The data industry is growing at an unprecedented rate and there has never been a better time to get involved. However, if you’re recently out of school or university, the job market can seem daunting. Where do you start? How do you find the right job for you? Luckily, we’re here to help. In this blog post, we’ll give you some tips on how to find your first job in data. We’ll cover everything from writing a killer resume to networking like a pro. So if you’re ready to start your data career, read on!
DECIDE ON THE ROLE FOR YOU
Firstly, it is important to understand that the data industry is vast and there are many different roles that you can choose from. It is important to pick a role that you are passionate about and that you have the skillset to succeed in.
Data jobs are in high demand right now, so if you’re looking for a new career, this is a great place to start. There are a few different types of data jobs, so it’s important to know what you’re interested in before you start your job search. Do you want to work with numbers and analytics? Or do you want to work with data visualizations and storytelling? Once you know what you want to do, you can start looking for job postings
A data analyst is responsible for collecting, cleaning, and organizing data. They use this data to answer business questions and to help make decisions. Data analyst jobs typically require a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, statistics, or computer science.
A data engineer are responsible for designing and building data pipelines, collecting data from multiple sources, and ensuring the data is accurate and up-to-date. They also create and maintain data warehouses and databases and develop algorithms and scripts to process and analyse data.
CREATE A PORTFOLIO
The first step in finding your first job is to create a portfolio. Your portfolio will show potential employers what you have done, and therefore why they should hire you. It’s also a great way for you to keep track of all the cool things you’ve done so far!
The most important part of your portfolio is a project that shows off your skills. Include any projects where you have used data analysis techniques or machine learning algorithms to complete tasks such as:
- Classifying text documents into categories
- Predicting future stock prices based on historical trends
- Recommending products based on customer preferences
- Calculating statistics about any dataset that has been provided by an employer or client
LEARN DATA SKILLS: FREE DATA COURSE
If you’re interested in learning more about data science, there are many online courses that you can take for free. These courses are offered by universities and companies like Coursera, Udacity and edX.
You’ll learn the basics of data science – including how to collect and analyse data, as well as how to use machine learning algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as TensorFlow. Some courses even give you practical experience with real-world datasets! You’ll also get a certificate at the end of each course, which will look good when applying for jobs.
LEARN A PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
When it comes to the programming languages that are used in data science, Python is the most popular. This is because it’s fairly easy to learn and has extensive libraries for doing everything from data analysis to machine learning. It can be used for simple tasks like pulling data from a database, all the way up to building an entire web service with Django.
Python has become so ubiquitous in data science because it’s easy enough for beginners, but also powerful enough for experienced developers—it has many features you won’t find in other languages like C or Java. If you want to learn more about why Python is such a popular language among data scientists, check out Why Everyone Should Learn Python by Wes McKinney.
START A DATA APPRENTICESHIP
Starting a data apprenticeship is a great way to get your foot in the door while learning and growing professionally. A data apprenticeship provides a unique opportunity to develop a strong foundation in data analysis and management, while gaining real-world experience. As data becomes increasingly important for businesses of all sizes, data apprenticeships can provide the necessary skills and knowledge to become a valuable asset in the workforce.
Find out more on our Level 3 Junior Data Apprenticeship here.
What’s next?
There are so many ways to get your first job in data. You can enrol on free courses, data skills bootcamps, learn a programming language and apply for an apprenticeship! You can even do some data analysis projects using free datasets. The most important thing is that you know what kind of work you want to do, and develop the skills that will help you get there.