Important Job Skills for Data Scientists

Important Job Skills for Data Scientists Important Job Skills for Data Scientists Data science is an emerging field, and those with the right data scientist skills are doing. According to the  Bureau of Labor Statistics, career opportunities in this field are anticipated to grow 19% by 2026, much faster than average. While not all successful data scientists have college degrees, a majority of them have at least a bachelor’s degree in the data science field. Many of them also have graduate degrees, including master’s, Ph.D., and/or graduate certifications. What Kind of Skills Do You Need to Be a Data Scientist? “Data scientist” is a broad term that can refer to a number of different careers. Generally, a data scientist analyzes data to learn about scientific processes, market trends, and risk management. Some  job titles  in data science include data analyst, data engineer, computer and information research scientist, operations research analyst, and computer systems analyst. Data scientists work in a variety of industries, ranging from tech to medicine to government agencies. The qualifications for a job in data science vary because the title is so broad. However, there are certain skills employers look for in almost every data scientist.  For example, data scientists need strong statistical, analytical, reporting skills, and more. Types of Data Scientist Skills Analytical Skills Perhaps the most important skill for a data scientist is to be able to analyze information. Data scientists have to look at, and make sense of, large amounts of data. They have to be able to see patterns and trends and have an idea of what those patterns mean. All of this takes strong  analytical  skills. Big DataConstructing Predictive ModelsCreating Controls to Assure Accuracy of DataCritical ThinkingData AnalysisData AnalyticsData ManipulationData WranglingData Science Tools / Data ToolsData MiningEvaluating New Analytical MethodologiesInterpreting DataMetricsModeling DataModeling ToolsProducing Data VisualizationsResearchRisk ModelingTesting Hypotheses Open-Mindedness Being a good data scientist also means being creative. First, you have to have an open mind in order to spot trends in data. Secondly, you  need to make connections between data that might seem unrelated to someone that is biased. This takes a lot of open-mindedness. Finally, you need to explain this data in ways that are clear to the executives at your company. This often requires creative analogies and explanations. AdaptabilityConveying Technical Information to Non-Technical PeopleDecision MakingDecision TreesCreativityExecuting in a Fast-Paced EnvironmentLogical ThinkingProblem SolvingWorking Independently Communication Data scientists not only have to analyze data, but they also have to explain that data to others. They must be able to  communicate  data to people of different skill sets, explain the importance of patterns in the data, and suggest solutions. This involves explaining complex technical issues in a way that is easy to understand. Often, communicating data requires visual, oral, and written communication skills. AssertivenessCollaborationConsultingDocumentingDrawing ConsensusFacilitating MeetingsLeadershipMentoringPresentationProviding Guidelines to IT ProfessionalsReportingSupervisory SkillsTrainingVerbal CommunicationsWritten Communication Mathematics While  soft skills  like analysis, creativity, and communication are important,  hard skills  are also critical to the job. A data scientist needs strong math skills, particularly in multivariable calculus and linear algebra. Identifying AlgorithmsCreating and Maintaining AlgorithmsInformation Retrieval Data SetsLinear AlgebraMachine Learning ModelsMachine Learning TechniquesMultivariable CalculusStatisticsStatistical Learning ModelsStatistical Modeling Programming and Technical Proficiencies Data scientists require basic computer skills, but programming skills are particularly important. Being able to code is critical to almost any data scientist position. Knowledge of programming languages such as Java, R, Python, or SQL is essential. CComputer SkillsJavaMatlabMicrosoft ExcelPerlPythonReporting Tool SoftwareSQLNoSQLTableau More Data Scientist Skills Mining Social Media DataTables and QueriesProject ManagementProject TimelinesCultivating Relationships with Internal and External StakeholdersCustomer ServiceAppEngineAmazon Web Services (AWS)CouchDBjsECLFlareGoogle Visualization APIHadoopHBaseRSASScripting LanguagesMobile DevicesMicrosoft Office SuiteSaaSArtificial Intelligence (AI)Apache SparkCuriosityBusiness IntelligenceInnovation How to Make Your Skills Stand Out Add Relevant Skills to Your Resume: Include your skills in your  resume  â€" in an initial summary of qualifications, in your work history section, or in a tech table describing your hardware and software skills.Highlight Skills in Your Cover Letter: You should also describe your command of the most important of these skills in your  cover letter.Use Skill Words in Your Job Interview: In your  interview, be sure to enhance your responses with examples of your skills.