data science career

Navigating the realm of data science careers is no longer a tedious task. In the current landscape, data science has emerged as the lifeblood of organizations seeking to gain a competitive edge. As the volume and complexity of data continue to surge, the demand for skilled professionals who can derive meaningful insights from this wealth of information has skyrocketed.

Enter the realm of data science careers—a domain that harnesses the power of advanced analytics, cutting-edge technologies, and domain expertise to unravel the untapped potential hidden within data.

Importance of data science in today’s world 

Data science is being used to solve complex problems, improve decision-making, and drive innovation in various fields. It has transformed the way organizations operate and compete, allowing them to make data-driven decisions that improve efficiency, productivity, and profitability. Moreover, the insights and knowledge extracted from data science are used to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, including healthcare, climate change, and global inequality. 

Top 10 Data Science careers: 

Below, we provide a list of the top data science careers along with their corresponding salary ranges:

1. Data Scientist

Data scientists are responsible for designing and implementing data models, analyzing and interpreting data, and communicating insights to stakeholders. They require strong programming skills, knowledge of statistical analysis, and expertise in machine learning. 

Salary Trends – The average salary for data scientists ranges from $100,000 to $150,000 per year, with senior-level positions earning even higher salaries.

Read the most common Data Science interview questions and succeed as a data scientist today

2. Data Analyst

Data analysts are responsible for collecting, analyzing, and interpreting large sets of data to identify patterns and trends. They require strong analytical skills, knowledge of statistical analysis, and expertise in data visualization. 

Salary Trends – Data analysts can expect an average salary range of $60,000 to $90,000 per year, depending on experience and industry.

3. Machine Learning Engineer

Machine learning engineers are responsible for designing and building machine learning systems. They require strong programming skills, expertise in machine learning algorithms, and knowledge of data processing. 

Salary Trends – Salaries for machine learning engineers typically range from $100,000 to $150,000 per year, with highly experienced professionals earning salaries exceeding $200,000.

4. Business Intelligence Analyst

Business intelligence analysts are responsible for gathering and analyzing data to drive strategic decision-making. They require strong analytical skills, knowledge of data modeling, and expertise in business intelligence tools. 

Salary Trends – The average salary for business intelligence analysts falls within the range of $70,000 to $100,000 per year.

5. Data Engineer

Data engineers are responsible for building, maintaining, and optimizing data infrastructures. They require strong programming skills, expertise in data processing, and knowledge of database management. 

Salary Trends – Data engineers can earn salaries ranging from $90,000 to $130,000 per year, depending on their experience and the location of the job.

6. Data Architect

Data architects are responsible for designing and implementing data architectures that support business objectives. They require strong database management skills, expertise in data modeling, and knowledge of database design. 

Salary Trends – The average salary for data architects is between $100,000 and $150,000 per year, although experienced professionals can earn higher salaries.

7. Database Administrator

Database administrators are responsible for managing and maintaining databases, ensuring their security and integrity. They require strong database management skills, expertise in data modeling, and knowledge of database design. 

Salary Trends – Salaries for database administrators typically range from $80,000 to $120,000 per year, with variations based on experience and location.

8. Statistician

Statisticians are responsible for designing and conducting experiments to collect data, analyzing and interpreting data, and communicating insights to stakeholders. They require strong statistical skills, knowledge of statistical analysis, and expertise in data visualization. 

Salary Trends – Statisticians can earn salaries ranging from $70,000 to $120,000 per year, depending on their experience and the industry they work in.

Analytics managers are responsible for leading data science teams, setting objectives and priorities, and communicating insights to stakeholders. They require strong leadership skills, knowledge of data modeling, and expertise in data visualization. 

Salary Trends –  Salaries for analytics managers vary significantly based on the size and location of the company, but the average range is typically between $100,000 and $150,000 per year, with some senior-level positions earning higher salaries.

Essential skills for success in the data science workforce

Data science careers demand a unique combination of technical acumen, analytical prowess, and domain expertise. To embark on a successful career in data science, aspiring professionals must cultivate a robust skillset and acquire the necessary qualifications to navigate the intricacies of this rapidly evolving domain. Here, we outline the essential skills and qualifications that pave way for data science careers:

Proficiency in Programming Languages – Mastery of programming languages such as Python, R, and SQL forms the foundation of a data scientist’s toolkit.

Statistical analysis and mathematics – Strong analytical skills, coupled with a solid understanding of statistical concepts and mathematics, are essential for extracting insights from complex datasets.

Machine learning and data mining – A deep understanding of machine learning algorithms and data mining techniques equips professionals to develop predictive models, identify patterns, and derive actionable insights from diverse datasets.

Data Wrangling and manipulation –  Skills in data extraction, transformation, and loading (ETL), as well as data preprocessing techniques, empower data scientists to handle missing values, handle outliers, and harmonize disparate data sources.

Domain knowledge – Understanding the nuances and context of the industry allows professionals to ask relevant questions, identify meaningful variables, and generate actionable insights that drive business outcomes.

Data visualization and communication – Proficiency in data visualization tools and techniques, coupled with strong storytelling capabilities, enables professionals to convey findings in a compelling and easily understandable manner to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Sneak-peek into the future – Future trends and more 

In conclusion, the field of data science is constantly evolving and presents numerous opportunities for those interested in pursuing a career in this field. With the right skills and expertise, data scientists can unlock the power of data and drive meaningful insights that can lead to transformative innovations. As the demand for data science careers continues to grow, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies will be essential for success in this field. With a passion for learning and a commitment to excellence, anyone can thrive in the dynamic and exciting world of data science.  

Established organizations are transforming their focus towards digital transformation. So, data science applications are increased across different industries to encourage innovation and automation in the business’s operational structure. Due to this, the need and demand for skilled data scientists are increased. Thus, if you want to make a career in data science, it is essential to understand the perks of data scientists and how they can usher in organizational change.

