How to find a data science mentor?

Are you looking for a professional data science mentor to guide you in your journey of Analytics?

Data Science is one of the hot domains and there is a great shortage of talented and skilled data scientists. Given these circumstances, it may take you some time to find a good data science mentor, but you’ll be more at ease if you are mentored by an expert.

The key to growth in any domain is mentorship and data science is no different. There are so many categories within the vast domain of data science that finding the right mentor is crucial.

It is well established that people who are self-taught, with some guidance, work better. The most ideal situation is when you study on your own and regularly take guidance from a mentor.

Though finding the right mentor can be tough and challenging, but with the proliferation of the internet and the rapidly connecting world, it may not be as difficult as it may sound. There are a couple of things that you need to consider before you decide to hire a professional data science mentor:

Understand the domain:
It is very important that you understand clearly about the domain of data science. This includes knowing the different areas within the data science domain, understanding about the job prospectus within those areas, and the skills needed to excel in each of those areas. You can get this information by searching on the internet, talking to people in this domain, taking a couple of interviews, going through job postings on recruitment platform, and attending seminars.

Identify your Interest Area:
The next important point is to identify your interest area. This understanding is important so that you can align yourself to that category of the data science domain that best fits your skills and expertise. This can be achieved by studying and gaining some knowledge through books, online courses, reading blog articles, and watching related videos on YouTube. You can also start looking at some online competitions to get some firsthand experience.

Once this is in place and you are sure that you want to pursue a career in data science the next step is to get involved with the community. This can be done by participating in forum discussions, keeping pace with the latest trends, and practicing problems. This can be considered as the beginning phase of your data science career and when you get some familiarity with the subject and more importantly develop interest, you should look out for a data science mentor.