The Top Skills to Hire for in a Data Scientist
It’s 2018 and data science is still topping the job lists. Ranking in the top of all UK jobs in 2017, it’s no surprise that the increased demand has left many worrying about a shortage of candidates. However, scratch underneath the surface and delve deeper into the skills required, and a different picture emerges.
Data science job titles and descriptions vary within the industry, with employers looking for data engineers, research scientists, computer systems analysts, data analysts and data scientists to name a few. Data science is a job with broad skills under various guises.
There are, of course, some pre-requisite skills that all data scientists should have, such as strong coding and statistics experience, and excellent analytical and reporting abilities, but those who are most successful in data science utilize a blend of competences – and that’s what you need to be looking for as a hiring manager.
Why your business needs a data scientist
A good data scientist brings exceptional value to an organization of any size. By extracting and giving meaning to swathes of big data, a data scientist provides strong evidence for informed and fast decision-making for growth and competitiveness.
10 skills to look for in a hybrid data scientist:
- Programming
- Analysis & Statistics
- Mathematics & Modeling
- Technical Product Knowledge
- Entrepreneurial/Business Acumen
- Communication, Visualization & Presenting
- Problem Solving
- Team Player
- Scientific Methodology/Curiosity/Testing
- Creative
By understanding the range of skills required, it allows employers and tech recruiters to look beyond the job titles to discover exceptionally talented individuals who have the skillset of a data scientist but maybe aren’t traditionally positioned as one at first look. This is also a good tip for aspiring candidates to reshape their data science CV to suit the requirements of the business, and make it easier for hirers to see what they can bring to big data and deep learning.
Employers are looking for intellectual programmers and software engineers who know how to pull relevant data to the surface in a meaningful way that others can use to move the business forward. Keep that in mind and the pool of talent becomes bigger and much more interesting.
Speak to experts in data science recruitment who can give you tips on what to look for from tech applicants to suit your business requirements.
If you’re looking for a job in data science, check out this article on: the top 100 skills to have in your CV.