Not to forget, a data scientist career is still deemed to be the “sexiest job of the 21st century.” Beyond any doubt, it has skyrocketed at such a level where data science has become the backbone of almost several industries.

Data science has been growing at a breakneck speed over the last decade and has evolved exponentially. And looking at the in-demand statistics in this domain, we’re seeing a growth of many professionals transitioning into a data scientist.

As predicted by IBM, the demand for data science professionals will see an exponential growth of 28% by 2020. Data science undoubtedly one of the hottest jobs in the technology field. However, getting into a data science career will require skills and expertise in the field.

A data scientist job has been ranked as one of the topmost jobs in the U.S. in reference to the salary structure, job market, and rising demand. But to be recognized in the relevant field, it is crucial to have skills that are marketable in the industry. One might have noticed, even after having necessary skills many professionals are unable to procure a job and get hired as a data scientist. The sole reason for this is the lack of exposure in the current industry.

5 things you need to do to keep yourself marketable today:

Create a solid portfolio

Portfolio is an ideal way of showcasing the skillset achieved by the candidate. Most recruiters prefer a portfolio of projects over a resume. It works well as a substitute for candidates without experience. Having a solid portfolio with the projects done is perfect for employers to see what they’re looking from a candidate.

Update your professional network – LinkedIn

Bringing visibility to your wide network is one of the most important things that a professional must do. Your LinkedIn profile should always be on a constant update, core focus on the skills, educational background, projects worked upon, credentials earned on the latest skills, and experience is any. It is quite likely that your profile might be visible to potential hires.

Most recruiters are quite familiar with online MOOCs, do not highlight these credentials at the top of the profile but ensure it is there.

Take up hackathons and participate in competitions

Kaggle is one best source to take up hackathons and online competitions. Apart from Kaggle, one can participate in hackathons like Machine Hack and practice on open source projects, this will not only help you get hands-on experience coding in R, Python, and MATLAB but will also provide exposure to solving real-world problems. You will also find small datasets in Kaggle for you to start off with.

Take up a credential certification

Data science skills are crucial in every industry today, however, depending on the requirement of the industry skills may vary accordingly. A certified data science professional is a great start to hop into a data science career role. Credible certification is one way to keep the edge of your skill over others in the industry.

Follow data science portals to stay updated in the industry

Staying relevant in this competitive job market is important for every IT professional. Data Science Central and Towards Data Science are some great portals that one can go through to receive the latest updates and keep up with the trends. The industry has a tendency of coming up with newer innovations every now and then, the only way one can stay in sync is by reading daily.

Staying updated with the latest skills paves a way towards a career that is promising. If one is a fresh graduate, then earning a credible certification is an important step one must opt for. According to Business Wire, it is predicted that professionals with certifications saw that the salary compensation was comparatively higher than the average professionals ranging between 20-40%.

Should you think twice? I don’t think so, companies are aggressively looking to onboard expert professionals into their workforce today. And transforming your career towards data science can help you grow professionally and financially.

By Lucia Adams

who is a professional writer and blogger.

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