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kiplimo patrick
kiplimo patrick

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EXPERT ADVICE ON HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN DATA SCIENCE

Data science
Refers to a field that uses scientific methods, processes, algorithms and different systems to extract knowledge and insights from structured and unstructured data. The whole process involves extracting , processing and analyzing data to gain insights for use in different purposes.
Data science lifecycle
This refers to the various stages a data science project generally undergoes from its initial start , data collection, analysis and interpretation to communicate results and insights.
The data science projects usually follow a similar lifecycle despite them being unique in that they are from different industries.
The process involves:

  1. Data collection
  2. Data Preparation
  3. Exploration and visualization
  4. Experiment and prediction
  5. Data storytelling & communication.

In this article, I explain how to build a successful career in data science.
Tips on Education
Data Science has a variety of majors mainly statistics, information technology, mathematics, or data science. Continuing to learn programming languages, database architecture, and add SQL/MySQL to the “data science to-do list.” Now is the time to start building professional networks by looking for connections within college communities, look for internship opportunities to kick start your career.
Skills
In data science the skills are divided into:
1.Technical Skills: The most common technical data science skills include statistics, data visualization, machine learning, statistical analysis and computing, mathematics and programming.
2.Non-Technical Skills
These refer to personal and people skills. They include:

i) Communication: To successfully gain work experience in data science, employers expect you to communicate your data extractions and analyses with team members and clients.

ii) Problem-solving: Aspiring data scientists need this skill to portray their strong business acumen. They use problem-solving to resolve challenges and potential issues hindering the team or organization's growth.
Job Searching
In the field of data science, getting your first job is not an easy task. Getting a job in data science can be confusing if you do not know where to start. Many people ask for guidance. Several IT jobs offer trainee positions that allow individuals to gain experience on the job. The field of data science is not one of them. There is a general lean approach to data science teams that work on multiple business problems at the same time. For data scientists, independence is often expected from day one.

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