Currently, the data science profession is proving popular. This has been voted the top job in America for the previous three years, and this comes down to the fact that it has a high earnings potential (the median salary for a data scientist is $92,089), there are excellent career progression opportunities and a wide range of jobs available. Additionally, there are a few different potential career paths for graduates to consider too. As such an up and coming field, it may mean that it will be competitive in the near future. With this in mind, here are a few tips for excelling in this field:
Education
The importance of education in data science should not be overlooked, and it is vital that you excel in a few different areas. These mainly include mathematics and computer science so that you are capable of deciphering large volumes of data, analysing it and then turning it into true insights which can be used to make important business decisions. There is an expectation that a data scientist will have an advanced education too – this means it is worth considering a Masters of Science in Data Science if you do not have one already with multiple online programs available, such as a data science degree in Massachusetts which can be completed online.
Skills
A data scientist must also possess a range of skills if they are to succeed in this industry. These include problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, working within a team and presentation skills. These can often be overlooked, but a big part of the role will be presenting your findings in an understandable way to those in other departments so that intelligent decisions can be made. Therefore, it is also helpful if you have an understanding of the industry in which you are working and are able to see the big picture from a business point of view. If you lack any of the above skills, look for ways to improve or consider a course to brush up on your skills and stand out from the crowd.
Presenting Yourself
As with any line of work, how you present yourself will be key in landing work and excelling in the field. Crafting a compelling resume is important, but you could also show your experience and skill set by creating a professional online website/portfolio. Additionally, attend as many industry events and network as much as possible – the more people that you know, the more likely you are to enter and advance in data science.
With Big Data constantly growing and more and more industries relying on vast volumes of data to drive important business decisions, there has never been a greater demand for data scientists, and this looks set to continue. This also means that more and more people are lining up a career in this field, so any aspiring data scientist needs to make sure that they are on the right path and doing everything that they can to stand out from the crowd and appeal to employers.