The Ultimate Data Science Career Guide
The Ultimate Data Science Career Guide
The Ultimate Data Science Career Guide
Career
Guide
2023
Break Into Data Science
No part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, redistributed, or utilized in any form or by any method, printed,
electronic, mechanical, or other means now known or hereafter invented , including photocopying, recording, or in
any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission of the publisher. For permission requests,
contact [email protected]
Sofia, Bulgaria
https://365datascience.com
@365datascience
A Few Words by the Author
Over the past few years, we’ve received thousands of
messages from our students asking for career advice.
Some came from recent college graduates with no
professional experience looking to get into the ever-
expanding data science field; others came from tech
industry professionals wondering how to hone their
transferable skills and land a job in business intelligence or
data science. There were also those who work part- or full-
time in a completely unrelated field—ones who study on a
tight schedule with admirable commitments to transfer
into data science.
Iliya Valchanov
At 365, we are dedicated to helping all our students reach
their career goals, regardless of their background, work
Co-Founder and Instructor at 365 Data Science
experience, and field of expertise. And while our courses
teach theoretical knowledge and practical skills, it’s the
Iliya is the co-founder of 365 Data Science career aspect of data science we’ve always felt compelled
and the author of some of 365’s best courses to address. So, we wrote this guide for you—the aspiring
in Mathematics, Statistics, Machine Learning, data science professional. We’ve spoken to experts, spent
and Deep Learning.
hundreds of hours reading the relevant literature, and,
He’s a Finance graduate with a solid together with the 365 team, conducted research and
quantitative background who chose the
exciting path of a startup entrepreneur.
analyses of the many job options available in data science.
No matter where you are in your career development, on
these pages you’ll find the tools that will help you assess
your skills, explore your options, and pursue the best career
choice for you.
Data
Science
the
Right
Career
for Me?
When we were at square one of our data science learning paths, we
every expert was once a beginner. So, we created this data science
Show you
Inform you
Prepare you
And if you’re one step ahead and ready to start your learning journey,
Start Learning
Why is data
Fierce driving or luck?
Science
Nope. That’s data science.
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel suffers the And once the retailer knows what you
worst possible start—his car spins out of might want, it can streamline the pro-
control and loses its front wing on his cess of persuading you to buy it—e.g.,
opening lap. Vettel suddenly drops by recommending specific products so
down to last place. All seems doomed that you don’t have to search through
for the champion. But the German the whole catalog.
somehow manages to recover and
finishes sixth, which grants him just Bernard Marr, 2021
7
Netflix Who can
series,
Learn how to adopt a growth
such as House of Cards, The Crown, mindset in your organization,
unlock the power of data-driven
and Stranger Things. The powerful re- decision-making, and create
commender engines and data analysis real business value.
allowed the company to keep its mar-
ket leadership position in the years to
come.
Future of Data
Most In-Demand
Skills?
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the number of data science
jobs in the US exceeded 113,000 in 2021. Data science is a relatively new field,
By 2031, this number is estimated to yet it changes by the minute with the
grow by 36%—much faster than the rapid development of technologies.
average growth rate of 5%. In fact, Examining the job search landscape
there’s a concern that the supply of over the past few years will help you
data scientists and analysts won’t determine where to invest your efforts.
meet the industry’s demand.
Let’s start with the findings from our
Therefore, now is literally the best time study on job offers in the field of data
to become a data scientist. science.
addition, over 56% believe that the 1,170 job descriptions and extracted the
shortage is among the main obstacles most cited skills, programming lan-
mindset.
niques. Based on the frequency of
S
teams. roles. But R and QL also appeared fre-
database.
10
Skills gaps
Regarding machine learning, the most
identified by employees working in
in-demand techniques were deep
data science and ML departments
learning, clustering, and Natural
(Anaconda Report, 2022) Language Processing (NLP). Last but
not least, most job ads emphasize
communication and business skills.
Analytics
Data
Visualization 28%
Business
Vision 18%
NLP 13% These are the primary skills employers
expect from data scientists. Will the
demand remain unchanged?
Learning 23%
Deep
Learning 21%
Ethics in
Every data scientist worth their salt has A data scientist can find
solid statistics, business, computer themself in different
science, analytics, and communication
skills. They not only understand the
working situations.
language of data (through math and
statistics) but can also analyze it and Some will work for large companies and
draw actionable insights from it. Mo- will have to apply sophisticated machi-
reover, they’ve mastered the art of ne learning techniques to create busi-
data storytelling to a level that makes ness value (because others have al-
ma-nagement and stakeholders nod ready implemented simple optimi-
in agreement and plan their strategy zations). Others could be the first data
accordingly.
scientists in a company and deal with
time constraints and limited resources.
