Few career paths are proving to be as popular right now as data science. Many young people are setting their sights on a career in this field, while many professionals are transitioning from other fields to data science, and it is easy to see why. In addition to being named “the sexiest job of the 21st century” by Harvard Business Review, data scientists also benefit from a role that is in demand, secure, well-paid, and with great flexibility. There are certainly many perks to a career in data science, but it can also be challenging to find success in and become competitive. With this in mind, read on for a few tips that should come in handy for aspiring data scientists.
Focus On Math & Statistics
First, you need to ensure that you have a strong foundation with your math and statistics knowledge. It is impossible to succeed in data science without very strong mathematical and statistical skills, so you either need to focus on these areas at school or develop your knowledge yourself (online courses can be a great way to do this).
Learn To Code
Coding is also essential, and this is something that you should develop as soon as you can. However, when you are getting started, it is often recommended that you focus on just one programming language and achieve a high level of knowledge in this so that you do not spread yourself too thin. Once your career begins to develop, you could then start to look at learning other languages too.
Work On Pet Projects
When you are embarking on a career as a data scientist, it is important to start applying what you are learning and try to gain some relevant experience. Working on pet projects by applying data science to aspects of your life can help you to sharpen your skills, build up a portfolio (more on this to come), and build your confidence. It can be hard to get your foot in the door when first getting started, but when you can show your projects as evidence of your skillset, it suddenly becomes much easier to secure work.
Enter Competitions
Leading on from this, you will also find that data science competitions can be a smart way to build your experience, create relevant contacts and sharpen your skills. These competitions are becoming increasingly common as the world of data science continues to grow, so it should not be too hard to find one near you or online, and it can also be a fun way to learn and improve your abilities.
Network At Every Opportunity
To find success in data science, you will want to build a large professional network, and you should begin doing this as early as possible. As you might imagine, a lot of networking takes place online in today’s day and age, but you should also make an effort to attend events because you create stronger connections that can lead to new opportunities. Additionally, make sure that you maintain this network by keeping in touch with people – social media is the perfect way to do this.
Immerse Yourself In Data Science
In a field like data science, you need to commit to it and have a passion for everything relating to data. This means that you need to immerse yourself in data science even in your spare time, which you can do by reading blogs, engaging with online communities, listening to podcasts, and reading industry publications. Additionally, keep in mind that data science is constantly changing and improving, so you will also need to continuously keep your skills sharp and current.
Earn A Data Science Masters
To attract employers and achieve high success levels with your work, it is important to earn a data science masters. This will use a combination of statistical and computing technologies and equip you with the key business skills to solve organizational problems with data science. In addition, there are data science programs that can be taken entirely online, making it much easier to fit into your schedule and ideal for those working and focusing on building their career.
Create An Online Portfolio
By this point, you should be building up a portfolio that you can store on your professional website. You need to keep this updated with all relevant work experience, including any references and testimonials from those you have worked with. Employers need to be able to see your skill level, experience, and what you are like to work with, so you need to build and maintain your online portfolio.
Work On Communication Skills
Technical skills are obviously important, but you will not get very far with a career in data science if you do not have strong communication skills. You will spend a lot of time communicating with clients, including listening to their needs and presenting your ideas. You will also need to be able to work as part of a team and communicate with those in different departments to your own. This means that communication skills are critical, so you may want to work on these if you currently feel that this is an area where you lack confidence.
Start Applying For Jobs
It is then a matter of putting yourself out there are applying for jobs. You can use job boards to find vacancies online, sign up for recruitment agencies specializing in data and tech roles, email companies you would like to work for and ask around in your network. When applying, make sure that each application is tailored to the company, and be sure to do your research prior to any interviews.
This post should be useful for anyone who is looking to start or wanting to transition into a data science role and hopefully help you get your foot in the door. By following these starting points, you will gain the foundation skills that you will need to develop so you can succeed in your future career.