Starting anything afresh is stressful on its own, be it data science or whatnot. Data science is considered incredibly stressful, as it is a very vast branch of science that is still mostly under construction. However, the rising demand and payscale value make it completely worth the struggle.
Considering the current situation in developed countries like the US, there is a massive shortage of data professionals and scientists despite the fact that they hold the highest number of data scientist jobs. The reason is that being a developed country, most of their work is oriented to software and data collection, thereby increasing the data pool.
Do a thorough research
Communicate and discuss with professionals who are already working in the field and gain as much knowledge as possible about all the various aspects of work available within the domain. This should help you get a clear picture of the options you are provided with, making the process of choosing a stream a little bit easier.
Data courses these days come with well-defined guides that can help anyone with every step along the process, including job opportunities and recruitment assistance. Data scientists are constantly sought-after by several businesses, and this demand is predicted to persist for a very long time. The reason is that the data professionals will remain inexpensive as long as there is data and information.
With the increasing number of data professionals, several blogs, small groups, channels, and websites are entirely dedicated to sharing information regarding data science. Checking them out might be insightful as well.
Finding the best path for you
Within data science, make sure to check out all available streams and subgroups. They include:
- Data scientist
- Data analyst
- Data management
- Data engineer
- Data architect
- Data visualization
Different streams are constantly being added to this list, making all the improvements. Deciding upon your specialty might be confusing, so obtaining support from a senior professional or a mentor can be beneficial.
Apart from the technicalities, the overall goal and paycheck you are looking for also have a massive impact on what path you should opt for in the field of data science. There are several statistical analyses that can help you along this process as well.
Improve your skill set
These days, several additional courses can be taken that are targeted exclusively towards the field of your interest. The majority of these courses come with an option of pursuing them online and thereby be molded around your schedule comfortably. For example, if you are particularly into the application aspect of data science, pursuing an add-on course, Master of Applied Data Science, can boost your resume, thereby enabling you to land your desired job.
Despite landing a job, be sure to constantly keep an eye out for the current trends and improvements in your field of interest. This is not to be ignored as data science is a continually growing subject; new findings might hold crucial information that cannot be neglected. This might help you boost your work image and efficiency overall.
Here are a few skills which are considered desirable in a competent data scientist while recruiting.
- Programming skills
Like most other science jobs currently present, data scientists are also preferred to have adequate knowledge in coding and programming languages. Nowadays, the most preferred language is Python, but numerous firms still prefer C and other conventional languages. The requirements, however, might vary concerning each firm or business.
- Mathematical skills
This proves to be especially useful if you are interested in statistical data analysis or any other aspect of data science related to analytics. Having a solid foundation in statistics, linear calculus, and algebra is crucial for a data analyst.
Other favorable skills for data scientists are communication skills, problem-solving, and business skills, which are generally required for any other job regardless of the field involved.
Take up practice projects
In the initial days when you are still looking for a particular job as such, taking up small-scale projects for minor businesses or related clients can help you boost knowledge on your basics and improve your efficiency at work. This also acts as a bridge, making you comfortable with what you will be working with.
Once you are comfortable enough, you could take up projects individually, which hold a significant amount of credit. Taking up such worthy projects and finishing a substantial number of them will add to your portfolio or resume score.
Spend a considerable amount of time working on your portfolio once you are confident enough with your work. A strong portfolio is crucial for the landing of better jobs and projects.
Decide on your expectations
Having a clear idea about the approximate amount of salary you expect from a job can help narrow down your search process. Since most jobs related to data science come with hefty payments, this should not be a significant issue. However, depending upon the work environment and the pace of work often directly reflect upon the paycheck.
For example, for someone who is fixed upon landing a job with a huge salary, the hectic work schedule and environment of a well-established giant business seem preferential.
On the other hand, for someone seeking a more relaxed environment with a considerable amount of autonomy, freelancing seems to be the best possible option.
For individuals looking for stability with adequate payment, working for small businesses is the recommended option. However, most individuals in this category end up working for high-end companies because increased stability is usually synonymous with increased salaries.
Work on your communication
As someone looking to build a career, you must maintain effective communication with anyone you meet regarding your profession. These days where communication is getting lost, most firms look for individuals capable of grasping the attention and maintaining a solid presence.
Secondly, expanding the number of people in your circle can also help in increasing the number of target individuals you can exhibit your project to. This can also include online factors and profiles since most recruiters look for potential candidates online on hiring platforms.
Besides, several online data science platforms and small groups can help you stay updated about job updates, recruitments, information regarding the best online Data Science courses currently available, and more.
Conclusion
Apart from the tediousness of it all, kickstarting your career in data science can act as a learning process all through the way, regardless of the time you spend trying to land a job. Usually, it is just acquiring an entry level job in Indianapolis that proves to be incredibly stressful. Once you obtain an entry-level job in a qualified business, it is pretty sure that your career only goes upwards after. Entry-level recruitment, in most cases, allows a competent data scientist to progress to a higher position in no time, thereby boosting morale and helping the improvement of the career.