Looking to take your data science career to the next level? Many people have been embarking on data science careers over the last 10 years as roles are so heavily in demand and can provide a lucrative and secure career. Of course, there is still a huge demand for data scientists as they can play such a major role and help businesses and organizations in all sectors to thrive, but there are also many junior data scientists looking to reach the next level. So, how can you go about doing this? There are many steps to take that should help you advance your career – keep reading to find out more.
Update Your Resume & Portfolio
When you are ready to take the next step in your career, a good starting point is to update your resume and portfolio with your most recent experience. Having a detailed portfolio is key for data science roles, so you need to include as much information as possible, including quotes from clients and work processes.
Speak With Your Boss
Before you start looking around for new roles, it is always worth speaking with your boss, particularly if you are happy with your current company. They will be able to inform you if there is an opportunity for you to advance your career within the company and tell you what you need to do to achieve this. It will also alert them that you are looking to advance your career and could move away if they do not allow you to advance your career within the company.
Develop New Skills
If you want to reach the next stage in your career, you must develop new skills that will be required at this level. For example, if you are currently a junior data scientist, you will need to master engineering skills and be able to put mathematical models into production. This would allow you to rise to a senior role, which is heavily in demand as you can provide significant value to an organization at a reasonable salary. To reach the next stage in your data science career, you can also consider taking artificial intelligence courses that focus on machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing. Getting enrolled in a really good prompt engineering course can help you develop the necessary skills to build sophisticated models and put them into production. With an in-depth understanding of AI technologies, you will be able to create more value for an organization and move into a senior role.
Earn A Masters
Qualifications will always be a smart way to advance your career and will often be essential to reach the next level, especially in technical fields like this. Therefore, it is worth taking a masters data science course as this qualification will allow you to rise to leadership positions and bolster your resume. Additionally, you can take the course entirely online, so it is ideal for those already working and who need to fit study around their current role.
Identify Your Weaknesses
It is always smart to identify your weaknesses when trying to make a career change. This may be something that you can easily identify yourself, such as presentational skills, or it might be something that is only evident to others and harder to identify. This is why it is helpful to seek feedback from others, including your boss, colleagues, and clients. It can be hard to hear, but those who ask for feedback often stand out as they show their willingness to improve and get rid of weaknesses that they did not know were holding them back in their careers.
Make Enquiries In Your Network
When looking for a new job, it is always helpful if you have a large professional network that you can rely on. Often, you can find opportunities through personal contacts that might have otherwise been hard to find, and you have the advantage of someone putting in a good word for you. This is why you should always be looking to develop your professional network over time and maintaining these relationships (including being willing to do favors for others).
Contact Companies You Want To Work For
One of the great aspects of data science is that there is such demand for skilled professionals that it should not be too hard to find a role. Businesses in all industries can benefit from having an experienced data scientist, so you should consider the industry you want to work in and then directly contact the companies you want to work for. This direct approach can be highly effective, but you should always tailor your message and application to each company.
Sign Up For Job Alerts
You should also register a profile with job boards and sign up for job alerts with your specific requirements. This is a quick and easy way to get suitable vacancies delivered to your inbox and will give you the chance to get your application in quickly. Keep in mind that many data science roles can be completed remotely, so you can cast a wide net when looking for a new role.
Sign Up To Recruitment Agencies
You will also find it helpful to register with recruitment agencies that specialize in tech roles. They will have industry contacts that would allow you to apply for roles that might have otherwise been hard to find, as well as advise you on what steps you can take to find your ideal role.
Prepare For Interviews
Obviously, you always need to prepare for interviews when looking to advance your career especially if you have not had one for a while. In addition, data science and similar tech roles have a notoriously challenging interview process that often involves multiple stages, so you need to give yourself plenty of time to get yourself prepared when you have one lined up.
If you feel that you are ready to take the next step in your data science career, these are a few of the best steps to take. Of course, it is always tricky to take the next step and often involves making a major change, but this is a field where demand is high for skilled data scientists, so it should not be too challenging to find your next role.
