Top category analyst skills needed to get the job.

What are the top 3 traits or skills every category analyst must have to excel?

Can you suggest any tips or insights to develop your category analyst expertise?

1) You must not only learn, but master assembling the various formulas for a report and provide insight from them. Also PIVOT TABLES HELP ALOT IF YOU ARE USING INTERNAL DATA vs. just Auto Filtering.

For example, in a product distribution report for say a UPC consolidation you will need countif statement, pivot table, IFISERROR or IF ISNA, to get a true picture of distribution using internal sales numbers and if you do not have syndicated numbers.

2) You should also master the fundementals of math. Learn to use basic financial formulas like Sales versus YAGO or dollar share of the category. You should also know how to create your own category and along with the proper measures to guage trends or new category segments.

3) Learn from people. I always am learning shortcuts and tricks with Excel. Also share them with others, because your knowledge was dependent on those sharing theirs with you.

Having worked with 2 Fortune 100 firms in the last 3 yrs. I feel that as a FA you need to not only know Excel but also be able to explain what those numbers mean TO the Business.