Are you Beginning/Transitioning in Your Data Science Career?

In this article, I’ll explain how conferences can improve your chances of identifying – and ultimately getting – the job you want in this lucrative field. Even if you’re an introvert, don’t click away – I’ll show you how conferences are suitable for you, too!

Most of us are now wise to the fact that data science is one of the most lucrative areas in which to invest our careers. We hear of analysts getting paid six-figure salaries. We see how fields making use of data have expanded from technology to medicine, finance, media, and all that’s in-between. The figures show that data science has become a necessity rather than a luxury across the world of business.

But it’s not easy to get started. With the sheer number of positions available to the green data scientist, it can be near impossible to identify the pathways best for securing them.

More often than not, students need someone to declutter this environment and explain which route to a successful career might be right for them. A conference is the best way to help filter interest niches by simply listening to and speaking with other delegates. Crucially, invited speakers are also there to meet attendees, and they’ll be happy to help you navigate the field and ultimately save you a good deal of time in researching how to get started.

Here are six reasons why signing up for a conference is a great career investment:

Conferences sometimes emerge in order to address a need or a problem in a given field. The Women in Data Science conference is now in its second year, thanks to the successes of the first. This conference was initiated with the aim to encourage more female scientists to get involved in data science. For Caroline Uhler, Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, “[t]he WiDS conference highlighted female leadership in data science in the Boston area.” Ann Rosenberg, Senior VP of SAP Next-Gen, is clear: “We built a conference to become a movement.” Conferences, therefore, work to provide solutions to industry problems.

Companies establish data science projects in order to solve problems using the relevant information they have gathered. Expectations, then, are that data-driven projects will fix issues. But as technologies and policies change, new issues can emerge in managing, collecting and exploring data. At CARTO’s Spatial Data Science Conference, Peter Lenz, Analyst at Dstillery, noted the problems with big data from his perspective: “the data often indicates that people are moving faster than the speed of sound,which[…] doesn’t quite pass the smell test.” An awareness of these industry problems is useful for improving delegates’ knowledge of current issues and critical areas for development. This information is often effective arsenal at a job interview. 

With so many ideas buzzing around one conference room, it’s no surprise that people come away with much more value than the price of their ticket. At last year’s DSGO conference, Tableau Zen Master Andy Kriebel says: “I’m excited to meet new people and learn things […] that I can take back into the work that I’m doing.” The delegates we get at DSGO come from all walks of life: students, freelancers, software developers, course conveners, analysts, recruiters, and more. Speak with people, and ideas will blossom.

Yes, there is much more competition in data science today than there was ten years ago. One way to get beyond the slush pile is to simply be present at the places data scientists and recruiters convene. Seeing as you can’t turn up at someone’s office every day demanding a job(!) the best option is to attend the conferences they also attend. If people know you, what you do, and what you’re interested in, you’ll be more to them than a name on a slip of paper. “Sourcing, or asking around for referrals, is how many recruiters find candidates,” says Caroline Ceniza-Levine, Co-Founder of SixFigureStart, “In order to develop this network, you need to be at conferences and other professional events.”

Conveners of the Bio-IT World Conference & Expo dedicated a morning to a panel discussion on defining data science and the roles within it. A lively Q&A session with conference delegates followed, and many questions could not be answered in the time given. John Reynders, Vice President of Data Science, Genomics, and Bioinformatics, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, offered the top-voted questions from the panel back to the community on the Bio IT World website. These big picture sessions are excellent ways not only to be a part of the discussion but also to potentially play a part in shaping the movement.

For those who don’t have the nerve to speak but still want to contribute, there are many alternatives to standing in front of an audience (although I should mention that data scientists are a friendly lot – come along to DSGO and see for yourself). Poster sessions, workshops and hackathons are ways to get yourself known and can be great confidence boosters when other delegates approach you to talk about your proposed ideas. The focus isn’t on you – it’s on what you bring to the table.

Another benefit of attending a conference if you’re shy is that you can enter into the discussion as much or as little as you feel comfortable. Consider a conference not as a potential networking disaster but an opportunity to be a fly on the wall at a meeting of experts who are talking about exactly what you want to do with your life. If you found someone inspirational but didn’t want to speak to them that day, why not shoot them an email to tell them how much you enjoyed their talk? Why not offer some thoughts of your own?

Conferences tend to address specific needs. At the Spatial Data Science Conference, delegates considered how big data could be utilized to ensure the smooth running of a city. The MIT Policy Hackathon, to give another example, “seeks interdisciplinary solutions to societal challenges”. Most conference conveners will release an outline of what they hope their conference will achieve – read them before you register, to ensure that you are choosing the conference that will most benefit you.

As you’re reading this article, it’s likely that you are looking for a data science conference with a specific focus on building a stable career path.

Join us at DSGO!

DSGO is a careers-focused conference that brings together a rising generation of data scientists to discuss pathways to success, how to get into the field, the niches that are currently looking for talent, and what speakers would have done had they started over. Taking place over three program-packed days (Oct 12-14, 2018) and offering seminars on technical knowledge, soft skills and motivational advice, DSGO will give you the tools to start your career on the right foot.

We believe that the best way to get started in data science is to meet the experts. Our midday networking lunches will get you talking to the right people. Delegates at our previous DSGO conference met mentors, partners, friends, and even clients at the event. “I think this is one of the most useful conferences for anyone that wants to get into data science,” says Ben Taylor Chief Data Officer, Ziff.

We want students to attend the conference, and so we have set the price at a reasonable $799 for the entire three days (similar data science conference tickets are typically upwards of $800 for one day). Exclusive training sessions are also available at an additional cost (see website for details).

These are just six of many more reasons why attending a conference will jumpstart your career in data science. Don’t wait for the right time, it will never come – do it now. In order to succeed we much make wise investments. The opportunity to elevate your career awaits, but there’s only one way to know… GO!