Therefore, they must remain flexible
and adapt to current business needs.
What Does a Data Yet others will need to perform analyses
and techniques they have not used in
Scientist Do?
the past. The bottom line is that this job
requires a willingness to learn and
Their main goal can be summarized in adapt to changing circumstances.
a few words—use data to create busi-
ness value. Data scientists have an
intense curiosity and a passion for Тhe easiest way to understand
achieving business impact. Sometimes what this job involves is with an
example. Read our full article for a
they don’t even use complicated ML peak at the daily tasks of a data
techniques but rely on simple statistical scientist.
methods to make conclusions and add
value to their company.
What Does a
13
How Much Does a How to Become a
Data Scientist Earn?
Data Scientist?
We answer this question with a detailed The demand for data scientists is
overview of the average data scientist’s constantly growing. This might be be-
salary by years of experience, location, cause “data scientist” is a broad term,
job title, education level, etc. in our and people hired for this job often fulfill
article Data Science Salaries Around several different roles. Or it might be
the World. Here are some of the num- because hiring managers are unfa-
bers, according to Glassdoor. miliar with the numerous and some-
times overlapping positions within the
As a data scientist in the USA, you can field—so they go for the broad term.
$124,433
£55,093
USA UK
14
What Education Do According to data from successful data
scientists’ LinkedIn profiles, over 50%
You Need to Become have completed at least one data
science online course, with three cer-
a Data Scientist? tificates as the average. So, if you’ve
never written a line of code, you can still
The first step to becoming a data make up for it with determination and
scientist is education; a university deg- commitment to learning. And ulti-
ree will give you a head start. While mately, start a career in data science.
· Economics
Complete 365’s Online Data
Science Training Program
Should You you also need to know what skills to acquire. So, here
are the must-have qualifications you need to become
Acquire? data scientist.
Excellent programming skills in Desire to drive innovation and Strong communication skills
Python or R and the related generate unique solutions
data science libraries (e.g., Ability to develop and leverage
Pandas, NumPy, and scikit- Growth mindset
relationships with stakeholders
learn for Python) to achieve business goals
Ability to track and share
Experience with relational trends, best practices, and Excellent teamwork and
databases and SQL ideas collaboration skills
Now that you have a good idea of what it’s like to be a data scientist and how to become one,
you should feel more confident to start your career. But if you need additional data scientist
career tips and advice, scroll down. We’ve prepared a section with resume tips, project
portfolio advice, interview questions, and internship opportunities. You’ll also discover the
most promising industries and organizations hiring data scientists and the best job boards for
data science position.
16
What Is a Data Analyst?
Data analysts are the troopers of data The job involves a significant amount of
science. They’re involved in gathering, Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) and
cleaning, and analyzing data. And their data visualization with specialized tools,
main goal is to extract meaningful bu- such as Power BI and Tableau.
siness insights. A data analyst does not
work on machine and deep learning
models, nor do they engage with pre-
dictive modeling. Instead, they focus How Much Does a
on the analysis of past performance.
Data Analyst Earn?
£37,916
USA UK
17
How to Become a
Data Analyst?
Are you considering a career as a data
Data
analyst? That’s a great option to ex- SQL for Data Python Introduction
Preprocessing
with NumPy
toViktor
Science Data Visualization
with
Mehandzhiyski
plore on its own and as a gateway into Interviews
SQL
Statistics with Elitsa Kaloyanova
with Martin Ganchev
with Martin Ganchev
with Iliya Valchanov
with Tina Huang
data science. But before you take the
first steps toward your data analyst
career, you must ensure it is a suitable Data Analyst
choice. To help you decide, we provide
a detailed overview of the education
Career Track
and skills required to become a data 10 Career Track Courses
analyst. 41 Hours of Video
Certificate of Achievement
18
As a data analyst, you’ll be juggling
What
many tasks. Some essential job requi-
Data analyst
rements include technical expertise, a
solution-oriented approach, and the
Qualifications
ability to articulate complex technical
terms and concepts to a non-technical
Should You
audience. But to be successful, you
need to acquire several other skills as
Acquire? well.
