To not think an analyst=admin?

[itswednesdayy]

I am starting new job. I studied a stats degree at university and will be working as an an analyst in a finance function so very happy to be working in my degree field.

My manager made her manager aware today and their comment was “sounds like a nice admin role”. Aibu to think analyst work is not quite admin work? I would be investigating issues and presenting solutions to senior leaders. In comparison, I feel like my current job is more full of pointless admin work😂

Thank you - the 2nd paragraph is akin to my new job description.

From my perspective, an admin job description would be covering public phone lines, replying to emails sent from the public, taking minutes, sorting someone else’s diary, printing things etc. These are tasks of my current role. I don’t see it as fulfilling work & it’s not well paid either.

There’s nothing wrong with admin work, but I do see my new job as an upgrade. It’s SEO grade in civil service too. You wouldn’t call a software developer an admin assistant although it is a digital role as it’s more complex and specialised work. I would be coding in my new role too.

If you're on a good salary they can call it anything they bloody want, let's face.

Who cares as long as you're earning the money

Business analytics / analyst focus on applying data and computer-based skills to the field of business, including programming languages, analytics framework, statistical analysis, data visualization, and modeling.

=

Not admin

Also, they're jealous. Simple as

Don't rise to the bait

Analysts are typically the lowest level role in team structures in my experience across finance and operational teams in banking.

You will likely be picking up administrative tasks for the team yes. That won’t be 100% of your role though.

But when an analyst picks up admin support for the team, isn't that likely to be programmatic or project support? Eg if the project includes round table sessions with experts whose views are included in the analysis, a junior trends analyst might be booking those in and handling venue and travel. An admin support person could also do this for a project. The difference is that one purpose of the analyst doing it is people development- to teach the junior analyst all the components of a project, so later on they might design a whole project themselves and know what it involves.

An admin support role might be doing central functions like office management or team expenses or diary management etc. An analyst would be less likely to do that.

I think, anyway!

But that's off the subject - the truth is your old manager was being snide and bitchy about your new job.

I’m not sure about this as there are 4 lower level grades than my future grade of SEO. Colleagues in lower grades would pick up the majority of administrative tasks for the team.

The Civil Service views analysts as a skilled profession eg analysts are eligible for a salary uplift. I can register for accreditation with: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-government-operational-research-service/about

In terms of promotion I’d be able to become a Grade 7 analyst on eg £60k, but promotions for senior civil servant roles would involve leadership. Tell your colleagues to jump ship 😂

Working in a hospital we’re either clinical or admin so ceo is admin, finance director is admin etc. analysts would also come under that but highly skilled admin and paid accordingly.

Definitely not, an analyst is an analyst!! The assumption bring you would need to analyse information and provide some insights etc. That manager sounds weird (or maybe they misheard?)

Fair enough, an analyst is more senior (in any industry I've ever worked) so I'd be annoyed if someone said it was admin too

The manager misheard, or is trying to be derogatory. Pointlessly so, because some admin is very challenging senior work (company reports etc) and some analysis is very junior.

Regardless, from what you actually do there will be an increase in daily thought to move to an SEO analyst role and it sounds like you'll welcome that. It's also an interesting jumping-off point to a really wide range of other more advanced roles, settle in then start scoping out a plan to move within the organisation after a year maximum. Good luck with it all.

When I think of admin, I think of filing, answering the phone / door, typing up reports, calendar management etc.

Sysadmin is a totally different set of responsibilities. And data analyst a third set.

PS: I am impressed by your stats degree. And all the best in your career.

My manager made her manager aware today and their comment was “sounds like a nice admin role”. Aibu to think analyst work is not quite admin work?

Your boss heard the news secondhand and it doesn't sound like your manager described the role the way you might have done yourself.

Just because your boss has a certain idea as to what your role might entail, it doesn't mean they're correct. Obviously, you know what your own job spec is and they don't.