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I would like to enter a career as a BI Developer but concentrating on the front-end side of BI. My understanding is a back-end BI Developer focuses on integration and data-warehouses, whereas a front-end BI Developer focuses on the reporting sides of things. The front-end BI Developer will take data from data marts, model it, create the analytics and then produce the insights. The front-end BI Developer also has more stakeholder interaction.

I would like a career with plenty of opportunities so I feel working with Microsoft (MS) products is a good choice. My intention was to learn, and learn well, the following MS products: T-SQL SSRS Power Query DAX Power BI SSAS Tabular Power Pivot

However, I am struggling to master each product with the time I have available. Therefore I feel it a wise decision to concentrate on the 'under-the-hood' products which are the following: T-SQL Power Query DAX

To me SSRS, Power, Power Pivot, and SSAS Tabular are the tools, wizards if you like. I feel it will make someone a much stronger candidate if they actually knew how to write the low-level code rather than rely on the tool's wizard interface.

For those in the BI arena, and maybe who recruit for BI Professionals, do you feel what I've mentioned is a wise move or should I try to get strong at each product (this will be harder due to having to spread my efforts with the time I have)?

Notice how I haven't mentioned, till now, Excel. I understand it to be the world's foremost BI tool but as it's so widespread, and so many people can use it, I feel that I wouldn't be advancing my career progression by learning something that maybe isn't considered a particular skilset as most can dabble in it.

Your thoughts and advice will be very much appreciated. Thanks.

James Jones
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    This question will probably get closed soon, but as a BI professional I would say to do the exact opposite; concentrate on the front end tools as there's plenty of work out there for people who know them, and you will never find the time to learn the back end tools in the depth required, and even if you did there's really not much to show for it. Someone who knows their way around SSRS and a little T-SQL (enough to write basic queries) can usually walk into a job. – Richard Hansell Jul 10 '18 at 16:12
  • As a BI professional in a hiring role, we would primarily be looking for TSQL and SSRS. TSQL - get the data, SSRS - show it. There are various platforms for the getting and the showing but the baseline is always that. The rest is just a bonus and it's the core basics that most people would look for. – GandRalph Jul 10 '18 at 16:18
  • Could someone point us to the relevant StackExchange portal where this type of questions are "On-Topic" and are discussed rather extensively? – Vibhor Dube Jul 21 '20 at 04:24

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This is rather off-topic and opinion-based for this site (which is likely why you are getting downvotes and close votes), but I've found that if you are looking to use Power BI extensively, a working knowledge of SQL combined with a decent handle on Power Query (M language) and strong DAX skills is a good combo.

Basic SQL skills should be sufficient for front-end development. Power Query has pretty good GUI tools, but you'll need to be able to make basic modifications to the M code. For DAX you need to be able to understand and write on your own as there are no wizard tools except for the most basic calculations.

I don't work with SSRS development personally, so I can only give the Power BI perspective.

Alexis Olson
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  • Oh, I didn't realise I couldn't ask for opinions on here. Thanks for what I have received. I'll set the question to answered now. Update: I can't set the question to answered. MODS - please close this question if you see fit. – James Jones Jul 11 '18 at 14:14
  • You set it to answered by accepting an answer. It will likely get closed fairly shortly too. – Alexis Olson Jul 11 '18 at 14:47