Nervous about interview - feel underqualified

[Linya883]

Name changed in case accidentally outing.

I honestly don't know how I even got to the interview stage. I didn't lie in my application, but I'm worried I stretched a bit while trying to talk myself up and show the best side of me.

It's in the field of data analysis, which will be quite a dramatic career change for me and one I really desperately want.

I did some statistics in my degree. However, it was many years ago and it's not as if I can remember everything I did. Looking back at my dissertation, I don't even understand everything I wrote. I've been trying to read/watch videos to brush up on my statistics knowledge but I've not had the time to learn it to the level I once knew it and now I'm older I don't seem to be retaining information as well.

Likewise, the job ad asked for a "knowledge" of a programming language. I do have some basic knowledge and can code basic programs, but I'm not at a level I'd expect to get a job out of it.

When it came to booking an interview slot, there were absolutely loads of slots, which makes me think they are interviewing a lot of people and I fully expect I will not get the job.
Still, I keep having thoughts of being really embarrassed if they ask me technical questions about p-tests and z-scores and distributions and I just don't know the answers. This might not be so bad if I at least had relevant experience to talk about, but I just don't.
Looking back at my application, I feel like I was really reaching' with everything I wrote to meet the essential criteria, and although I didn't lie at any point, I worry I've misrepresented myself or tricked them somehow.

I'm starting to have thoughts about cancelling the interview but I think that's just anxiety and I should probably suck it up and do it, no matter how badly it goes? What would you do?

What do you have to lose by going? The worst that can happen is you don’t get it. Definitely still go.

You may find that they don't ask any detailed technical questions during the interview. They may well focus on more general things like ''How would you approach ...?' 'What would you do if ..?
so maybe just prepare for general questions based on job description and person spec and hope for the best.

The worst that can happen is that they will say thanks, but no thanks.

But data analysis is crying out for people so just brush up on your skills and do the best you can. Smile, be confident and be ready for the question 'why do you want this job'.

Don't cancel, go for it! There's data analysis and data analysis, not all jobs with that title (as I'm sure you know) require detailed statistical analysis, and some are more code based that others. In my organisation the main 'business analyst' folks mainly use SQL, azure and Clickview/Oracle BI type tools, they understand the principles of statistics of course but mainly are reporting to pre-filled templates and ensuring data quality rather than doing their own research/deep statistical analysis. There are others called 'data analysts' who are really Excel wizzes or even mainly data extraction and entry people. And in many of these roles it's possible, maybe even preferable to start with someone who understands the principles and is generally numerate and technically able, then train them in the way the organisation likes things done, than to start with someone who already thinks they know it all (unless it's a Head of Department role or similar I guess!)...

Thank you, everyone! Reading these replies has really helped and I've been coming back to this thread to re-read when I've been having a wobble I will update with how it's gone later in the week. For now, I am coming up with ideas for answers to questions they might ask based off the person specification.

It also helps that I've just found out that I've made it to the next application stage for a similar job I applied to. It's not an interview but it's a written test before the interview, so at least I've got past the application stage! I think a lot of my anxiety was that I'd been applying for a lot of jobs unsuccessfully. Now that I'm starting to have some positive news, it feels like all of my eggs are no longer in this one basket. I am going to prepare as much as I can, try my best and see what happens.

I had my interview today. I don't think it went particularly well, and there were some tricky questions I just didn't know how to answer. I'm glad at least that I went for it and I can learn for next time! Thank you all for the words of support.