Breaking into the Data world can seem like a big step to take, especially due to high demand and the continuous amount of companies using data to better themselves. Although more and more companies are hiring developers from junior to senior roles, it is still a very competitive industry.
Bettering yourself is the only way you will be able to break into any industry or overcome any obstacle in your life. I am a rookie Data Scientist and I am always finding out different ways to improve my Data Science skills or break into other areas of tech.
Below are a few points that I have been using to improve my Data skills:
Code every day
You don’t have to sit and code for 3 hours straight until your eyes are sore and your brain hurts for not finding a solution. A short 30 minutes a day can open your mind, developing your current knowledge along with figuring out new ways to learn by putting your brain in times of predicament.
You might create the same output in 5 different ways. Think about how you can output the simple ‘Hello World!” in three different ways? Using this method, you can then figure out different ways to get the same output, in turn helping improve your coding skills. Practice makes perfect, right?
Start blogging
I started blogging to better understand the environment I am working in. I am the type of person who learns by writing. I have a good friend Kurtis Pykes who pushed me to start blogging. I don’t think I would have made this move if it wasn’t for him, so I would like to be the person to push some of you. Blogging has helped me get deeper into the tech world, and write about what I already know alongside research into topics that I am not well versed on.
If you are not interested in writing blogs, there are thousands and thousands of blogs out there that definitely have topics of your interest. I have read blogs from Natural Language Processing to simple motivational blogs. It really depends on what floats your boat and helps you improve your skills. You will learn what you are interested in!
To learn more about blogging, check out our reviews of some of the best content marketing courses.
Side projects
Working on side projects, especially something that you are interested in can really help you improve your skills. I remember my first project was about the crime rates in London and I was so interested in this topic that I was eager to further explore the data, create models to make future predictions, and have fun with different visualisations.
Using your spare time to do side projects on topics that interest you, you will improve your technical skills and show potential recruiters that you have good time management skills and a warm passion for the tech world. It really puts you in a good light.
Books, Books, Books!
There are a plethora of informative materials available for people in the tech world. They range from beginners to expert levels. Below are some materials that I have come across personally and have also been recommended:
- Practical Statistics for Data Scientists by Peter and Andrew Bruce
- Introduction to Machine Learning with Python: A Guide for Data Scientists by Sarah Guido
- Python for Data Analysis by Wes Mckinney
- Data Science and Big Data Analytics by EMC Education Services
If you would like to have a look at our previous interviews, our lovely guests have also given their own personal book recommendations. You can have a look here.
Technical Challenges
Putting your skills to the test can be quite intimidating, but let me tell you something more intimidating. The technical interview you will have to go through once you’re going through your job hunt. Testing your knowledge will give you more confidence when you get to that point of going through technical interviews and help you brush up on your technical coding skills.
Below are two recommended sites you can practice your coding skills:
- HackerRank is a platform where programmers worldwide come together to solve problems, share knowledge, and learn from one another. This includes areas such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
- LeetCode – is a platform where you can solve codes, problems, and challenges with others in the LeetCode community, whilst preparing yourself for technical interviews and guiding you to your next career.
I hope this has helped you on your journey into becoming a Data Scientist or improving yourself as a current one.
