Data science is one of the most in-demand jobs in the world. According to Forbes, data scientists are “driving much of the innovation behind today’s young, data-intensive industries.” Many other commentators share this view; public businesses like Airbnb, Facebook, Google, and Twitter could hardly function without their armies of data scientists.
Though it may not be apparent at first sight or sound like it fits you well, there is a reason why so many people will go out of their way to tell you that data science is an important field; and it’s not just because they sell degrees in Hadoop and R on eBay (though they might).
It’s because it is a master skill – a master skill that you’re going to want to have. As a master’s skill, data science is a profession that covers a wide range of topics and interests. It includes statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and even graphic design.
There are lots of things that make data science worth looking into for those who are interested in communication skills. Data scientists often work with large relational databases to find insights from the past which can be used as the basis for making predictions about the future. In order to create these databases and search through them effectively, data scientists must be able to combine communication skills with computer programming skills.
This article will give you a good idea about the benefits of data science, but if you really want to know more about this career hot-spot, you probably want to read my book ‘The Data Science Toolkit; How machine learning can make our lives easier & solve all our problems. You can find a free preview on Amazon or a full summary of every chapter on the website.
THE IMPORTANCE OF DATA SCIENCE IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
In this short article, we won’t be going into the history of data science as a profession, or into any of its many practical applications. Instead, we will try to provide you with an image of why data science is considered to be one of the most important professions in contemporary society. It will also help us understand what qualities are needed in order to master data science skills.
SKILLS NEEDED TO MASTER DATA SCIENCE
In order to master data science skills, you will be expected to have a combination of soft and hard skills. We’ll look into the most important ones here.
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Hard Skills: #1 in programming languages & database management
Data scientists often work with relational databases, written in C++ or SQL (or in some cases Python). For this reason, it is very important that they know how to write code in these languages. Data science programming skills are essential if you want to be able to do things like create complex mathematical algorithms or recommend products based on your customer’s previous history with the product.
The analytical skills of data scientists are expected to be top-notch as well. This is because data scientists also try to find patterns in their databases, which they use to create complex algorithms that can be applied to new data. And if you’re talking about complex databases, then you can’t avoid talking about database management either. As database management is one of the most important skills that a data scientist needs, it seems logical that it will also play one of the most important roles in the way they work.
Hard Skills: #2 in mathematics & statistics
We’ve already mentioned how important math and statistics are for any type of programmer. Data scientists deal with databases that have tons of data that come from many sources, which makes it necessary to have a solid grasp of math and statistics as well.
It is also required if you want to understand how and why these relationships work. You will not be able to figure out why the numbers don’t match up depending on your lack of understanding of statistics and mathematics.
Soft Skills: #3 in communication skills & impromptu speaking
Being able to communicate with abstract concepts is one thing. However, having the ability to communicate with people who won’t understand (or care) what you’re saying is quite another thing entirely. This is one of the reasons why communication skills are so important for data scientists.
A large part of data science involves presenting data to investors, pointing out the parts that need further research, and convincing them to fund you. They will only do this if they understand you and know what you’re saying, which means that people with excellent communication skills will also be better off in this profession. The ability to present your findings in a way that is simple and easy for others to understand can help you get funding and advance professionally.
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Soft Skills: #4 in public speaking & good presentation skills
Data scientists definitely need public speaking and presentation skills, at least if they want to be able to convince others to pay attention. This is essential due to the fact that people often perceive data scientists as cold and logical, which will only cause them to look at them with suspicion and avoid talking to them.
A way to make yourself more likable and approachable is by learning how to present yourself in a way that people can relate to. This means learning how to speak publically, make eye contact, and even connect with your audience. Once your skills improve in these areas, you should be able to get funding easier and get other opportunities that require presentations.
Soft Skills: #5 in writing & editing skills
Data scientists have a reputation for being boring because they have a very intense work style. They work with numbers and algorithms almost 100% of the time, which basically means they don’t have a lot to talk about.
As a result, they tend to focus more on the technical aspects of their work rather than the people. It’s simple math: if you want to get funding or find a job as a data scientist, your writing skills must improve. In order to achieve this, you should start reading as much as possible as well as view as many TV shows as you can. While this might seem like an obvious solution, it’s still worth pointing out.
Soft Skills: #6 in being fit & being productive
Data scientists are often stereotyped as being nerds, which means they are often seen as being lazy. As a result, many people will avoid them, which can be very difficult for anyone in this profession. When you apply for a job, someone is going to look at your resume and will quickly determine if you’re willing to do the work for it. This is where the productivity of data science comes into play. It seems simple enough; if you want to get an offer or get hired by other people, you need to make sure that you are able to work on projects and achieve tasks.
The best thing you can do in order to get more work is to be fit and keep yourself productive. There are a ton of benefits to this, such as increased energy and motivation. We’ve already mentioned that data science is a very hard profession, which means you should be fit enough to handle it.
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Soft Skills: #7 in communication with clients & bosses
There’s no way around it: data science doesn’t come with direct client services. There are many companies that will use data scientists for specific purposes, but most of them won’t have the opportunity to interact with people on a regular basis.
