4 Reasons To Try A Career As A Data Scientist
It wasn’t too long ago when Harvard Business Review (HBR) proclaimed data scientists the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” That may still be true today as a career in data science sits on top of the best jobs in America, according to Glassdoor, a leading employment rating website.
From startup businesses to Fortune 500 companies, and anywhere in between, data scientists are increasingly in demand in every industry possible. If you’re wondering whether there’s a spot for you in this realm, the answer is a resounding YES!
What Is Data Science
Data science has one overarching goal: to interpret large amounts of raw data to create a business solution. To provide value to an organization, data scientists combine mathematics, applied statistics, programming, data analytics, data valuation, and storytelling in translating big data to obtain insight that can help companies make crucial decisions.
Sounds interesting, right?
To learn more about how you can become an invaluable data scientist, check out this blog to find useful tips.
What’s So Exciting About Data Science
The good news is, if you don’t already know, data science is responsible for a lot of exciting real-world applications. Here are a few of them:
- Facial Recognition
- Virtual Assistants, like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa
- Chatbots
- Diagnosing illnesses
- Optimizing package routing in logistics operations
- Sports (Remember Oakland Athletics in the movie Moneyball?)
- Use of AI to prevent and detect fraudulent credit card activity
As you can see, the list could go on. If you’re still unconvinced whether becoming a data scientist holds any future promise for you, here’s a few more reasons you should consider becoming one:
High In Demand, Low In Supply
Due to their impact on business organizations, data scientists are high in demand. In fact, an IBM report in 2017 predicted that the number of data science positions would skyrocket to 2,729,000 by 2020, coming from a stunted 364,000 during the year of publication.
With this data, you can tell that the demand for data scientists will far outweigh the supply. As enterprises continue to unfold the value of data science in their organizations, data scientists will continue to grow in demand. This is precisely why now is the perfect time for you to enter the industry and be successful.
It’s Future-Proof
Being an emerging technology and high in demand, a job under the umbrella of data science can future-proof your career. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a career in data science is projected to grow at 27.9% through 2026. That’s significantly faster than the average for other occupations.
It Pays Well
Compensation for data scientists varies, depending on their level of expertise and years of experience.
But, what about those just starting out?
The good news is, for those in their rookie year in data science, entry-level positions actually pay more compared with other fields in the tech industry.
But, do note that data scientists don’t recommend entering the industry for the money. As a field of study, data science requires you to possess highly technical skills to be really successful.
Providing Solutions Can Be Fulfilling
One of the critical roles of data scientists is to provide cutting-edge solutions to an organization’s problem. This may include using different algorithms to create an automated system or create programs to crunch numbers to develop an informed business decision.
All of those things and more could award you with a sense of fulfillment. For companies, the faster and more efficient they can process work, the better. If you can provide solutions to do just that, you’ll be an invaluable part of your organization.
Takeaway
an exciting career with monetary and career growth opportunities, then without a doubt, data science is an alluring career path. If these benefits match your career goals, then a job as a data scientist may be the catapult to your career success.
