Would you hire a data scientist with no degree?
Yes, anyone can hire a data scientist with no degree. Data science doesn’t care about what the students majored in or if they even got a degree. It’s what they do with data that matters.
Although having a relevant college degree can benefit, the truth is that many organisations employ data scientists who don’t have a degree. What matters is that a candidate is competent to accomplish the job of a data scientist like-
- wrangling big data,
- performing data analysis,
- understanding multiple programming languages
All of the above can be comprehended through a data science Bootcamp. As the tech industry has boomed in recent years, developing exciting jobs that are frequently coupled with lucrative salaries, it’s no surprise that many people are making career transitions to get in on the action.
How To Become a Data Scientist Without a Degree?
Some points need to be kept in mind in order to become a data scientist without a degree.
Perfect the Prerequisites
Mathematics and statistics are the foundation of data science. In order to specify usage trends, create forecasts, and tease out significant insights from data, they will need to use maths and statistical ideas such as-
- probability,
- variance,
- standard deviation,
- linear algebra, and
- calculus.
As they move towards more complicated problems, they will depend on notions such as logistic regression, decision trees, and linear regression. Perfecting these skills will be starting the career on the right foot.
Build a Portfolio
A CV advises hiring managers what the candidates are capable of, but it’s a portfolio that furnishes the evidence. If they are just getting started as a data scientist and lack real-world work experience, there are still ways to work on portfolio-worthy undertakings.
Refine the Data Science Skills
A substantial part of a data scientist’s job definition involves accessing, collecting, cleaning, wrangling, and reserving both structured and unstructured data. Understanding how to utilise relational databases like MySQL or MongoDB is essential for data science. Fluency with tools like Hadoop or Spark to store and process big data can come in handy in a data science career. And proficiency in numerous programming languages, specifically SQL and Python, is crucial. Other languages a data scientist should be familiar with include:
- R for statistical inference and analysis
- Perl for text manipulation and structuring
- Scala for ingesting, storing, and processing big data.
Practise With Data Science Projects
Once the candidates grasp the key aptitudes, it’s time to jump into the deep end. They should test themselves with Kaggle or TopCoder competitions, the data science version of a hackathon, and apply their talents. Doing this not only suggests valuable hands-on experience with data science, but also lets them be noticed while cooperating with some of the nation’s top data scientists.
Practise the Interview Skills
The data scientist hiring procedure typically involves a portfolio, cover letters, and references. Numerous organisations also use interview loops to estimate a candidate’s skill and qualification for a role, which can involve technical interviews, tests that need writing algorithms, an SQL coding interview, and a series of questions that are designed to reveal a candidate’s values.
Consider Related Jobs
A corresponding job or internship can be a great way to attain exposure and experience with the problems and aptitudes a data scientist deals with. For instance, internships frequently offer candidates rotations across various departments, allowing interns to work on various undertakings alongside industry experts. Alternatively, working as a data analyst can strengthen an individual’s analytical aptitudes, develop their awareness of using data to meet business requirements, and create their experience with working on teams.
So, there are various steps like gaining pre-requisite knowledge, learning key data science skills, earning certificates, building a portfolio, and participating in various competitions. Through these steps, one can become a data scientist even without a degree.