Data scientists are prevalent in every field, whether it is medical, financial, automation, or healthcare. Seeing this growth makes various job opportunities available and can be a bright career option for professionals and newbies. Thus, for more profound knowledge, we listed perks that will help you to become a data scientist.   

Best perks of being a data scientist 

If you want to know the benefits of data science professionals, then we have compiled some of the perks below.  

1. Opportunity to work with big brands 

Data scientists are in higher demand and also have the opportunity to work with big brands like Amazon, Uber, and Apple. Amazon companies need data science to sell and recommend products to their customers. The data used by Amazon Company comes from its extensive user base information. In addition, Apple Company uses customer data to bring new product features. Uber’s surfer pricing policy is the finest example of how large companies use data science.  

Read about how to prepare for your upcoming data science interview

2. Versatility 

The data scientist profession’s demand is in every sector, whether banking, finance, healthcare, or marketing. They also work in government, non – governmental, NGOs, and academics. Few of the specializations tie you to a particular business or function. However, the opposite is true with data science; it might be your ticket to any endeavor that uses data to drive decisions.  

3. Bridge between business and IT sector 

Data scientists are not only into coding and shooting their fingers at keyboard keys like any other software engineer. A data scientist is neither the one who manages the entire business requirement in the organization. But they act as a bridge between both sectors and build a better future for them. Yes, by using coding knowledge, a data scientist can provide better solutions to companies. So, a data scientist combines business analytics and IT schemes, making jobs beautiful. 

4. Obtain higher positions 

Most entry-level positions within large corporations or government institutions can take many years to reach a place of influence over macro-level decision-making initiatives. 

Many corporate workers cannot even imagine influencing significant investments in resources and new campaigns. This is typically reserved for high-ranking executives or expensive consultants from prominent consultancy companies. All data professionals have many opportunities to grow their careers. 

5. Career security 

While technology changes in the tech industry, data science will remain constant. Every company will have to collect data and use it for performance. New models will be developed for improved performance. This field is not going anywhere. Data science will grow in its ways, but data scientists may continue learning and expanding their knowledge by using new techniques.  

Data science will not die, but it will likely become more attractive over time because of its ever-present need. Data scientists with a wide range of skills might need to grow their knowledge and adapt to the changing market. 

7. Proper training and certificate course 

Unlike any IT job, a data scientist does not need to create useless study materials for beginners. However, various courses in the data science field are backed by experts with solid experience and knowledge in this field. That’s why learning data science courses and visualization will help them to obtain more knowledge and skills about this sector.  

Data scientist certification holder has the chance to receive pay 58% raise in comparison to non–certified professionals who can get a 35% chance. Thus, the road to getting a promotion and resume shortlisting is higher for certified professionals. But, it never means that self–taught data scientists can’t grow.  

8. Most in-demand jobs of the century 

According to Harvard Business Review Article, data science jobs are the sexiest in the 21st century. Each organization and brand need a data scientist to work with a massive data collection. Every industry requires them to play and wrangle with data and extract valuable insight for their business’s bright future. Therefore, to predict and take better steps ahead, every company is hiring data scientists, which makes jobs best for career growth.  

9. Working flexibility 

When you ask data scientists what they love most about being a data science professional, the answer is freedom. Data science is not tied to any particular industry. These data gurus have the advantage of working with technology, which means they can be a part of something with great potential. You can choose to work on projects that interest your heart. You are making a difference in thousands of lives through your data science work. 

Conclusion 

Unarguably, a data scientist is one of the fastest growing careers that attract any youth towards it. If you search the internet, millions of job opportunities are available for data scientist roles. So, if you plan to make a career, all these perks are available for you and many more. The Data Science career is hot and will remain for many years.  

This blog will learn about “Data Science career growth in 2022”. It is no longer a secret that today’s economy is entirely dependent on analytics and data-driven solutions/decisions. 

Businesses, enterprises, and governments have spent the last few years collecting and analyzing massive volumes of data. If you are interested in the field of Data Science enroll in some Data Science courses offered by reputed Institutions which will be an added advantage during your job hunt. 

Data scientists are currently playing a crucial part in the success or failure of any organization, one can even consider choosing a proper Data science certification program which will help learn practically as well as theoretically. Therefore, it is not a stretch to state that “there is a data scientist behind every huge successful company.”

Overview of Data Science career

Data science is a fascinating, interesting, intriguing, forward-thinking, and lucrative profession. Importantly, unlike other traditional careers, you do not need an established degree or specialized educational background to begin your journey in Data Science.

All you need are the proper abilities, some connected experience, and a curious mind. Considering the need for data scientists in the current market trends indicate that data science course fees are growing.

In this blog, I’ll go over the ins and outs of the data scientist job path, as well as the abilities necessary for data Science. In addition, I’ll guide you on how to choose which data science career is best for you.

Alright!! Let’s dive into the topics.

Table of Contents:

• What is Data Science?

• What does a Data Scientist do?

• Is Data Science right for you?

• Why choose a career in Data Science?

• Job statistics in Data Science career

• Are you ready to become a Data Scientist?

What is Data Science?

Data science is the study of massive amounts of data using current tools and methodologies to discover previously unknown patterns, extract valuable information, and make business choices. 

Data for analysis can come from a wide range of sources and be provided in a variety of ways.

Now that you know what data science is, let’s look at what a Data Scientist will do in 2022.

What does a Data Scientist do?

Data science is a highly interdisciplinary field that works with a broad variety of data and, unlike other analytical fields, focuses on the overall perspective.

In business, the purpose of data science is to give an insight into customers and campaigns, as well as to aid organizations in building effective plans to engage their audiences and sell their products. 

