Data Science Interview Preparation:

Data science interview preparation includes several steps, and we will go through all of them. After reading this article, you will have a complete toolkit to ace any data related interview.

How to Prepare for a Data Science Interview: Background Research

• First and foremost, do your homework and study the company, its industry, and your interviewers.
• This piece of advice is universal for any job interview but it is essential in the context of a competitive data job market.
• Here are the steps you can take to get to know your future employer.

Review the job posting:

You've likely applied for a lot of different data science jobs possibly through Naukri.com,Linkdin.com ,so it's essential you revisit the specifics of the one you're interviewing for. Think about the requirements, skills you'll need, and any details of the company so that everything is fresh in your mind.?

Go to their website

Have a look at what products or services they offer. Select two of them and think of the ways you can enhance their functionality using your data scientist skills.

Study their competitors

It would be nice if you could come up with a great idea to outcompete their rivals and offer this solution during the interview.

Check the company’s values and culture

Be honest with yourself and select only those values you truly believe in to make the right impression on the interviewers.

Find out the company’s recent achievements

Have they significantly increased customer numbers? Did they participate in an important conference? Use the company's website and social media, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Research your interviewer

If you already know who will interview you, Google them, and search for them on LinkedIn. Find out what type of person they are.

Do they contribute a lot to open-source projects? Volunteer at some social organization? Who knows, maybe you went to the same college? This knowledge will help to choose the best communication strategy to reach out to your interviewers.

Interview Types:

An interview can be held with different technical means (such as phone, video call, or in-person) and with different company representatives (such as HR personnel, management, or data professionals).

Any data science interview:

• Review your resume and cover letter
• Be ready to ask questions about the company and the job.
• Prepare your salary expectations.
• Prepare the answers to the most common questions.
• Conduct a mock interview with a friend.
• Wear nice comfortable clothes.

Phone interview

A phone interview is most likely the first type of interview you will go through. Although these can be daunting, by preparing ahead of time, you can reduce the stress:

1. Ensure you have a good and stable connection. There should be no interferences or disconnections during the interview.
2. Find a quiet place and tell everyone you will not be available for the next hour.
3. Charge your phone. It’s very important that your cell phone does not die in the middle of your conversation.

Video call

A video call, in some ways, is similar to a phone interview, but in this case, you can see your interviewers.

1. Have a stable and fast internet connection.?
2. Install the necessary software for your video call
3. Pay attention to your surroundings; they should be neat and professional.
4. Your environment should be well-lit; test the video quality before your interview. Make sure your webcam is at a flattering angle.
5. Check the webcam and microphone; they should work perfectly.

In-person

You might start with a phone or video interview before moving on to an in-person chat. Alternatively, you might have a few in-person interviews, depending on the role and company. Here are some tips:?

1. Know how to arrive at the interview location. Plan the trip thoroughly and check how much time it needs to get there.
2. Body language is important in face-to-face interaction. Practice beforehand. You should look like a friendly and open person.
3. Do not be late but do not arrive too early. Coming 5-10 minutes before your interview slot is reasonable for most situations.

HR

An interview by an HR person is likely the first step in the data science interviewing process. They are generally interested in your psychological portrait and interpersonal skills rather than technical knowledge. The most typical questions to expect are:

1. What are your strengths and weaknesses? This sounds like a simple question, but in reality, their interest is your ability to self-evaluate. Show them how your strengths will bring value to the company and how you plan to improve your weaknesses.
2. Tell me about your biggest mistake; how did you fix it? Tell the HR a story. It should have a setting, a climax, and a conclusion. Tell them what you have learned from that challenge and how it helped improve your skills.
3. How do you react to negative feedback? Show your professionalism by telling how you learn from it to enhance your work performance.

Data Science Interview Tips and Tricks:

Finally, let us learn a few tips and tricks that will assist you in cracking the data science interview:

No one expects you to know everything?

• Not having a specific skill is normal. If the company asks for a solution in R, but you only know how to do it in Python, demonstrate how you can solve problems with Python and show your willingness to learn R.

Think before answering

• Ask for more time if the question requires it. It shows that you take their questions seriously. However, do not do it for every question.

Explain the role of a data scientist

• Sometimes, especially at smaller companies, they may not fully know why they need a data scientist.
• If this is the case, emphasize how you can improve the company’s visibility and profits by enhancing the existing products or creating new solutions.

Industries differ

• Working as a data scientist in different domains may differ quite a lot. A biotech company is different from a cloud service provider.
• Spend some time to understand the specifics of the company’s domain and show the company that you want to learn.
• However, fundamentally anyone works with the data, and the data is approachable in similar ways no matter the industry.

Handling rejections

• That is the reality of today's competitive job market. Learn from your mistakes, continue learning new skills, and improve the old ones. Ask advice from more senior employees, especially if they work in data science.
• You can also ask for feedback from the interviewer if you’re unsuccessful when applying for a role.?

Final Thoughts

Now you know how to prepare for a data scientist interview! Let us wrap up what we have learned:

• Do background research on the company, industry, and interviewers.
• Prepare differently for various types of interviews: phone, video call, in-person, with HR, management, or data professionals
• However, all interviews are similar in many aspects. Make the suggested preparation steps a part of your routine.

Conclusion:

To stand out during a data scientist interview, you can focus on highlighting your technical expertise and experience, as well as your problem-solving skills and ability to work on complex projects. You can also demonstrate your enthusiasm for the role and show how your experience and interests align with the company's goals and values. Additionally, you can ask thoughtful questions and show a genuine interest in the interviewer and the company.

Follow punnam swapna For more Data Scientist, Analytics & AI content

#dataanalyst#datascientist#programming