Book Image

Cracking the Data Science Interview

By : Leondra R. Gonzalez, Aaren Stubberfield
Book Image

Cracking the Data Science Interview

By: Leondra R. Gonzalez, Aaren Stubberfield

Overview of this book

The data science job market is saturated with professionals of all backgrounds, including academics, researchers, bootcampers, and Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) graduates. This poses a challenge for companies seeking the best person to fill their roles. At the heart of this selection process is the data science interview, a crucial juncture that determines the best fit for both the candidate and the company. Cracking the Data Science Interview provides expert guidance on approaching the interview process with full preparation and confidence. Starting with an introduction to the modern data science landscape, you’ll find tips on job hunting, resume writing, and creating a top-notch portfolio. You’ll then advance to topics such as Python, SQL databases, Git, and productivity with shell scripting and Bash. Building on this foundation, you'll delve into the fundamentals of statistics, laying the groundwork for pre-modeling concepts, machine learning, deep learning, and generative AI. The book concludes by offering insights into how best to prepare for the intensive data science interview. By the end of this interview guide, you’ll have gained the confidence, business acumen, and technical skills required to distinguish yourself within this competitive landscape and land your next data science job.
Table of Contents (21 chapters)
Free Chapter
1
Part 1: Breaking into the Data Science Field
4
Part 2: Manipulating and Managing Data
10
Part 3: Exploring Artificial Intelligence
16
Part 4: Getting the Job

Mastering early interactions with the recruiter

In Chapter 2, we shared some tips on how to optimize your data science job search. In this section, we’ll discuss what to expect when you receive your first recruiter inquiry. Hooray!

Recruiter screenings are often the first stage in most corporate interviews. It involves someone from a company’s recruiting team reaching out to you for an initial conversation regarding the role. If you receive a call, a message, or an email from a recruiter, you should pat yourself on the back because the following statements are now officially true:

  • You’re qualified: Recruiters don’t call applicants who aren’t qualified. So, you can celebrate a) having the necessary skills for the role and b) writing an engaging resume and/or cover letter that effectively speaks to said skills.
  • You’re in the top 2% of applicants: Some research suggests that corporate roles receive an average of 250 applications...