Confessions of a Data Junkie

I have a confession to make: I’m a data junkie. I love data, charts and graphs; I love analyzing them for trends and patterns; and I love coming up with explanations for those trends and patterns and testing my hypotheses. I know, at this point, you probably think I’m crazy. Since that’s probably true by several definitions of the word, perhaps it’s best if we get it out in the open already.

My first exposure to the concept of a database was at my first job, really an internship, out of college. I was tasked with creating and populating a database of sales quotes for an import/export company using Microsoft Access. I had never heard of Access, or databases before that job. Ten years later, I’m an expert user of the program, and a big proponent for the use of databases for collecting and tracking information. I took my knowledge of database design and use and brought my next employer kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

Lots of people use data, databases and analysis in their day jobs. It is one of the best tools in a business’s arsenal. Any new project or plan should start with an analysis of the current situation before any steps are taken. The quality of collected data and the subsequent analysis can make or break a business strategy. But most people leave the data collection and analyzing at the office, for their business. They don’t see the application in their personal lives. This is where my “habit” becomes apparent.

A few of the ways I’ve collected data in my personal life, and what I’ve learned from them.

1) The Job Search. Every person looking for a job should have some system of keeping track of what jobs they’ve applied to. I would recommend a simple Excel chart showing the company, job title and date of application. I’ve taken my Job Search chart to the next level, though. I’ve included Pivot Tables (a tool in Excel for analyzing the data in your chart) that break down the information and allow me to see some trends. What have I learned?

• I apply to more jobs on Wednesday than any other jobs. [Note this trend could have two causes – 1) more new jobs are posted on Wednesdays; and 2) my schedule on Wednesday allows me to look for and apply to more jobs. The true cause is probably a combination of these two possible causes.]

• Although I source jobs to apply to from a variety of areas, including networking, the biggest sources for jobs to which I apply are still Monster and CareerBuilder. A lot of pundits have criticized these large job posting boards as outdated, but they still seem to have a large number of companies using them for their job search needs. Hmm, this gives me an idea for a new piece of information to track – response rate from different sources.

2) My media collections. I have a database for keeping track of my books, CDs, DVDs, etc. It helps me to know what I have, to avoid duplicates, but also to find things, but tracking when I’ve lent things out or moved a CD to my car. What have I learned? My husband and I have an inordinate number of books with the word ‘Unicorn’ in the title. Maybe not as useful as my job search data, but certainly an interesting trend.

3) My exercise routine. I actually have two charts for keeping track of my workouts. One tracks my running, showing time, heart rate and notable info about a run. The other tracks my Pilates workout showing the current routine and the plan for adding new exercises (I add new ones each month). What have I learned? I’m faster and stronger at the beginning of the week than at the end.

Are there more? Of course; I create a new chart whenever there’s a new piece of information I want to know more about. I’ll admit, my frequent use of Excel and Access for personal reasons isn’t normal, but it helps me to understand and catalog my world. So, while you think I’m crazy, I have a pretty good handle on how things in my life are affecting me, allowing me to be more organized and generally happier.