DATA SCIENTISTS WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO I BECOME ONE - Your Career Intel

DATA SCIENTISTS WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO I BECOME ONE - Your Career IntelWhen it comes to hot jobs, Data Scientist is the top of the heap.In fact,The Harvard Business Reviewwrote about this in-demand position as far back as 2012 calling Data Scientist the Sexiest Job of The 21st Century. But first things first, what exactly is a data scientist?What Is a Data Scientist?Data scientists are analytical data experts who have the technical skills to solve complex problems and the curiosity to explore what problems need to be solved in the future.They encompass the skills of mathematician, computer scientist and trend predictor. The combination of behauptung skills means theyre in high demand in both the business and IT worlds.Data scientists werent on many radars a decade ago, but their sudden popularity reflects how businesses now think about incorporating data into day to day business.As mora and more companies deal with petrabytes of business information and hunt for people to decipher that data cogently and with an eye on their larger business objectives, there has been no greater time than the present to be a data scientist.LinkedInvotedstatistical analysis and data mining the top skill that got people hired in 2014 and McKinsey predicts that within the next three years, the U.S. will face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with analytics capabilities and 1.5 million managers who know how to translate data into business decisions.Given all this information, if a candidate asks, I hate math Can I still be a data scientist? You may be tempted to give them a resoundingNOas an answer.How to Become a Data Scientist?To fit into a big data job, a person has to enjoy or at least not be intimidated by mathematics, statistics, market research and analysis.In fact, to become a data scientist, a candidate should be able to perform the following basic functionsParse through large amounts of data that doesnt necessarily appear row after row in a spreadsheet.Integrate dat a points from disparate sources.Connect the dots on these data points by creating mathematical models that can assess consumer behaviors.Data Scientist QualificationsBut expert math ability is just part of the story.Here are some other vital skills that make a killer data scientist package.Strong Interpersonal Skills and The Ability to Work CollaborativelyUnlike software or app development where people often create products or services in a highly independent fashion, big data requires reaching across traditional organizational silos. To do this effectively, companies look for candidates with solid interpersonal skills and who can cogently present data in a business context. Ability to Read Data with Companys Strategic Objectives in MindA great data scientist is someone who can delve into an ocean of chaotic data with a clear understanding of his/her companys strategic objectives and help the enterprise find critical information they need to make better business decisions. Anyone ca n crunch numbers, but someone who can analyze data strategically is invaluable. Ability to InnovateFinally, businesses want innovators who have demonstrated an ability to create and succeed throughout the course of their professional careers.Any candidate with these essential math and non-math skills can find themselves very competitive for this hot job.Where to Find Data Scientists?And with a little bit of creativity, companies can also find data scientists in unusual places. For example, in an article forThe Wall Street Journalwriter Elizabeth Dwoskin profiled a trio of data scientists who all held PhDs and had transitioned from academia to being data scientists in businessOne was an astrophysics researcher who conducted research on the giant particle accelerator and who now analyzes business ratings for Yelp.Another applied biostatics to breast cancer research and is now analyzing fashion terminology for Etsy, a global retail community.A third data scientist used a degree in cogn itive psychology to analyze how people change their political beliefs. This person now works for Square Inc., a credit card processing firm, to determine which retailers are more likely to have customers who want their money back.So, will you like being a data scientist if you dont like math? The short answer isNo. However, if you have a knack for statistics and analyzing, the career opportunities are tremendous in this field.Questions or thoughts? Let us know in the comments.