Big data, or enormous amounts of information gathered through different methods such as data mining, necessitates the use of creative thinking on the part of data scientists. So, what exactly does a data scientist do?

Data scientists use forecasting models to evaluate data and information to produce key insights that help enterprises expand their businesses in the right direction. One of the key responsibilities is to analyze large data sets of quantitative and qualitative data. 

This personnel is in charge of developing statistical learning models for data analysis and must be knowledgeable with statistical tools. They must also be knowledgeable enough to create complex prediction models.

Is Data Science right for you?

In my opinion, it is crucial to have an answer to this issue before embarking on your path in data science. Unfortunately, many blogs on the internet indicate that the area of data science is full of demand, great incomes, and respect. 

Nevertheless, the fact is that your journey to data science is not at all easy; it takes continual learning and unlearning of complicated subjects and concepts from different professions, and you must be technically knowledgeable throughout your career.

Learn more about Data Science Roadmap 

In this section, I’ll provide you with some suggestions that will take you to the answer to this question. Fundamentally, anyone can acquire and practice any data science skill if they are truly committed to it.

Simply said, if you want to learn data science, you can do so.

Why choose a career in Data Science?

Data science has been termed the “sexiest job of the twenty-first century.” I’m sure this is a significant role in your decision to pursue a career in data science. Nowadays, any company, large or little, is looking for employees who can interpret and dissect data.

Choosing a profession in data science involves respecting the numerous disciplines on which data science as a subject has been founded, such as statistics, math, and technology, among others. The variety of abilities required to become a data scientist might be considered an advantage.

Now, let me direct your attention to a few key reasons why you should pursue a career in data science;

• High prestige
• Be part of future
  Excellent pay
• Constant challenging work or NO boring work
  Exceptional growth & demand in the market
• Endless career opportunities

Data Science has shown the ability to transform companies and our society. It has become a lucrative job due to a limited supply of trained workers in Data Science and high demand.

Job statistics in Data Science career

If you’re here, I’m presuming you’ve picked or are thinking about choosing a career path. Let me direct your attention to a few more key criteria which might assist you in making your final decision.

• 650% Job growth since 2015 (Via: Linkedin)
• By 2026, 11.5 million additional jobs are expected to be created (source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
• A data scientist earns an average annual income of $120,931. (source: Glassdoor)
• In 2020, there are expected to be 2.7 million available positions in data analysis, data science, and related fields (source: IBM).
• By 2020, there will be a 39% increase in employer demand for both data scientists and data engineers (source IBM).
• 59% of employment will be in finance, information technology (IT), insurance, and professional services. This is divided as follows: 
• 19% in banking and insurance, 18% in professional services, and 17% in information technology.
• Bachelor’s degree holders will be able to apply for 61% of data scientist and advanced analytic roles, while 39% will require a master’s or Ph.D.
• Positions in data science and data analysis are available for 5 days longer than the average for all jobs, indicating that there is less competition in these professional sectors and recruiters must work harder to locate competent individuals.
• A possible annual salary of $8,736 more than any other bachelor’s degree position (source: IBM).

 

Pro-Tip: Build up your Data Science career as a licensed Data Scientist

 

The data presented above indicates the development and need for data science specialists across various business areas, geographical regions, and even experience levels. As more businesses implement data-driven solutions, the need for data scientists will continue to rise.

So, relax, you’re on the correct track!

Are you ready to become a Data Scientist?

Data science is the most in-demand career this decade and will continue to be so in the future. With increased awareness of the industry, competition for positions among professionals is at an all-time high. If you follow this approach and do honest self-evaluation, I am confident you will make the best decision for you.

Enroll in Data Science Bootcamp today to begin your Data Science career

Remember that selecting the proper career path is only the beginning of your journey.

In this blog, we will learn the proven successful data science tips to experience exponential growth as a data scientist. There are a few key things that aspiring data scientists should keep in mind if they want to be successful in the field. Let’s learn each tip in detail:

1. Learn competitive skills through competitions

Participating in data science competitions is a great way to test your skills and learn from your peers. These competitions will also give you the chance to work on real-world datasets and solve complex problems.  Learn competitive skills through hackathons and Kaggle competitions. Sometimes Kaggle competitions can feel lonely so go to hackathons and build alongside other people to broaden your ideas and get better feedback.

On Kaggle you can learn from some of the best data scientists in the world and participate in interesting competitions with novel datasets to truly build your knowledge and data science expertise. Observable is another free, community-supported place where you can learn a great deal about all things related to data exploration. 

2. Develop an understanding of business goals

Data scientists have to be well organized, know statistics, and understand how data work connects to a business objective, not just how to code a model. There’s a popular saying that 85% of modeling projects fail and to beat the odds you have to understand how to connect your model with existing business goals and processes. Usually, this comes with experience and the ability to find creative solutions. 

3. Stay calm to tackle the complex data

Expect things to be messy. The data is hardly ever exactly what you need, it can live in many places, and is almost always messier than you thought it would be. It can be hard to estimate how long a project or model will take to build, but I found if you plan and give yourself a one or two-day buffer you’ll find better success with communicating and meeting deadlines. – Ayodele Odubela, Data Scientist, Observable 

4. Don’t neglect the basics

It is important to have a strong foundation in mathematics and statistics. This will give you the ability to understand and work with complex data sets. Additionally, it will also allow you to develop sophisticated models and algorithms.

5. Choosing the right model

Don’t get too caught up in modeling methods. So many data scientists are constantly worried about choosing the right model, when sometimes a model isn’t needed at all. Sometimes a rules-based system is more applicable, and sometimes a dashboard is the better deliverable for a project. 

6. Collaborate with your team

Get more comfortable collaborating with your team. You can optimize your tools so you can cooperate with the least amount of friction. Data scientists often do work for many parts of the business, so reach out to your colleagues to gain better context around the data and how the models you build may be used.  

