5 Ways to Break into Data Science

Data science is an exciting and rewarding career. With data science specialization (read, if you specialize in a specific field in data science), you can make anywhere between $75,000 and $150,000 per year. That’s a great sum to take home, especially if you have the passion and love the job.

Data scientists are in great demand nowadays, especially with the proliferation of technology. They are needed in every facet of our lives, and you can expect the trend to grow. Employers are actively looking for people to crunch numbers and write algorithms.

Which makes data science a great career if you’re up for it. So, if you’re wondering how to break into data science, look no further. In today’s post, you’ll learn five (5) ways to break into the field of data science and make a killing like many others.

Without further ado, let us get down to business.

Gain the Experience

They say experience is the best teacher, and I agree 100%. Many of the things we try out in life teach us to become better. If I want to be a writer, I should write some more. A fisherman? I should fish some more. A better trainer? I should train some more.

The same thing applies to data science. If you want to become a better data scientist, you should practice some more. You’ll be surprised to learn that a lot of people working in data science didn’t start with formal education.

They worked hard on their craft, developed skills related to the field, and built a career from there. Take steps to start learning data science and begin working on your data science projects. The more you do, the more you’ll learn and the more experience you’ll gain over time.

No man is an island so, join group projects or sign up for data science boot camps. If that is not an option, join a company and work as an intern. Sure, intern pay isn’t ideal (actually, it doesn’t exist in many cases), but you will gain the experience you need to eventually begin a career in the field.

Get a Data Science Degree

If you have the time and financial support, there is no better way to fast-track your career in data science than by obtaining a formal education. While there are many data science courses out there, and you may learn some important information, not all the courses you find will be from credentialed teachers or reputable organizations and educational institutions.

So if you have your heart set on a long-term career in data science, it’s recommended you earn a Master’s degree (at minimum) in data science from a reputable university. The good thing is that most universities offer online programs, which means you can learn the fundamental skills you need as a data scientist from the comfort of your house.

A degree in data science can greatly improve your chances of landing a job in data science and is – as a matter of fact – a requirement for many employers. So, if you want to improve your odds and earning potential, formal education is the way to go.

Specialize

If you’re angling for a job in data science, trying to fit every role is not the way to go. Specializing will offer you more chances to strike gold. When I decided to be a data scientist for a living, I specialized in data science and didn’t take on other projects.

If you don’t specialize, you will take every project that’s thrown at your face. To be honest, mi amigo, it’s horrible. You have a better payoff as a specialist. Pick a data specialization field you need and become a star in that field.

If you don’t know where to begin, there are many routes you can take in data science. As data scientists, you can work in artificial intelligence, machine learning, data engineering, data analysis, and more. If you’re inclined, you can advance to a master’s degree in data science and enhance your skills to move into a more senior position.

Transferring From a Related Field

Following our previous point, you cannot hold yourself back simply because you didn’t start as a data scientist. You can transition from any field and find success in the world of data science.

Many companies are ready to invest in your training if you want to transition from a different department in the same company. Why? They want to keep their costs down, plus who doesn’t love appreciating their employees?

Think about it for a minute. You’re the CEO of XYZ company. Wouldn’t you want to promote employee ABC to a data scientist position if they are showing the mettle for the job? Would you want to spend more dollars trying to employ somebody else?

Back to you. If you have a degree or experience in mathematics, statistics, data analysis, or software engineering, you can leverage your hard-earned skills to open doors to roles in data science, and, as we hinted earlier, there are a ton of opportunities.

Perseverance

Last but not least, those who find success in this field are those with personalities of perseverance. Data science is not for the faint at heart. It’s a hot career and competition is tough.

It takes time to develop as a data scientist, so take time to hone your skills and gain experience. At the end of the day, you will have all it takes to become the best data scientist that every employer wants to hire.

Are you a data scientist? How did you break into the field of data science? Please let us know on our social media channels. Happy holidays!