakes, others are moving into how to build trust. Again. At best, these startups offer comparisons of videos and images as the human eye works to discern the difference.  But while tech may be advancing technological wonders by leaps and bounds, there remains a solid grounding of the human element. Humans are needed as content moderators to dispel fiction from truth. And in the media? There’s a renewed focus on training journalists to fact check, detect, and verify their stories. The human element adds a layer of nuance machines can’t yet emulate. If you’re interested in AI, Big Data and Digital or Web Analytics, we may have a role for you. Take a look at our current opportunities, or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

by Sean Alunan

19. December 2019

How Has The Short Supply of Data Analysts Impacted The Industry?

Is Data the world’s most valuable asset? Every business has it, most use it, and the best transform their businesses with it. It’s unsurprising, then, that there is now an enormous demand for Data Scientists, Data Engineers, and all forms of Analysts. Whilst many enterprises are now beginning to see the benefit of internal Data education, progress in upskilling remains slow. But how is this impacting the industry?  Education, Education, Education For starters, with the evolution of Data, we have also seen an evolution in education. Universities have long been our source for acquiring knowledge, skills, values and beliefs. As such, they continuously reinvent the way they educate, modernising and adapting to the present day. So, it will come as no surprise that we are seeing more and more Data focused programmes and degrees in top universities around the world, including in the Nordics.  This is a great way of organically growing Data talent and supplying businesses with freshly educated minds, and should, in the long term, help conquer the short supply of talent available. As there is little to no sign that Data will become irrelevant anytime soon, providing an education in this area makes sense. And, with so many training and educational opportunities now available, businesses looking to upskill their employees have the option to externally fund their development. A Fountain of Youth Another highly visible effect of this talent shortage, and something unique to the Data & Analytics industry, is a lack of experienced leaders. Whilst there definitely are great leaders within this space, all with plenty of knowledge, the young make-up of the market means that their experience is often limited. Having reported on the state of the industry in our Diversity Report, Harnham found that over 60% of the Data & Analytics community is aged between 25 and 34, with 35% aged between 35 and 44. In other words, those leading the industry are young, or at least younger than in many more established industries. There are some obvious reasons for this, as Data is a relatively new field, and its importance to businesses has only emerged somewhat recently. Of course, having young leadership does not imply ignorance or inadequacy, but simply highlights how young the industry is, and how those leading may still have plenty of room to develop.  Fast-Paced Progression Going hand-in hand with young management is, unsurprisingly, an industry that offers fast progression. From the moment you step out into the wild world of Data & Analytics, there are numerous opportunities to progress quickly into specialist and management roles. However, this has stabilised somewhat recently.  Our 2019 Salary Guide uncovered that it now typically takes 10 to 12 years to reach a Director/Head of position. Obviously these numbers are an average, with those in Digital Analytics progressing significantly faster than those in Risk Analytics, alongside natural variations depending on the sector and size of individual businesses.  What remains apparent is, with such a high demand for talent that’s in short supply, it is crucial that businesses can both recruit and retain the best individuals out there. By keeping the above in mind, and ensuring that education, progression and leadership opportunities are on each employee’s career path, enterprises stand a better chance of getting hold of, and keeping, the best people in the industry.  If you’re looking to get hold of the best employees in a talent-short market, or are looking to take the next step in your career, Harnham can help. Take a look at our latest opportunities or get in touch with one of our expert consultants to find out more. 

by Elise Myhren

12. December 2019

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