7. Stay up to date with the latest technology

 The field of data science is constantly evolving, with new tools and techniques being developed all the time. As a result, it is important to keep up-to-date with the latest technology. This will ensure that you are able to use the best tools available to solve complex problems.  

8. Be creative

Data scientists need to be creative in order to find new ways to solve problems. This means thinking outside of the box and coming up with innovative solutions. Additionally, it is also important to be able to communicate your ideas effectively so that others can understand them.   

9. Learn data science through Bootcamps

Bootcamps are another great option for learning data science. These intensive programs will give you the opportunity to learn from experienced data scientists and work on real-world projects.  

10. Attend conferences and workshops

Attending conferences and workshops to network with other data scientists and stay up to date with the latest trends in the field. This is also a great opportunity to learn new skills and techniques.   

11. Develop strong technical skills

 As a data scientist, you will need to have strong technical skills. This includes expertise in programming languages such as Python and R, as well as experience working with databases and big data platforms. Additionally, you should also be familiar with machine learning algorithms and statistical modeling techniques.   

Technical skills are usually obvious and include core skills such as statistics, programming, mathematics, and data visualization. However, the non-technical skills are equally important if not more so. Chief amongst these is communication skills. If you can’t communicate your findings to the right audience, at the right time, in the right way then it doesn’t matter how good your technical analysis is. 

12. Possess business acumen

In addition to technical skills, it is also important to have business acumen. This will allow you to understand the needs of the business and find ways to use data to solve problems. Additionally, being able to effectively communicate with non-technical stakeholders is crucial for success in this role.  

13. Be able to use critical thinking

Data scientists need to be able to think critically in order to identify patterns and insights in data. This includes being able to ask the right questions and identify assumptions that need to be tested. Additionally, being able to think creatively is also important for coming up with innovative solutions.   Boris Jabes, Census

14. Develop a growth mindset

Developing a growth mindset helps you not to avoid failure and to instead view it as an opportunity to grow. Further, it lets you develop a self-belief that you can learn anything.; fully embrace trying new things, ideas, tools, and techniques; see feedback as a gift that will move you forward and finally to be inspired by the success of others. These attitudes will make an enormous difference to your future success as a data scientist. 

 15. Adopt a problem-solving approach 

A data scientist’s job is to solve business problems through data, AI, and ML tools. Data science is problem driven. That means a data scientists need to immerse themselves in learning what the business does and how the business works. Otherwise, the data scientist’s work just because a science experiment in a vacuum. 

16. Improve your interpersonal skills

To get anything done, data scientists need access to data. To secure access to data, they need to learn who to ask and how to ask for data. Downloading a dataset from Kaggle is easy. Figuring out who has the previous five years of company sales data, and how to request that data is an underappreciated skill. 

17. Evaluate technology on a periodic basis

Never put all your eggs in one tool, one platform, or one framework. Expect technology to change and learn how to adapt to new tools. At the same time, don’t just adopt new tools for the sake of having the latest toys. Do your due diligence and evaluate technology vendors on a periodic basis, to learn which tools are likely to become the next standard, and which are likely to remain niche products. – David, Coda Strategy 

18. Prove to be the right fit for the job

 The hiring agents are not only looking for someone having knowledge of data science but someone who is tailor-fitted for the job and one who will produce actual numbers that will be valuable for the company, like sales conversion data, audience engagement data, etc. 

If you look at the US, for example, there’s a need right now for more than 150,000 data scientists. And this need will just grow as we move towards more digital transformation. Aside from the U.S., there’s also a global shortage of data science skills and professionals in Europe and Asia.

It’s also interesting to cite research showing that 94 percent of data scientists and graduates have gotten jobs since 2011. Ninety-four percent is quite encouraging and if you are skilled in data science, you can feel amazingly comfortable that moving in this direction would offer amazing employment potential. This indicates how reliable a career option in data science is now essential moving into the future. 

19. Be curious to learn more

Lastly, an intuitive mind and someone with curiosity is what are essential in a data science job. In enormous data sets, valuable data insights are not always obvious, and a trained data scientist needs to have intuition and understand when to go beneath the surface for insightful information. One of the most important soft skills of a data scientist is the ability to ask questions on a regular basis. You can follow all of the processes of the machine learning project lifecycle if you are bored, but you will not be able to attain the final objective and justify your results.

For me, data science is still growing and evolving which means learning in this discipline never ends. One day you master these new tools and have learned a new skill set, and the following day it is run over by a more complex tool and a thirst for another important skill set. So, a data scientist must be inquisitive and always learn to adapt to these rapid changes. Victoria, MediaPeanut

20. Know the role you want

There are quite a few distinct roles within data science that are all quite different. Before you enter the career, it can be worth knowing which roles you prefer, and which suits your interests. Talk to people in the industry and ask them about what role they do and who they work with, whether you want to be a data architect or visualization expert you need to know the role suits you. Once you know your role you can fine tune what you need to know and learn to have success in the role. 

21. Consider taking a course

Even if you know a lot about data science already, taking a course can help you understand the necessary tools and techniques you need to implement in a specific role. Moreover, many of these courses are work-oriented, as far as they teach you with a career in mind rather than just teaching generic data skills. 

