Data Visualization Jobs - What Are They and How to Get One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

Data visualization is the process of taking statistical data and preparing it in a visual context that is easier to understand. You use software and graphics to demonstrate patterns, correlations, and trends that appear more significant when viewed outside of a written context. Visual representation comes in the form of infographics, heat maps, geographic maps, and detailed pie or bar charts. Business intelligence recognizes the need for appropriate colors and images and is now standard for modern organizations. Data visualization is also a reporting tool that tracks performance and generates dashboards to observe click-through rates digital marketing campaigns.

If you are looking for a data visualization job, you need a bachelor's degree in computer science, engineering, graphic design, or another relevant field. Postgraduate degrees in data visualization are also growing. Online boot camps can help you hone your skills and keep up to date on technological changes and ongoing trends. You need to be familiar with visualization tools like QlikView, High Charts, Tableau, Data Wrapper, Fusion Charts, Sisense, and Plotly. Other qualifications include analytical skills, an understanding of statistics, an engineering background, and experience with big data platforms and basic programming duties, languages, and applications.

Data visualization jobs are available in a variety of industries with differing responsibilities. You can find work making maps, graphs, and charts to relay information in both digital and print news sources. You can also work as a graphic designer, using data visualization techniques to help brand and market a company. Research labs also use data visualization applications to present information in an easy to understand way and find a pattern or trend that was difficult to notice. You can also work with companies that employ analytic services, as they benefit from the visual organization of statistical information. There are also opportunities to work as a freelance data visualization specialist.