What Does It Take to Get Your Foot in the Door as a Data Scientist? | by TDS Editors | Oct, 2024

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Whether you’re fresh out of your degree or bootcamp, or looking to transition into a data science role from a different field, the various paths towards landing your first (or second, or third) job cross an ever-shifting terrain. The necessary skill sets continue to evolve, new tools and technologies pop up on a daily basis, and the job market itself has become more competitive in recent years. What’s an aspiring data scientist to do?

Well, a good first step would be to read this week’s highlights, which tackle these perennial questions with up-to-date insights and actionable advice. From finding your footing as a freelancer to ensuring you successfully market your existing knowledge and experience, these articles offer concrete roadmaps grounded in their authors’ own professional journeys. Enjoy your reading!

• The Two Sides of Hiring: Recruiting vs. Interviewing for Data Roles in Diverse Markets
  Having applied to more than 150 positions and reviewed over 500 applications in several countries, Marina Tosic has a unique perspective on the factors that determine data scientists’ job-search success. She breaks them down into useful tips you can apply and tailor to your own specific situation.
• Mathematics I Look for in Data Scientist Interviews
  The amount of math you need as a data professional varies a lot by role, industry, and company—but it’s all but certain you’ll have to come prepared with baseline knowledge in a few key areas. Farzad Nobar, who’s been involved in hiring at Amazon for several years, outlines the topics and approaches you need to be fluent in to demonstrate you have a strong foundation and to set yourself apart from other candidates.

• My Freelance Experience as a Geo Data Scientist on Upwork after 10 Months
  What do you do if you’d like to break into the world of data science freelancing and consulting, but your skill set is “somewhat rare and weird,” as is often the case for practitioners who come from an academic background? Aleksei Rozanov shares pragmatic learnings based on almost a year of work building up his profile and expanding his network on popular freelance platform Upwork.
• What You Need to Know Before Switching to a Data Science Career in 2024
  “Everyone wants to pivot into AI, and yet job ads are all about cloud, dev, and operations. So, what should you do if you’re looking to enter data science in 2024?” Sabrine Bendimerad reflects on the job market’s transformation in recent years, and provides a step-by-step plan for aspiring data scientists who’d like to break into the field but aren’t sure where to start.