One of the most lucrative professions these days, especially on the American market, is being a data scientist. We are going to discuss what data science is, what you need in order to become a data scientist, and where to apply for a position.

Data Science

Data science is a field of science where several disciplines overlap. The purpose of this field is to obtain data from a source. To do this, we use mathematics, statistics, and computer science.

There is a common misconception that data science is equal to statistics or just another name for statistics. It is easy to see where this comes from, as data is often presented in infographics and charts, in order to make data more presentable and memorable.

Statistics presents information, but the act of collecting this information and the parameters used, as well as presenting that data is what data science is all about. Unlike statistics, data science uses business models and machine learning, among its many other tools, to collect data.

Education

Since data science is in itself an interdisciplinary field, it is very hard to pick just one educational path. However, it is not the wisest course of action for you to try and master as many skills as possible since the amount of data is massive and it keeps changing.

To start, you need at least a bachelor’s degree in math, science, physics or IT. After that, if you can, try to earn a master’s degree in data or something similar. From there, it is only a matter of getting the experience in a domain that benefits from data science. This could be anything, like business, healthcare, politics, and so on.

Employment

The demand for data scientists on the market is on the rise. While that is beneficial, it also means that the competition may be steep. If you’ve ever sought employment before, you know that it is very difficult to find employment without prior experience. What can you do to fix this?

You can start by seeking a group of data scientists and shadow them for a while. It will give you precious insight as to how data is extracted, analyzed and interpreted in one particular setting, though you can still use the same principles in other areas. Even if you fail, you will still have a project or two on your resume.

Resume and Job Interview

It is always a good idea to do some research on your future employer, regardless of the occupation. However, this goes double for data scientists. If you can present your data about the company you are applying for to that same company, they will likely remember you and consider making you a part of their team.