21. Build a portfolio

One of the important things to do is practice data analysis and science. Yet rather than just letting go of each project, try to optimize each project to show off your skills. Find a secure place to keep all your projects as your data science portfolio, once you are accepted for an interview you can demonstrate actionable skills for the prospective employer. – Peter, Lantech 

22. Work on real-world data science projects

In addition to competitions, another wonderful way to get hands-on experience is by working on real-world data science projects. There are many online repositories (such as GitHub) that contain datasets that you can use to practice your data wrangling, modeling, and visualization skills. Working on projects is also a great way to build your portfolio, which will come in handy when you’re ready to start applying for jobs. – Luke, Ever Wallpaper 

23. Obtain the confidence of your peers

As we move about, we assist various teams. We understand that a lot of managers don’t even believe their data. However, they demand brand-new monitors, data science teams, and everything else. But what’s the point? If your data isn’t even reliable. Sherlock Holmes said one of our favorite things:

“Data is the basis for the basic building block of reasoning.”

If such is the case and you have doubts about your home, it will hit you when it drops. Get your superiors to believe in your data and you! 

24. Implement a straightforward project with success first

We understand that everyone wants to create the next algorithm for Google or Facebook. Why not? They are hip, incredibly strong, and generate billions of dollars annually. However, if you want your team to flourish and they are just getting started, start small. Don’t worry; even a basic task can offer your executives incomparable value if done correctly. once you’ve achieved your first victory.

The executives will ask you to assist them with everything. You will then need to put in some effort to ensure that either only the proper projects are all being worked on, or that your projects are constantly inundated with requests. 

25. Explain the importance of your project

Being a salesman is one technique to garner support from executives. How? Explain the need for the project and create it. Considering how new data science is, many executives are unsure of its benefits and applications. Let them see! That is what you do! Show them how they can employ data science to save time, money, and other resources. – William Drow, Starlinkhow 

26. Always give details while requesting assistance

You should always be honest and direct when asking for help, whether it be information, an introduction, or a suggestion. Be direct in your request. People are more willing to help, if you ask them for a modest favor that is not too tough to give. A specific request that is within my sphere of influence makes me far more inclined to say yes when individuals seek my assistance in studying data science.

27. It’s important to follow your passions

For many personal and professional reasons, you may be considering a data science career. If, on the other hand, you’re thinking about the financial and social benefits, you should reconsider. Even if the pay and status are decent, working in this field may become challenging if you don’t enjoy it.

Data science initiatives are like any other form of experiment in that not everything turns out perfectly. You also have responsibilities to the company’s shareholders. It’s possible that you won’t always get to work on the kinds of issues that fascinate or excite you. Instead, you’ll probably have to solve issues that benefit your company. – Adam Crossling, Zenzero 

Do you have any more successful Data Science tips? Share in the comments 

Data science is a challenging but rewarding field, and I hope these tips have helped you get started on your journey. Remember to keep learning and practicing, and you’ll be well on your way to having a successful career in data science! 

This blog aims to introduce you to 5 free courses offered by the Data Science Dojo, that can give your data science career a head start

Do you know what skills it takes to get into top data science companies?  A good start to a data science career requires you to be equipped with the tools and techniques currently being used in the industry. Below I have mentioned 5 free courses that will help to get a jump start on your career in data science. 

A journey from data to diamonds - Data Mining Fundamentals 

Living in a world where everyone is in a rat race for data collection, one should be aware of the fact that just having data is not enough. Your data is probably garbage for your machine learning algorithm. However, a data scientist gives meaning to that data. If you are willing to pursue a data science career path, 70% of your job might just be cleaning and understanding data and making sense of it. This is also called data mining.  

Learn more about Data Mining in this video:

“Data Mining Fundamentals” gives you a nice starting point in your job. It takes you on a brief journey of looking at different data types and understanding different issues with the data. Later you get a look into feature engineering and pre-processing that helps to extract the most meaningful information out of the data and that is to be used in machine learning models. Then you jump into the evaluation metrics and statistical methods that provide us with an essential toolkit for extracting meaning from your data. Lastly, you will learn about some useful visualizations that you will need to fully understand your data.  

The clouds that rain data - Introduction to Azure Machine Learning  

We live in a world where machine learning is not just about dummy datasets or solving small-scale problems anymore. Industries are working with ever-changing real-time data that has millions and millions of entries. When working with such large data, it is almost impossible to store and work with it locally. This opens the doors to the world of big data. One of the key skills employers look for in a data science candidate is familiarity with big data and cloud computing.  

The course “Introduction to Azure Machine Learning” provides you with a gateway into the world of big data. You will explore end-to-end data science projects, cover summary statistics and data transformation, and build a machine learning model in Azure ML.  

Data scientists are the new fortune teller - Time Series Analysis and Forecasting  

Have you ever searched the internet for weather predictions for the current week? It is very accurate these days, but it wasn’t always the same case. Data science has given the field of forecasting an immense opportunity to grow. All data consultancies work on the principles of forecasting and future prediction. If you want to pursue a career as a consultant, then time series analysis and forecasting are tools that will put a gold star on your resume.  

The course “Time Series Analysis and Forecasting with Python” helps you get your hands dirty with algorithmic implementations for forecasting using Python. It will give you an introduction to the libraries that are commonly used for forecasting and run you through the whole pipeline that is followed in its course.  

Upgrade your Python skills with Introduction to Data Science with Python.  

Getting your hands dirty with R - Beginner R Programming  

When data scientists walk into an interview, they are expected to walk in with a toolkit. A toolkit that would allow them to build their career. One of the most widely used programming languages in the data science industry is R. R provides one of the best environments for statistical computing with a lot of packages making it very easy and convenient to work with data and use algorithms.  

The course “Beginner R Programming” starts with you creating your first program in R. Then it walks you through the variables, objects, control statements, and functions in R covering all the fundamental knowledge of the subject you would need.  

Data science career with NLP - Introduction to Text Analytics with R  

If a company decides to evaluate the reviews about one of its products. The problem is that there are maybe 100k of them. How do you think they will evaluate them? How do you think a data scientist will address this problem? If you decide to choose a data science career path toward natural language processing, analyzing text and converting words to numbers would be one of your major tasks.  