Programming and coding Strong attention to detail and Excellent communication skills
language skills using Python or ability to quality-check your
R own work and catch mistakes Ability to articulate complex
in data before delivery concepts
Expertise in SQL
Analytical and data Adaptability and
interpretation skills
collaboration skills
Solid Tableau or Power BI
skills Good listening skills
Ability to communicate the
results of analyses in a clear
Excellent Excel skills and the
and effective manner
ability to use advanced
analytics and formulas Confidence to challenge
others’ thinking and offer
Extracting and analyzing data
opinions, thoughts, and
from diverse sources (multiple
insights
data marts and file formats)
A proactive approach to
Statistical knowledge,
problem-solving
including quantitative
methods, confidence intervals, Quick learning skills
sampling, and test/control
cells, and good command of
statistical software packages
Hopefully,these bullet points give you a better understanding of the most important aspects
of a data analyst job. If you need further preparation, you can jump to the following sections of
the data science career guide. Those will come in handy as a quick reference once you start
sending out application forms and going to interviews.
19
What Is a Business
intelligence analyst?
20
BI Analyst Salaries
$87.599
£44,054
USA UK
21
What
A data science job is all about the
BI Analyst
skillset, and the BI analyst path makes
no exception. Excellent communication
Qualifications
and presentation skills are just as
crucial as technical competencies.
Should You
Here’s the complete list of skills you
need to become a BI analyst.
Acquire?
Solid SQL skills Learning concepts quickly and Excellent verbal and written
applying them to design communication skills
Experience with Power BI/ creative solutions
Tableau
Ability to work well as part of a
Analytical skills team in a high-pressure, agile
Advanced Excel skills
environment
Presentation skills
Programming skills (Python or
Ability to understand and
R are highly desirable)
Ability to design rich data analyze data on individual
visualizations and dashboards and team performance
Data interpretation and
to communicate complex
recommendations based on
ideas to business partners and Fast in understanding the
findings
leadership business needs and
stakeholders’ requirements
Good data visualization
Flexibility and adaptability
abilities
Now you know what to expect from a BI analyst job and what you need to get it.
But career insights are always welcome. You can scroll down to the job application advice
sections in this guide to expand your know-how. They will be a helpful companion on your way
to a successful career.
23
What Is a
Data Architect?
If you’ve seen the 1999 cult movie The Data architects are also
Matrix, you probably recognize the Arc- responsible for design
hitect as the creator of the utopian
world for human minds to inhabit. Much patterns, data modeling,
like their blockbuster counterpart, data service-oriented
architects create the database from integration, and business
scratch. They design the way data will intelligence domains.
be retrieved, processed, and consu-
med. Without proper data architecture, They often partner with fellow data
key business questions may remain scientists and IT specialists to reach the
answered due to the lack of coherence company’s data strategy goals. Other
between different tables in the database.
tasks include seeking innovations to
improve data quality and reporting,
eliminating redundancies, and provi-
What Does a Data ding better data collection sources,
methods, and tools.
Architect Do?
Do you have an analytical and creative Learn how to build the perfect
24
BI Analyst Salaries
$87,599
£44,054
USA UK
How to Become a
LinkedIn job offers indicate that em-
Data Architect? ployers value relevant work experience
over shiny degrees. While a bachelor’s
The data architect role is increasingly degree in computer science is desi-
vital for enterprises and business suc- rable, they may be willing to waive this
cess. If your data career goal is to be- requirement entirely if you have signi-
come a data architect, we have two ficant and applicable real-world expe-
things to say: rience.
25
What Data Architect
Now you know what you need to become a data architect. If you want to take your job
preparation to the next level, scroll down. The detailed information about employment
opportunities will help you with the first steps to a successful career.
26
What Is a
Data Engineer?
Data engineers are the ones to take processing it in a usable format, and
things further up the data science pipe- moving it to a repository (the firm’s
line. Companies rely on data engineers database). Simply put, they pipe data
to execute the plans created by data into tables correctly. Typically, they re-
architects. Sometimes the role of data ceive many ad-hoc ETL-related tasks.
engineers and data architects often Data engineers need strong software
overlaps—especially in smaller busi- engineering skills and rarely interact
nesses. with business stakeholders directly.
A data engineer builds the necessary We consulted Glassdoor to give you the
data infrastructure by organizing tab- answer. In the US, the average pay for a
les and setting up the data to match all data engineer is $111,340 per year.
use cases defined by the data Looking for a data engineer job in the
architect.
