The highest-paying jobs for analytical thinkers
Consider yourself a naturally curious, critical, and logically-driven individual? Then you may fall into the personality camp of “analytical thinkers”, professionals often known for their insightful scepticism, perception, and calculated decisions.
With most, if not all, jobs reliant on analytical skills one way or another – there’s no shortage in demand for those who excel in this area. However, specific career paths are available to exclusively challenge and reward those who wish do develop their analytical capabilities.
Below, we break down the most popular, highest-paying jobs for more “analytical” workers – and how training with Upskilled can help.
What is a good career for an analytical thinker?
Known for their highly conceptual and observant mindsets, analytical thinkers would fare best in a career that allows them to manage, interpret, and critically work through large sets of information. They’ll likely favour roles that involve plenty of problem-solving, encouraging them to use both their intuition and logical skills.
As such, analytical personalities are typically found in fields of business, IT, science, finance, and engineering.
However, it’s not all hard facts and logic – as plenty of careers that involve creativity would benefit from the more analytical-minded, as well. Such areas include software or web development; marketing and communications; and entrepreneurship.
With most “analytical thinkers” reportedly of the INTP personality type (according to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) such workers may also thrive in a more reserved professional setting – though workplace preferences can still ultimately differ depending on the person.
What can you do with analytical skills?
Analytical skills are composed of various related abilities, including communication, creativity, critical thinking, research, and data analysis.
The highly analytical are thus exceptionally skilled at making key business (or personal) decisions, as they’re well-adept in detecting and interpreting patterns in a given set of information. This also makes them highly perceptive and capable of theorising potential outcomes and consequences.
As such, analytical skills are also valuable for brainstorming potential solutions and helping one work through complicated problems. They enable one to make the best possible choice given complex circumstances.
How does an analytical thinker think?
As their label implies, analytical thinkers will often thoroughly assess a given situation before coming to a decision or conclusion. Being critical individuals, they typically question everything and consider all related factors of the problem at hand; sifting through and examining all available evidence and data.
Analytical thinkers also enjoy steady, reliable routines and are known for being logical and systemic in nature. They are therefore very organised, often approaching solutions through clear-cut, structured, and methodical approaches – though can also broach situations with more flexible creativity, when necessary.
As mentioned, analytical personalities are highly perceptive, typically foreseeing both the advantages and disadvantages of a give outcome. This makes them highly intelligent, critical problem solvers, though may also come with tendencies of perfectionism.
The highest-paying jobs for analytical thinkers
- Project manager
- Business analyst
- Programmer
- Market research analyst
Project manager
Project managers are responsible for overseeing the projects of their organisation, tasked with directing these from the initial ideation stages to completion. They are thus tightly involved with the planning, development, execution, and finally – the monitoring and reviewing process of an entire project.
Analytical thinkers will find their skills applicable to all stages of project management, as this role requires the critical assessment of a project’s requirements – ensuring that the timeline, budget, and objectives established are feasible. Their skillset will then be required to solve unexpected problems during the project’s development, performing risk assessments, and reviewing the project upon completion.
Project managers currently earn an average of $100,222 AUD per year, according to Payscale.
Business analyst
To ensure the optimum performance and profitability of a company, business analysts are hired to examine their target market, product lines, IT systems, and overall day-to-day processes. They help pinpoint areas of improvement and identify potential opportunities for profit, providing the company with new plans and solutions for achieving their business goals.
As such, analytical thinkers will find their skills highly sought-after in this field. Business analysts are typically required to collect, assess, interpret, and report relevant business data – using this to assist with market research and financial planning. Much of their work therefore involves collaboration with those in the IT and accounting department.
According to Payscale, the average business analyst earns $77,954 AUD per year.
Programmer
Computer programmers are generally tasked with designing, writing, and maintaining software programs and systems according to specific user requirements. They also ensure that a company’s IT systems are performing optimally, debugging and resolving any technical problems as necessary. With the skills to create programs that boost the efficiency of business processes, programmers ultimately help improve the productivity and service of an organisation with their ability to streamline communications and procedures.
The highly analytical often fare well in the programming field, as this sector is heavily reliant on creativity, problem solving, and logic. You are responsible for not only developing programs that specifically address a business’ problems, but also monitoring their performance for errors after completion. The role thus requires a professional with focus, innovative vision, and the ability to critically dissect issues – all traits evident in natural analytical thinkers.
Generally speaking, such traits are often highly-valued among most IT roles (including thriving new sectors of cyber security, cloud computing, and data science), making the industry a common one among this personality type.
According to Payscale, the average programmer earns $73,223 AUD per year.
Market research analyst
Finally, market research analysts are responsible for examining the current trends and conditions of our current consumer markets, pinpointing areas of business opportunity and identifying optimal ways of communicating to specific demographics. They help improve a business’ profits by researching on the interests, consumer behaviour, and communication methods of their competitors and target customers – developing solutions to help capture their market better.
Analytical thinkers will thus thrive in this field, as the role focuses on collecting, analysing, and reporting on market and consumer data. They’ll be challenged to use both their critical and creative thinking skills to identify the best marketing approaches and communication channels, as well as forecasting potential new trends.
The average market research analyst earns $58,968 AUD in Australia, according to Payscale – with plenty of potential for higher earnings as experience grows.
If you fancy yourself an analytical career, Upskilled currently offers a wide range of courses to help you get started in the industries discussed above. From programs in business and marketing to qualifications in multiple IT specialties – we’ve got the training you need for a high-paying role with your skillset.
Best of all, each course is delivered online, granting you the flexibility of studying at a time, place, and pace that suits you best.
Reward your analytical talents today, and enquire with us on a course.
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