June Dershewitz on Web Analytics

Podcast Interview on the Aquent Talent Blog

Matthew Grant of the Aquent Talent Blog recently conducted a podcast interview with me; I invite you to listen to it here.  If you haven't got time for the whole show, skip straight to the highlight at 11:45, where I somehow manage to divert our conversation from web analytics to goats.

Aside from that one sidetrack we did actually talk a lot about web analytics, and, in particular, web analytics careers.  You'll find the podcast interesting if you're a newbie web analyst, and I'd also recommend it if you're thinking about taking contract work in web analytics (as I'd done prior to joining Semphonic).

I met Matthew earlier this year through his Aquent colleague, James Gardner.  James and I gave a joint presentation at eMetrics DC last fall on career management for web analysts, and we'll do a reprise at eMetrics SF next month.

Newbie Web Analyst Article

If you are new to web analytics - or if you are just thinking about entering the field - then you should check out this article I wrote for the Web Analytics Association: Top 10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started in Web Analytics.

Even though it's tagged as "funny" I think it's a good, serious read.

Web Analytics Salary Research: 4 Complimentary Approaches

Whether you're employed in web analytics now or thinking of entering the field, whether you're looking for a new job or preparing to talk to your current employer about compensation, it's important to know the going rate.

So ... what kind of research should you do in order to find a reasonable salary range for your position in web analytics?  Here are 4 different, complimentary approaches to try:

1) Seek out surveys

Eric T. Peterson recently released a study on salary distribution in the web analytics industry.  By all means read Eric's 10-page report and then go check out the Web Analytics Demystified site for more data.  Other surveys exist, as well.  Anil Batra just released some research of his own in the past week.

2) Search the job boards

Try this:  Visit your favorite job board and search for your favorite job.  Most postings you turn up will not explicitly state a salary, but a few will.  Use what you find as a point of reference. 

To make this task easier, job search aggregator Simply Hired has an advanced search that allows you to isolate postings with salary info (there's a checkbox in the green section).  My personal favorite job listing site, Indeed.com, has a salary search function where you can compare average salaries for jobs containing certain keywords. 

3) Talk to people

But please ... only if you promise to do it tactfully and sparingly.  The entirely inappropriate question, "How much do you make?" need not be spoken!  However, checking in with a trusted peer or two can help you figure out if you're on the right track during a job search. 

Try talking about ranges rather than absolutes, and never press people to divulge their personal details.  How about, "So, I'm job-hunting and I've done some research and the positions I'm looking for are offering in the $X-$Y range.  Does that seem reasonable to you?"  At the least your conversation partner can answer yes or no, or if you're lucky they might give a few more words on the subject. 

4) Keep an open mind

Think about other forms of compensation - not just money - and figure out what will give you the most satisfaction with your career.  I know that's hard for us - we're numbers people, after all - but it's so SO important.  A blog post I wrote last fall sparked a nice conversation thread on this topic.  Read what my commenters have to say, think about what compensation means to you (tangible and intangible), and then determine your own acceptable salary range in light of the bigger picture.

Web Analytics Careers: 4 Great Blog Resources

Career chat has always interested me.  When I was a new college grad I spent a fair amount of time in my alma mater's career services office, getting advice as I prepared to make a start for myself.  I'm glad I did it.  The career counselors liked me enough to use my resume as an example for other new grads, and I managed to land an internship at a multimedia CD-ROM publishing company (which, back in 1995, was so totally cutting edge).

After more than a decade out in the workforce I feel like I've learned a great deal about my strengths, preferences and motivations when it comes to my career.  But I also know that career planning didn't end when I left my college campus - it's something I must always keep in the back of my mind.  I like hearing about how my peers are handling their own career choices, and I think it's a productive thing for us to talk about with each other.

So I'm planning to write about career-related topics, now and then, in this blog.  Before I get started I'd like to acknowledge 4 fellow bloggers who've already written some great web analytics career-related material:

1. Alex L. Cohen
   I appreciate Alex's enthusiasm - right now he's doing an interactive marketing tip-a-day for the entire month of November [really, Alex, even on Thanksgiving?].  Occasionally he writes about career-related issues, including this piece on how to write a good web analytics resume.


2. Stephane Hamel
   As Stephane was contemplating his own impending career move he wrote this very compelling post on the importance of doing regular career self-evaluations.  I liked it so much I wound up using it in my presentation on career management at eMetrics.  Neither Stephane nor I can fly a kite too well, but luckily that's not a requirement for our line of work.


