How to shift into a Data Science career: A 3 Step Guide

Contents

Some Statistics About Data Science Careers | The 3 Steps of a Career Transition Strategy | Step - 1 | Step - 2 | Step - 3| Adios For Now

Some Statistics About Data Science Careers

Data Science, as a career option has seen a brilliant growth in the recent times. I use the term Data Science, rather loosely, to refer to a gamut of areas variedly referred to as “Big Data”, “Data Analytics”, “Business Analytics”, and the like. The growth is real and the trends are here to stay. The following statistics say the story much better.

• As of now there are 97,000 vacancies in the area of data science in India.*
• There has been a growth of about 21% in terms of job openings for freshers in 2018.*
• Top hirers are in the area of BFSI, E-Commerce and Telecom.*
• The Median salary offered for analytics professionals in India is about 11.5 Lakhs Per Annum*
• According to LinkedIn, Data Science is the second fastest growing job area.**

* Analytics and Data Science Jobs in India ** LinkedIns Fastest Growing Jobs Today Are In Data Science

As a result, there is a considerable degree of interest in this field. Physicists, Marketing professionals, Financial specialists, Actuaries, Programmers, Statisticians, HR Professionals, Logistics and Supply Chain professionals are not just curious but serious about making a transition into this area. Many who want to shift their careers are not sure how to go about it. In this article, I am presenting a 3 step process for formulating a career transition strategy that could benefit those who want to make it into a data science career.

Wait! There’s more! This article is only first of a quartet. I will be applying this model separately to three categories of people, namely The Beginners, The Mid Career Transitioners and The Late Career Transitioners.

The Three Steps of Career Transition Strategy

Career Transition can be complex, involving several months of preparation and hard work. If you are going through the process, you might have to balance multiple aspects like existing work, learning schedules and family. It can be frustrating and rewarding at the same time. It is, therefore, helpful to have a model that guides us in the process. The following infographic outlines the 3 step process for ensuring a smooth transition into a career data science. Take a look at the picture, we will continue to explore it below.

Things must be a little clearer by now. Isn't it? So, a career transition plan must consider three distinct aspects. They are!

• A clear and detailed assessment of your current situation.
• A clear understanding of the effort involved to upskill/reskill.
• A pathway to show case and attract the attention of employers in the new area.

I have termed these three aspects as "Assess", "Up/Re-skill" and "Showcase". When we comprehensively take up all three parts, it gives us a clear pathway to shift gears and go into a new career. Let us take up each area in some detail.

Step-1: Assess Your Situation

The fact that you are looking for a career change indicates that you are not happy with your current career situation. You must understand clearly what is making you unhappy. Is it your boss? Is it the pay? Is it your current job role? Is it comparison with another friend/peer/colleague? Is it repeated exposure to information about the work and pay scales of data scientists?

Do you love the work that data scientists are doing? Do you think they are changing the world and you want to be one of them? There can be more reasons than I can imagine, but you have to explore and get the answers right. It would help a great deal if you are honest to yourself while answering these questions.

Do you love the work that data scientists are doing? Do you think they are changing the world and you want to be one of them?

Sometimes, if you simply go to work with a better managed company in your current career path, your complaints may vanish. So, before taking concrete steps towards a new career, you must eliminate this possibility.

 Step-2: Find out your Upskilling/Reskilling requirement

While designing your career transition strategy, you must remember you are not just shifting gears. You are getting into a new car altogether. That car may have all those new and latest features that you desire, but you must first know how to drive it. Don't assume that you know it all just because you have been working for some years now.

So, explore answers to questions like, what skills must you learn and develop? Where is such learning available? Is the learning process self-driven or is the pace set by someone else, like an instructor or a trainer? How complex can it get? How much would it cost?

It is important to understand that there is a “learning curve” here and you must balance it with your existing professional and personal commitments. Negotiating the learning curve can be tricky.

It is important to understand that there is a “learning curve” here and you must balance it with your existing professional and personal commitments. Negotiating the learning curve can be tricky. Ask yourself what changes must you bring forth at work and at home so that you can negotiate it better. What kind of a support system do you need to help in your transition? Your plan of transition must have a fine balance between your personal and professional areas.

Step - 3: Figure out a plan to Show-Case the outcomes of your learning

You are doing all this to get a job that gives you the desired pay or position or job role or opportunity to contribute. That is your ultimate goal for now. An effective show-case of your skills is not a "good to have" feature. It is a fundamental pre-requisite for you to reach your goal. An effective show-case inspires people around you to look at you as a valuable resource, capable of contributing to organizational goals.

 So, how can you tell your future employer about your worth? What can you do to make sure that they notice your skills and feel that you are the right fit for their organization? How can you communicate what you want to contribute to your future employer?

 Adios for Now...

Answering these questions may not be easy. You might need to consult many people to figure things out. I assure you that the time invested will not be a waste. Go ahead! Make a plan! Break a Leg!

 Please feel free to Like, Comment and Share! Your actions will motivate me to give my best. Watch the space for the next instalment of this article