What this book covers
Chapter 1, Exposing Your Profile, describes how to highlight your professional profile and stand out from the rest. You will learn about many of the tools and websites that recruiters use to search for human talent. Additionally, I will show you how you can create your professional portfolio, develop personal projects, and work on enhancing your resume.
Chapter 2, Support Skills for Power BI Developers, helps you discover the fundamental role of support skills in the profile of a data analyst. You will also explore the power of the SQL language for extracting data from MS SQL Server databases. Additionally, you will become acquainted with the most relevant Python libraries in the data field, such as pandas, NumPy, and scikit-learn for machine learning. Furthermore, you will be equipped with the necessary soft skills to stand out as an exceptional data analyst.
Chapter 3, The Power BI Workflow, takes you on an end-to-end journey of the workflow of activities that start with getting data into Power BI and culminate in building and publishing a solution. This chapter sets you up for the rest of the chapters, where you will dive deep into each of these activities for comprehensive understanding.
Chapter 4, Data Analysis with Power BI, explores the phases of data analysis and how they map to the workflow of activities that you learned about in the previous chapter.
Chapter 5, Preparing, Transforming, and Modeling Data, dives deep into preparing, transforming, and modeling data for your business. It explores the design aspect of your model, how you would prepare and transform data to fit your design, and finally, building the model.
Chapter 6, Exploring, Visualizing, and Sharing Data and Deploying Solutions, provides you with an understanding of how you would explore your modeled data before you visualize it and then share it for consumption. The chapter also provides you with an understanding of how you would deploy a Power BI solution once you’ve completed development.
Chapter 7, DAX Programming, dives into the world of the DAX language, a critical aspect of mastering Power BI. We’ll cover fundamental concepts, such as scalar functions for data aggregation and distinguishing between measures and calculated columns. Additionally, we’ll explore evaluation contexts using CALCULATE functions, applying filters, and understanding “context transition.” Finally, we’ll delve into time intelligence functions to navigate temporal data effectively.
Chapter 8, Expert Report Building, will guide you through creating a Power BI report using Power BI Desktop, focusing on popular visuals and best practices for report configuration. You’ll learn how to select the most effective charts for conveying insights, utilize AI enhancements, format visuals, add tooltips, and implement drill-down or drill-through functionalities for detailed reporting.
Chapter 9, Effective Data Storytelling, provides a detailed understanding of the importance of data storytelling in report design. The chapter talks about the importance of narrative and how effective data storytelling drives decision-making for Power BI reports.
Chapter 10, Using Dashboards and Apps and Implementing Security, will learn about Power BI service functionalities, including report sharing and permissions management. We’ll cover sharing content through dashboards and managing pins, tiles, and alerts. Additionally, you will discover how to use Power BI apps to consolidate reports and implement Row-Level Security (RLS), controlling data access for specific groups.
Chapter 11, Understanding the HR Interview Process and Preparing for Success, provides tips and trips to successfully negotiate the HR interview process. The chapter discusses various methodologies for test and interview preparation and how to combine your knowledge, preparation, and energy to enter the job market with confidence and success.
Chapter 12, Tips for Negotiating Salary and Benefits, discusses tips and strategies to negotiate the salary, perks, and benefits related to a job offer. The chapter discusses important tips for the negotiation process and how a balanced strategy can lead to getting the best deal for both sides.
Chapter 13, Best Practices for Accepting and Rejecting Job Offers – Onboarding and Beyond, provides an overview of the best practices for accepting and rejecting offers. These are mainly based on choosing the right set of communication skills. The chapter also provides a roadmap for onboarding and continual learning in the job role, as well as staying relevant in the data analytics job market.