3. Avinash Kaushik
   Oh, what's not to love.  I wouldn't say Avinash has written about careers, though, so much as he's written about the flip side of the coin - hiring.  I thought this post about whether to hire fresh blood or old hands was especially good, and you can see from the comments that many of his readers turned it around and talked about the issue from the job candidate's perspective.


4. Anil Batra
   Anil has compiled a whole collection of interviews with web analysts; as of this writing he's accumulated 32 career-related posts.  I've really enjoyed reading the interviews - just to get a sense of who "we" are - but I think they could be equally valuable to someone who's contemplating an entry into web analytics.

Read what these fine gentlemen have to say, and read my blog, too.  I think there's still more we can and should talk about when it comes to careers in web analytics, and I aim to be a part of that conversation.

What is the Career Trajectory in Web Analytics?

I've just returned from eMetrics in DC and, as is the case after any great gathering, I am inspired by what I've learned, percolating with questions, and reallllly tired.  Over dinner on Tuesday a fellow conference attendee referred to my personal interest level in web analytics as "rabid."  No wonder I'm tired; I've been in mad dog mode for 3 days straight.

I spent a great deal of time this week thinking about careers.  My own career, the careers of those around me at eMetrics - we're all trying to find our spot, adapting as the web is changing, as our tools are changing, as our personal priorities are changing.  Career management is a tough issue, and it's something I believe anyone who is in this field or thinking of entering this field absolutely must consider.

I was fortunate enough to co-present, with James Gardner from Aquent Staffing, a talk entitled Career Management Strategies for Web Analytics Professionals.  I shared the story of how I've managed my own career in web analytics, then I gave some advice on the topics of job-hopping, freelance consulting, and the "swiss army knife" approach to skills development.  James rounded out the talk by describing what I think is a really useful framework for career management.  Bottom line: Nobody cares about your career as much as you do; it's up to you to decide where it takes you.  Our slides are here:

Presented at eMetrics From:

June Dershewitz

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We knew someone would ask a certain hard question during Q&A, and indeed it did get asked, "So ... what is the career trajectory in web analytics?  I'm in the field now, but where do I go with it?"  Here's the summary of our answer plus some follow-up thoughts:   

On a personal level, know that there is no single exemplary career trajectory you should follow.  YOU need to think about what would suit you best based on your own goals and dreams.  This goes back to self-responsibility - it's up to you to choose the direction you take.  If you prefer management, do that.  If you prefer individual contribution, do that.  There's not one "right" way to do it, so choose what makes you happy.

A fellow from a large company came up after my talk and said he felt like he's had a lot of success with his own career path.  He started out as a web analyst, then was a manager of web analysts, and now is working as a business strategist with fairly wide-ranging responsibilities (all at the same company, no job-hopping).  He feels strongly that his background in web analytics has given him a good foundation for the broad work he does now.

Others see management as the direction they'd like to head but face obstacles along the way. Just because you see the potential for expanded use of web measurement in your organization doesn't mean you will get the executive buy-in you need in order to grow your team.  If you want to manage a team of analysts but lack the budget to hire anyone, how do you advance your career?  How frustrating!  Megan Burns from Forrester Research provided strategies for overcoming this barrier in her eMetrics presentation entitled The Business Case for Web Analysts.

Career advancement is less well-defined and more difficult for web analysts who enjoy individual contribution.  I, for one, am a details person - I love to actually DO analysis work - and I'm aware that a pure management role would distance me from the activities that attracted me to web analytics in the first place.  To that end I prefer the variety and challenge that I get as a consultant, and I believe it's possible to become a leader, acting as a mentor to others rather than moving up the management ladder in the traditional sense.   If you are an individual contributor you absolutely must make an active effort to ensure that you continue to move forward with your career; be creative and don't get stuck in a rut. 

This bifurcation between individual contribution and management paths is not unique to web analysts - it does happen in other career specializations.  Take sales, for example.  Say that you get your start in sales and find that you excel at it; eventually you'll have to make a choice about how you advance your career.  Do you continue to sell, working on larger and more prestigious accounts?  Or do you stop selling and move on to manage others who sell?  There's no one right answer.  It's up to you to choose.

Thoughts?  Stories?  I welcome your feedback.