Data Analyst at Voodoo, a High-Impact Role in a Fast-Moving Company

In this article, learn more about Amelie’s choice to join Voodoo as a Data Analyst, the daily challenges she faces and the overall impact she brings to the business.

Why Voodoo? 

When Voodoo reached out to me on LinkedIn for the Data Analyst role, I thought it was the perfect chance to transition into a new career path.

Despite being new to the gaming industry, I had already seen some of Voodoo's popular games like Hole.io and CrowdCity. When I did some research on the company, I was impressed by Voodoo's advanced data infrastructure and quickly realized it would be the perfect environment to evolve as a Data Analyst. Gaming provides an unmatched level of data granularity, creating infinite opportunities for data-driven optimization, which is where I can really provide my expertise here at Voodoo.

What was quite impressive when I arrived was the variety of internal events, such as tech talks and hackathons, fostering a challenging and team-oriented environment.

What is a typical week like at Voodoo?

We operate with a structured and collaborative approach in our team. 

Our work is organized through weekly sprints, facilitated by the use of Jira, where we have a team backlog with tickets allocated to each team member. This tool helps us compile our tasks for the week, allowing us to effectively manage our time and priorities based on the needs of stakeholders, while giving us visibility on what the others are working on. At the close of each week, we come together for a retrospective meeting, where all of us share our progress and accomplishments from the past week. 

This management style not only empowers us with a significant level of responsibility but also fosters teamwork. The mutual respect and trust we have in the team also strengthens our collective efforts. 

What is the biggest challenge you face in this role?

The role of a Data Analyst may vary a lot from one company to another. At Voodoo, it means being involved in every step of the data processing cycle, from its collection to its presentation in form that can create real business impact. 

As we have our own internal analytics solution, we need to first design specific tracking mechanisms within games, ensure the quality of data, build an optimized pipeline to tap the collected data, create dashboards to display our findings and ultimately share these insights effectively with our stakeholders. This diversity of tasks makes our roles as rich as they are complex.

Why is your role impactful?

I see myself as the bridge between raw data and actionable strategies, enabling teams to harness the power of data for success.

In this role  at Voodoo, I am not just working with data; I'm working in a creative environment where data serves as the compass guiding the creative process. It's this unique blend of data and creativity that not only fuels innovation but also ensures profitability, making each day in this role exciting and rewarding.

What do you consider to be the essential qualities that a candidate for this role must possess? Any advice for them?

Having some SQL skills and knowing how to efficiently manage large databases is definitely an advantage for this role.
However, I personally value soft skills more, as I think that technical skills can be easily acquired along the way,  if you’re truly motivated and willing to learn. 

Maintaining your sense of perspective with regards to an issue or a request is crucial to craft simple and effective solutions. One of the most common mistakes is to be swallowed up by the granularity and sheer amount of data we have access to. It is often way more valuable to focus on a few KPIs that contain enough information alone to guide decisions. 

English proficiency is also vital, as we’re an international company. Strong listening, communication, and organizational skills are essential for effective prioritization. 

If I had to give one piece of advice, it would be to show curiosity and enthusiasm. Voodoo has a very wide and constantly-evolving ecosystem where these qualities will be your best assets to meet the company’s learning culture. 

And if, like me, you don’t have a strong technical background, the hardest part of the recruitment process might be the business case. So, I’d  also recommend looking over your SQL skills and knowledge before starting the test!