UK? You can get an average pay of
They handle the so-called ETL (Extract, £54,650 per year (including bonuses
Transform, and Load data) process, and overtime pay). Big data, big
which consists of retrieving data, rewards!
£54,650
USA UK
27
Learn how to build the
Resume
Data Engineer?
What Education Do
Data Engineer Cover Letter
a Data Engineer?
engineer position.
28
What Data Engineer
A data engineer job comes with many responsibilities. Here’s a list of the main competencies
and skills you need to become a data engineer.
Knowledge of data modeling Data visualization skills (make Strong communication skills in
for data warehousing and big Tableau your best friend) various settings
data
Analytical skills Ability to think critically and
Ability to write, analyze, and conceptually
debug SQL queries
Ability to make sound
decisions even in the
Experience in the big data absence of complete
space (Hadoop Stack like M/ information
R, HDFS, Pig, Hive, etc.)
Ability to follow through on
Experience with at least one commitments and make sure
scripting language (e.g., others do the same
Python)
Taking responsibility for one’s
decisions, actions, and failures
Establishment of clear
processes for monitoring work
and measuring results
Now you know what it’s like to be a data engineer and how to become one. Of course, better
preparation means higher chances of success. So, if you want to gain more helpful insight and
career advice, you can find our resume and portfolio tips in the following sections of the guide.
29
Overlapping Roles
In your job search, you may encounter several offers with similar responsibilities listed in the
description because some roles—such as data analyst and business intelligence analyst—
have overlapping areas. Similarly, the difference between a traditional data scientist, a
research scientist, and an applied scientist is subtle.
PAST FUTURE
BI Analyst Data Data Traditional
Research
ML Modeling
ML Modeling
ML Modeling
New ML
Data Scientist
Traditional Data Scientist
vs
vs
Data Analyst
Research Scientist
vs
vs
30
how to write a compelling
They say you only have three seconds to make a great first impression. And you can be sure
that applies to your job resume, especially in the super-competitive field of data science. A
well-thought-out and carefully designed resume isn’t just a pass to a job interview. It can
pre-determine what questions you’ll be asked during the interview and whether you’ll get the
welcome-to-the-company handshake.
So, if you want to create an outstanding resume that will present you in the best light, invest
the time and effort to make it great. Start by implementing the following best practices—they’ll
Create a clean Use actionable Include numbers Tailor your Data science is a
and professional words and and facts that resume to the practical field;
wants to read a phrases that impact of your applying for; your projects on
description.
advice.
32
How to Build a
33
And if you feel you’re not ready to build
Personal Projects a data science project from start to
finish alone, you can join a data
This is where you show your true data science competition. There are plenty
science capabilities and aspirations. of challenges for aspiring data
Personal projects set you apart from scientists, like the ones on Kaggle, 365
the rest and demonstrate initiative and Data Science, and many other plat-
ability. They also present an excellent forms. They usually provide ready-
opportunity to show your true passions made datasets and instructions,
and interests. meaning you’ll have plenty of guidance,
and you won’t have to start from
Top 10
34
How to Prepare for a
the job. You can review the job des- how to build a project
cription and company website and portfolio, create a resume,
and prepare for an interview.
thoroughly research all relevant topics.
Finance and insurance is the industry with the highest demand for data science and analytics
talent. A data specialist in this sector could be occupied with various tasks—from industry-
specific solutions like risk management and fraud detection to customer segmentation and
personalization.
Lifetime
Value
Prediction
Claims Personalized
Prediction Services
Data Science
Applications
in Finance and
Insurance
Customer
Risk
Segmentation Management
Fraud
Detection
But what distinguishes a financial data scientist from experts in other sectors?
38
So, if you want to earn the Keep in mind that this is not a job you
land without a few years of experience
title of Financial Data
in the field. But if you start as a financial
Scientist, you need (among analyst, study hard, and keep your eyes
other concepts) profound on the prize, you can quickly work your
knowledge about: way up to the coveted financial data
scientist position.
financial
markets Learn the skills
to become a data
scientist in finance with
365 Data Science.
portfolio
management In addition to the fundamental
data science and analytics
courses, we offer advanced
risk specialization for different
analysis industries, like the Python for
Finance course.
profitability
delinquency
Python for Finance
with Martin Ganchev, Ned Krastev
4.8/5 (106)
START LEARNING
39
Data Science
The Big Five (also known as FAANG companies) are arguably the top workplaces for data
scientists—not just because of the enormous salaries but because they’re at the forefront of
innovation.