The course “Introduction to Text Analytics with R” familiarizes you with textual data in the context of machine learning. You will explore different ways to process your data and learn different techniques to prepare it to be used in machine learning models.  

Have you taken these free courses yet?

These data science free courses will guide you on the path of being a functional data scientist. However, if you are interested in exploring the entire data science pipeline and getting a hands-on experience with data mining to big data analytics, you must check out the “Data Science Bootcamp” offered by Data Science Dojo. 

In October 2012, the Harvard Business Review described “Data Scientist” as the “sexiest” job of the 21^st century. Well, as we approach 2020 the description still holds true! The world needs more data scientists than are available for hire.

All companies – from the smallest to the biggest – want to hire for a job role that has something “Data” in its name: “Data Scientists”, “Data Analysts”, “Data Engineers” etc.

On the other hand, many people are trying to get a break in the Data Science industry, including people with considerable experience in other functional domains such as marketing, finance, insurance, and software engineering. You might have already invested in learning data science (maybe even at a Data Science Bootcamp), but how confident are you for your next Data Science interview?

This blog is intended to give you a nice tour of the questions asked in a Data Science interview. After thorough research, we have compiled a list of 101 actual data science interview questions that have been asked between 2016-2019 at some of the largest recruiters in the data science industry – Amazon, Microsoft, Facebook, Google, Netflix, and Expedia, etc.

Top categories for best data science interview questions

Data Science is an interdisciplinary field and sits at the intersection of computer science, statistics/mathematics, and domain knowledge. To be able to perform well in a Data Science interview, one needs to have a good foundation in not one but multiple fields, and it is reflected in the interview. We’ve divided the questions into 6 categories:

• Machine Learning
• Data Analysis
• Statistics, Probability, and Mathematics
• Programming
• SQL
• Experiential/Behavioral Questions

We’ve also provided brief answers and key concepts for each question. Once you’ve gone through all the questions, you’ll have a good understanding of how well you’re prepared for your next set of data science interview questions!

Machine learning and data science

As one will expect, data science interview questions focus heavily on the things that help the company in testing your concepts, applications, and experience in machine learning. Each interview question included in this category has been recently asked in one or more actual data science interviews at companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, etc.

These questions will give you a good sense of what sub-topics appear more often than others. You should also pay close attention to the way these questions are phrased in an interview.

Data analysis

Machine learning concepts are not the only area in which you’ll be tested in a data science interview. Data pre-processing and data exploration are other areas where you can always expect a few questions.

We’re grouping all such questions under this category. Data analysis is the process of evaluating data using analytical and statistical tools to discover useful insights. Once again, all these questions have been recently asked in one or more actual data science interviews at the companies listed above.

Statistics, Probability, and Mathematics

As we’ve already mentioned, data science builds its foundation on statistics and probability concepts. Having a strong foundation in statistics and probability concepts is a requirement for data science, and these topics are always brought up in data science interview questions.

Here is a list of statistics and probability questions that have been asked in actual data science interviews.

Programming

When you appear for a data science interview, your interviewers are not expecting you to come up with a highly efficient code that takes the lowest resources on computer hardware and executes it quickly. However, they do expect you to be able to use R, Python, or SQL programming languages so that you can access the data sources and at least build prototypes for solutions.

You should expect a few programming/coding questions in your data science interviews. Your interviewer might want you to write a short piece of code on a whiteboard to assess how comfortable you are with coding, as well as get a feel for how many lines of codes, you typically write in each week.

Here are some programming and coding questions that companies like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have asked in their data science interviews.

Structured Query Language (SQL)

Real-world data is stored in databases and it ‘travels’ via queries. If there’s one language a data science professional must know, it’s SQL – or “Structured Query Language”. SQL is widely used across all job roles in data science and is often a deal-breaker. SQL questions are placed early on in the hiring process and used for screening.

Here are some SQL questions that top companies have asked in their data science interviews.

Situational/Behavioral data science interview questions

Capabilities don’t necessarily guarantee performance. It’s for this reason employers ask you situational or behavioral questions in order to assess how you would perform in a given situation. In some cases, a situational or behavioral question would force you to reflect on how you behaved and performed in a past situation.

A situational question can help interviewers in assessing your role in a project you might have included in your resume, can reveal whether or not you’re a team player, or how you deal with pressure and failure. Situational questions are no less important than any of the technical questions, and it will always help to do some homework beforehand.

Recall your experience and be prepared!

Here are some situational/behavioral questions that large tech companies typically ask:

Have we missed any other Data Science interview questions?

Comment below if we missed any of the commonly asked Data Science interview question. Thanks for reading! We hope this list is able to help you prepare and eventually ace the interview! If you’re still on the job hunt, check out our friends over at Jooble.

If you need help understanding the concepts above, check out Data Science Dojo’s online data science bootcamp!

Like the 101 machine learning algorithms blog post, the accordion drop-down lists are available for you to embed on your own site/blog post. Simply click the ’embed’ button in the lower left-hand corner, copy the iframe, and paste it within the page.

As of 2020, the average salary that a data scientist makes in the US is over $113,000. With that stated, it can be affirmed that data scientists are in high demand. You can think of data science as a way to earn money but then you will never have the actual motivation to learn it. Instead, you should identify a problem; be it marketing-related or a research problem, and then start learning data science & its tools accordingly, because you cannot excel at every tool or a data science skill set. 

Stay updated with Artificial Intelligence and learn more about Large Language Models:

First & foremost, you need to motivate yourself to love the data, with no drive you will probably leave your learning journey at some point. Furthermore, you need to work on real projects. Just acquiring the fundamental knowledge or skills won’t make you an expert data scientist, likewise, to increase your expertise, you need to increase the level of difficulty every time you undertake a data science project. While being at work or by joining a top-rated Data Science Bootcamp, learn from your instructors & peers, and check how they are executing the data science projects. Last but not least, present your insights & analysis to others.

