Why it’s hard to get a job in data science right now and what you can do about it
I graduated in the U.S. amidst the global pandemic of 2020 when the job market was a hostile land. Now I’m happily working as a Data Scientist at Spotify, but getting there was a long ride.
Navigating the data science job market is like fighting on a battlefield with lions and kittens. Lions can kill you and kittens will most likely hinder you too. You’ll understand later what I mean by this.
I remember applying to hundreds of positions and never getting a single call back for an interview. It made me doubt my abilities but in hindsight, most of the reasons why I was failing were beyond my control.
If you’re going through something similar, then maybe this post can help you find the best approach to navigating the current job landscape.
In recent months, I’ve had multiple discussions with both experienced Data Scientists in Tech and aspiring ones about the current state of the data science hiring market.
I’ve come to understand:
- Why it’s become challenging to get hired right now
- How to maximize chances of getting a job
And I will share these with you in this article.
With the current economic landscape, I’ve been increasingly hearing about the struggle many Data Scientists face in securing a job. Whether they be fresh graduates from college or laid-off experts from MAANG, everybody is struggling at the moment.
If you’re in this situation, know that your inability to get a job is a multilayered problem. If you want to better redirect your efforts to put all chances on your side, understanding why this is happening is crucial.
Chances of Getting an Offer = (Skills + Experience) * Market Conditions
Getting a job depends on your skills, past experience, and the most important one: the conditions of the market, something absolutely beyond your control.