Apple Health
Watches
Sound Recommendation
Recognition Systems
Data Science
Applications
in Big Tech
Predictive
Sentiment
Analytics Analysis
Virtual
Assistance
Landing a job in a Big Tech firm requires a lot of hard work, but it’s well worth it. If you want to
follow this career path, read our article on How to Become a Data Scientist in a Big Tech
Company.
40
Healthcare
The healthcare industry’s demand for skilled data scientists is increasing along with the
growing quantity and importance of big data in the sector. Big data is the key to discovering
innovative solutions and improving healthcare quality. At the same time, it can lead to greater
efficiency, thus, reducing expenditures.
Monitoring
Health
Drug
Predicting
Discovery Diseases
Data Science
Applications
in Healthcare
Medical
Imaging Genomics
Virtual
Assistance
The primary data science skills expected from a healthcare data scientist are statistics, R,
machine learning, storytelling, and Python. Of course, gaining some prior experience as a big
data scientist in any other industry will undoubtedly open the door to a data science career in
healthcare. If that’s the career path you want to pursue, check out our article on How to
Become a Data Scientist in Healthcare.
41
Manufacturing
Have you heard about Oden Technologies? This company has developed the revolutionary
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) platform that helps manufacturers optimize their processes
and see how the changes they make affect production in real-time. And that’s just one
example of how data science is becoming an indispensable factor for the success of present-
day manufacturers.
Supply Chain
Management
Animation &
Fault
Robotization Prediction
Data Science
Applications in
Manufacturing
Price
Demand
Optimization Forecasting
Product
Development
you should
42
Data Science
Consulting Companies
44
Government
Although there may be more popular career choices, government data science employment
provides excellent opportunities for career development. An increasing number of countries
realize the importance of data-driven innovation and the socio-economic benefits it can bring.
So,
The UK government is also recruiting
top-notch data science talent. Check
for job openings at the Office for
how do you National Statistics, the Office of Gas and
Electricity Markets, or the Cabinet Office.
obtain a
ACCESS HERE
government data
science job?
46
Building a Data Science Career:
10-Point Checklist
48
Recommended articles
in 2022: A Comprehensive Guide How to Get Your First Data Science Internship
5 Business Basics for Data Scientists How to Choose the Right Data Science Course
for You in 3 Easy Steps?
50
Recommended books
Analysis
Data Scientists
in Data Science Beginners: 4 Books in 1
Data Science
Wes McKinney Peter Bruce, Andrew Bruce Emily Robinson,
Andrew Park Roger Peng, Elizabeth Matsui
Jacqueline Nolis
Visualization
Max Shron Data Head Handbook Data Science for
Data Sciense for Big Data R for Data Science An Introduction to Understanding
Dummies
Viktor Mayer-Schönberger,
Hadley Wickham,
Statistical Learning Machine Learning
Lillian Pierson Kenneth Cukier Garret Grolemund Gareth James, Daniela Witten,
Shai Shalev-Shwartz,
51
Portfolio & Interview Preparation
52
Useful Tools & Websites
; JS Fiddl
; Flourish Studi9
; Code Beautif*
; Mit9
; My Compile"
; Miquid9
; World Ban
; Kaggle Dataset
; Data.go5
; FiveThirtyEigh
; Statist&
; Information is Beautifu-
; Data Pin
; Grafan&
; Driven Data
53
Recommended Youtube Channels
Ken Jee
Tina Huang
@KenJee_ds @TinaHuang1
@AlexTheAnalyst @AnastasiaKVL
Statquest with
Luke Barousse
@statquest
CodeBASICS
Sundas Khalid
@codebasics @SundasKhalid
shashank
Damsel in data
kalanithi
@damselindata
@ShashankData
54
Great LinkedIn content creators
Practitioner |Educator
Analytics Specialist & Tech Enthusiast
55
Not
Sure
Where
to Start?
365 Data Science has helped more than 2 million people launch and
advance a career in data science. We offer a fun, engaging, beginner-
friendly online data science training program with expert instructors. Our
courses cover everything from the fundamentals (Mathematics,
Probability, and Statistics) through key programming languages (Python,
R, SQL) to state-of-the-art machine and deep learning.
for free
Start Learning
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