But you might be wondering what skills do you exactly require for being a successful data scientist & how to Learn Data Science? What steps do you need to follow to leap into the field of data science?  

Before we get started with the actual data science career path, which of the following expertise/skills do you have?

An insight of Data Science roadmap

Since you now know what skills you already possess, the roadmap below can help you understand where you stand & what effort is needed for you to reach the endpoint.

Read more about Data Science Career 

Step 1: Getting started 

Before you move on to learning & adapting to new skills, it is important for you to understand what data science is & whether you are a great fit for it or not.

To further assess, check what type of data scientist you are with the below short quiz: 

Step 2: Learn the basics of mathematics & statistics  

The next checkpoint in the data science career path is to learn the fundamentals of mathematics & statistics. The topics listed below should be your area of focus: 

1. Descriptive Statistics 
2. Probability  
3. Inferential Statistics  
4. Linear Algebra 
5. Structured Thinking  

You can further enrich your concepts with these 5 free statistics books, along with these amazing resources to learn math for data science. If you are wondering why math is needed, then you need to take a quick look at this blog post by Dave Langer from Data Science Dojo that explains why math is important in data science.  

Step 3: Acquainting the key tools for data science 

1. Python: It is one of the most popular & widely used programming languages. Learning this language can help you with creating web applications, handling big data, rapid prototyping, and much more.  

Learn all the fundamentals of Python for Data Science with our upcoming training! 

2. R: Another popular language for programming in R. It provides a free software environment for statistical computing. These few blog posts can definitely add value to your knowledge of R programming:  

1. Logistic Regression in R
2. R language programming for Excel Users
3. Natural language Processing with R programming books

You might be stuck with the same traditional argument between R Versus Python; if you are wondering which one of them you should opt for, then I suggest you begin with R and transition to Python gradually. Then use them as per the needs of your organization.  

3. Data Exploration & Visualization: If you are into the analytical side of the data, i.e. data analysis, then you must learn data exploration & visualization. Data exploration is the initial step of data analysis, while, data visualization is the graphical representation of the data itself. Both Python & R can be used for exploring & visualizing the data.

Step 4: Learning the key tools for ML 

There are some basic and advanced machine learning tools that you need to learn & adapt yourself to. Some of the most important ones are listed below. These skills can be of immense value in your overall data science roadmap:  

1. Exploratory Data Analysis & Data Cleaning: Before moving on to the ML tools, you need to be well versed in what EDA & data cleaning is. EDA or exploratory data analysis, is a way of studying the datasets to summarize them into a visual format. Data cleaning is the process of detecting & correcting errors and ensuring that the data is free of errors.

     The cheat sheet below can help you get started with EDA now.

2. Feature Selection & Engineering: This should typically be your next step in learning ML. This uses domain knowledge to obtain the features from the data, which in turn helps with improving the performance of ML algorithms. So, if you are willing to gain expertise in the ML domain, you need to learn about feature selection & engineering.

3.  Model Selection: Out of all the statistical models, you will need to select one model that is well-suited for your problem. These are some of the statistical models that you can go with:

 Interested in learning about Large Language Models and building custom ChatGPT like applications for your business? Click below

The below graphic by Avik Jain can be a great help for you to get started with SVMs: 

4.  Model Evaluation: Moving towards the last step of machine learning, model evaluation, generalizes the accuracy of the model based on future data. It typically uses two methods, holdout & cross-validation.

Step 5: Profile building 

Building a profile on GitHub is an important task that every data scientist must complete. It is one of the most effective ways for a data scientist to gather all the code of the projects they have undertaken. It showcases your code and projects undertaken and shows how long you have been practicing data science.  

Moving on, you need to be part of some discussion forums. These will help you find an answer to the questions you are stuck at. Here are some of the discussion forums you can be part of: 

1. Quora  
2. Stackoverflow 

To gain more knowledge in the data science domain, start following different YouTube channels.   
Our YouTube channel can surely be a good start for you.  

Step 6: Prepare for a data science interview  

You need to know all those key data science concepts that can help you ace your interviews. With these 101 Data Science Interview Questions. Answers, and Key Concepts you can prepare yourself for the interviews.

Step 7: Take a look at a typical data scientist’s job 

Reaching the end of your data science roadmap, you might want to get an idea of a typical data scientist’s job. It is always helpful to look at some job descriptions, showcase your skills, and stand out as the best candidate. If you think you are a good fit for it, you must get started right away!

Before I end this post, let me repeat it again, instead of trying to learn all the skills required to be a data scientist endlessly, pick up a problem that inspires you or bees relevant to your domain. Try to solve that problem using the data science skills, only pick up the skills necessary to solve that problem. As you solve more problems, you will learn more skills along the way.

If you hated probability in high school or university, it is because every example of probability has to do with coin tosses and dice. But if you happen to come across interesting problems, such as the Birthday Paradox, you might have ended up loving probability.

Additional support  

Want to learn more about data science roadmap? The following blog posts have been a great support to me, and likewise, I believe it can be a great help to you as well:

So, what have you decided? Are planning to get started with Data Science? Take a look at our Data Science Bootcamp, a great way to start your data science journey.

Data Science Dojo hosted a data science interview AMA. It was a great opportunity to learn about data science career options, job roles, and skills.

As automated systems replace traditional business processes, a huge amount of data is being generated. Companies all around the world, from publishing houses to health care, are trying to unlock the value of data. Consequently, data science is becoming one of the most sought-after fields for young professionals all over the world.

Recently, Data Science Dojo hosted a data science interview AMA. It was a fantastic opportunity to learn about data science career options and job roles. The online seminar also included a Q/A session where data science enthusiasts asked many questions related to data science interviews and careers from the panelists.

