Richa Agarwal

I am not just learning statistics but learning it the exact way the industry uses it.

Why I Felt the Need to Join PGP-BABI

I am an engineer with an MBA. After a 6-month stint with ICICI Lombard in Sales, I joined a Belgian-based payment network provider SWIFT where I worked in the analysis and forecasting team creating excel-based reports and dashboards, working with VBA macros, and MicroStrategy for data visualization. I realized that to advance my career further in analytics, I will need to expand my statistical knowledge and learn new tools and technologies. I was already giving interviews for analytics positions but because of my limited knowledge, I could convert none. I just wasn’t ready for those questions. That’s when I enrolled myself in the PGP-BABI program and started learning things.

My Journey at Great Learning was Incredible

I gained knowledge and applied it at work. I worked on creating a regression-based model and used time series at my job and then started giving interviews again. That’s when I got two offers – one from Fractal and another one from JP Morgan. The job at JP Morgan was more on the people management side, so I went ahead with Fractal as it gave me an opportunity to manage a team as well as create analytical solutions for clients.

Why I Preferred PGP-BABI Over Other Programs

I was considering GL and ISB, but GL was a natural choice as the content taught here is very industry-specific. I am not just learning statistics but learning it the exact way the industry uses it. It helps prepare for your job role as well as answering all the questions in the interviews.

Analytics Tools and Techniques I Use at Work

In my previous organization, I was using regression, data visualization, SQL, correlation, time series, forecasting etc. but in my current role I will be using Regression, Time series, Machine Learning algorithms, and advanced statistics.

Advice for Professionals Seeking Transition to Analytics

It can be a daunting task to start afresh after 7-8 years of work experience. My advice to candidates would be to find opportunities to apply analytics in their domain first before looking out for a direct job change. Hands-on exposure and real projects would definitely look better on your resume than just a certification. I can’t think of a field or domain that doesn’t benefit from analytics today so there is no dearth of opportunities internally and externally once you have made up your mind.