9 Sure Shot Ways to prepare for a Career in Data Science
Do you want to start a career in data science and prepare for it?
You do but you do not know how to start for its preparation. Allow me to guide you through this daunting task. Once you get clarity as to what you want to do or how you want to do it – the rest will follow easily!
Let’s show you the 9 sure shot ways to prepare for a career in data science –
Read: Why Should I Choose Career in Data Science As Data Scientist
1. Select the perfect role for your career path
There are several roles in the data science field, read and learn about every single one. See what suits your background, your work experience and your education. Make a calculated choice as to what you want to go ahead with.
Supposing you have a degree in software engineering it will be a very easy transition to data engineering.
If you still can’t figure out what you want, you should –
- Visit the industry and talk to the people working and experienced in it.
- Talk to your mentors about it – they will help you figure out what is good and what is bad.
After spending enough time, make your decision. Make sure you make the right decision, since this will what your career be. So, you do not want to regret it later.
Read: How To Become a Data Scientist in India?
2. Take a Course and follow it through
Once you have decided what you want to do, you shouldn’t waste time searching about its requirements.
You should take up a course specific to the role you have chosen. Choose multiple courses, and make sure you follow them through without getting distracted. Join a MOOC and learn about the subject well along with the discussions going around it.
Pay attention to the course, assignments and quizzes. Make sure that if you are doing it you are doing it well. You are making sure you get every penny’s worth out of it. Try to maintain the motivation all the way through.
Read: Data Science Courses – Everything That You Should Know
3. Become an expert at using One Tool/Language
As I said earlier, do everything that is specific to the role you have chosen. Learning a tool/programming language will go a long way.
Remember, what matters is not the tool/language but the concept. If you’re perfect in the concept, then you can master any tool/language within weeks.
Choose the most basic tool when you start out. Build up from that point on.
4. Join a group of Like-minded people
Join a group of people who, like you, are going down the path of data science. If there isn’t one make one. Ask them to join it.
The daily discussions you can have with them will boost your knowledge about the subject. The quickfire questions can also help you.
Remember, you always learn more when you listen rather than read.
5. Focus on the Practical application, not just theory
Sure, the theory is important but the theory you are learning is to apply them to the real world. Make sure alongside learning the theory, you should also learn to apply the theory learned into the real world.
This will help you understand better, and let you know how it is applied in the real world.
You can do this by doing the assignments, even if you don’t get it at first. You will eventually get it.
Ask the experts, they will tell you how to get to the answer in a more efficient way.
6. Up your Communication Skills
Communication is very important, no matter the field.
You might get rejected directly after your introduction, even though you might have the best skills in the market.
Having a better communication skill will not only help you in your interviews but also in future when you need to do some deals.
Read 10 Things You can do right now for self–improvement
7. Grow your network
Start visiting your role-specific seminars and talks. Going to these webinars will allow you to meet people from the industry.
You can even have long discussions with them about your role-specific topics. They can help you solve problems you have and vice versa.
Having the experts of your industry within your reach is always helpful.
But don’t get too carried away in this that you forget the main goal you had – data science.
8. Learn SQL
You can collect and segregate data on an excel sheet, but that isn’t enough.
You need SQL to make it look better and have a more comfortable solution. The organizations that will be hiring you don’t know what they want. So having a good grip on SQL will help you more, since they need someone who can help them do their day-to-day tasks with ease.
9. Get the Right Guidance
Since there aren’t many professionals who are in the data science field, you need to find the correct one to help you guide through it all.
You will be paying a lot of money to learn the course only to watch disappointing videos/YouTube playlist. You will always need a mentor to guide you through the possible problems you might face as you go ahead.
Choosing data science as a career option is very brave but also very rewarding if done right. All you need to know now is that you should be ready to work very hard for the career you have imagined for yourself.