The online seminar is presented by Data Scientist and Lead Instructor, Rebecca Merrett. She holds a post-graduate diploma in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Southern Queensland. Co-hosting the webinar is Data Scientist Tarun Shrivas, who is a seasoned professional in Marketing Research and Analytics. He holds a master’s degree in business Analytics from Seattle University (Seattle, WA).

The webinar begins with a presentation on how to best prepare yourself for the data science industry. The discussion includes the diverse types of Data Scientists, data science interviews, job roles, commonly used tools, and how to go about building your portfolio. The presentation concludes with about 60 minutes of Q&A. You can watch the video below or continue reading.

* 0:00:00 – Introduction

* 0:01:41 – About Rebecca

* 0:02:22 – About Tarun

* 0:02:50 – Rebecca’s Presentation

* 0:22:23 – Q/A

Entering the field of data science

The presenters talk about how there’s no right way to build a foundation in data science. You can attend a university, a data science bootcamp, independent mentoring, or even free online courses. Some of these paths will take more effort than others, but one thing is evident, you MUST have a strong understanding of mathematical and statistical concepts.

Types of data science interviews and expectations

The field of data science is continuously growing, subsequently, there are a ton of career data science roles available that one can choose from within the data science domain. This blog lists some of the most emerging career options that one can opt for.

Data science is a field that requires subject matter expertise (e.g., biology if you plan to do bioinformatics), programming skills, and training in mathematics and statistics. Data science as a service allows companies to get business insights leveraging advanced analytics technologies, including deep learning, without investing in in-house data science competencies.

Data scientists help a company process a huge pool of information from a variety of sources. An expert data science team can help you quickly embrace data science to meet particular advanced analytics objectives.

Data Science roles and career paths

Glassdoor ranks data science as the #2 job in America for 2021. There are many professions in data science with similar names: for example, ML developers and ML engineers. In this article, we will talk about different roles in data science, how professions in this field differ, and what is expected from candidates for different vacancies.

1. Data scientist

The main task of a data scientist is to improve the quality of machine learning models. In general, his or her work can be divided into two blocks. The first one is to work with the finished model in the project. It is necessary to continuously assess its quality and find what can be improved. Online and offline metrics, as well as feedback from testers, help in this. The second is the research part itself: finding new architectures and signals for prediction.

Here is what a data scientist needs to know:

• Python to develop models.

• C++ to put code into production.

• Deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Caffe, or others).

• Data structures and algorithms.

A lot of time data time collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data for useful insights. After preparing the data, they spend the rest of the time training new models e.g., preparing data on a cluster and writing infrastructure for effective training.

It’s also part of the job to duplicate the model: you have to write the model check that it behaves as expected on real data, and then optimize its performance. An interesting fact is that the job of a data scientist also involves skills from the roles of ML engineer, data engineer, and data scientist.

PRO TIP: Join our data science bootcamp today to kickstart a successful career in data science!

2. ML engineer

The responsibilities of an ML engineer are remarkably similar to a data scientist. But in contrast, there is no need to prepare publications in scientific journals and continually develop modern technologies. Much more important than for a data scientist is the ability to write effective and readable code that colleagues can then make sense of.

Here is what an ML engineer needs to know:

• Python and C++ to develop models and train algorithms.

• Probability theory, statistics, and discrete mathematics.

• Deep Learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch, Caffe, or others).

It is also useful for ML engineers to have collaborative development tools. They should be able to not only train high-quality models but should also be able to create services based on them that can withstand a high load. This may require mastery of both lower-level programming languages and techniques for optimizing machine learning models.

Data engineers are in charge of preparing data for subsequent analysis. Their job is to first gather data from social networks, websites, blogs, and other external and internal sources, and then bring it into a structured form that can be sent to the data analyst.

3. Data engineer

Imagine you need to make an apple pie. First, you need to find the flour, apple, eggs, milk, and other ingredients from the recipe. That’s what the data engineer does, just looking for and bringing in the right data. And the data analyst will make the pie himself, or rather look for patterns among the found data.

Here is what a data engineer needs to know:

• How to design storage, set up data collection, and data pipelines.

• How to build ETL processes.

• C++, Python, or Java.

• SQL for working with databases.

In addition, engineers create and maintain the storage infrastructure. They are also responsible for the ETL system – extracting, transforming, and loading data into one repository. It is safe to say that they are responsible for buying and storing the ingredients for the pie. Thus, the data analyst can pick them up any time to make a dish and be sure that everything is in place and nothing has gone bad.

4. Data analyst

Data analysts help a company improve metrics and solve intermediate goals rather than blindly move toward big goals (doubling revenue in a year). More often than not, they work closely with salespeople.

The task of the data analyst is to process a large amount of data and find patterns in it. For example, they may find out that most often toothbrushes are bought by married men from 30 to 40 years old. Data analysts help companies better understand their customers and, which in-turn brings in more sales.

Here is what a data analyst needs to know:

• Python to process data.

• Mathematical statistics to choose the right methods to process the data.

• SQL dialects like ClickHouse.

• DataLens, Tableau, PowerBI, and other dashboard tools.

• Big data tools such as Hadoop, Hive, or Spark.

In their work, data analysts use the knowledge of mathematical statistics, which allows them to find patterns and assist with predicting the behavior of users. Data analysts also conduct tests, check how users react to the new interface, and help optimize business processes.

Summary

There are many directions and tasks to learn data science for those who like exact sciences. You can do science-intensive tasks as a data scientist, implement innovative technologies as an ML engineer, look for useful patterns for business as a data analyst, or collect and structure data if you choose to work as a data engineer. In addition, your choices can be based not only on your expertise but also on the problems you want to solve: you dream of moving science forward and creating technology that others will use.