Finding a data science job should be straightforward, because businesses are crying out for those skills.
As a PhD or Masters graduate you possess the unique skill set required to get a great data science role and make instant impact in the company. One of the best ways to find a job in general is through a recruiter. However, not all recruiters are built the same. One of the questions I get asked all the time is what should I look for when working with a recruiter?
Some recruiters work with multiple sectors and some in only a specific sector. There are advantages of going for a general recruiter because they cast the net wide but I would argue that this can mean finding a role that is not what you are really looking for. Specialist recruiters know their sector in depth, they know what companies are looking for in new hires. It is important to build a good relationship with your recruiter and make sure they know what you are looking for in your next role, whether you are looking for your first role or looking for your first C-suite (CEO, CTO, COO etc.) role. This is especially true in data science because the role is so diverse no two data science roles are the same. Once you have built a good relationship the recruiter will understand the role you want and even though this could mean that they present you with few roles, the quality and customisation of those role will be high. I would recommend the recruiter is looking for roles for you, you should have a phone meeting once a week. This is regular enough such that they have you in mind when new roles come in and they see that you are committed to finding a role with them. This is important because, at the end of the day they make money by finding you a role, but you also have to make sure that the role is the right one for you.
Read the job spec! So many recruiters will tell you briefly about the role and send over your CV before you have even read the job spec. Always read it before being put forward, because you should only apply for roles you are actually going to take. I made this mistake when I was fresh out of my PhD I applied for any and every data science role I could though the recruiters I was working with. It was only when the job specs came though I realised that some of them were not really what I was looking for. This is also a motivation issue, you will be more motivated to do full research in the company in preparation for phone and face to face interviews. I would always ask the recruiter if they can give you some tips/preparation for interviews. They usually know the companies, what they are looking for and so that can be some really useful inside information to help make your interview stand out.
At Pivigo, we have an in-house careers development contact, that can help you find the right role for you. His name is David Penhearow, he possesses all the qualities I have talked about and knows the industry inside and out. He can help you at every stage from finding the right role all the way through to contract negotiations. His email address is a link on his name, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with him. As always, I hope you found this blog post useful and if you have any question please get in touch.
