Skills You Should Be Looking for in Your Data Scientists

The growth of the digital landscape and innovation are requiring today’s companies to be more adaptive to change. Business leaders will benefit from speaking with data scientists to learn about their methodology, rather than just hiring based on their technical skillset. These professionals must understand the wider business context of their work within the organization . Doing so will help them develop better solutions rather than focusing purely on their own area of expertise.

To help you find the people who’ll be instrumental to your company’s growth, here’s a list of valuable skills to look for in data scientists:

1. Critical Thinking

One of the most important skills to look for in a data scientist is critical thinking. Data scientists, must be able to evaluate and assess data and look for patterns and trends in these figures. In addition, they need good problem-solving skills and the ability to look at issues from multiple perspectives.

2. Adaptability

In order to succeed in their role, data scientists need to be able to work in a rapidly changing environment. They need to be able to adapt to new technologies and processes, learn the ins and outs of their new position and make the best use of the data they collect. Data scientists should also be able to adapt to the organizational culture and use the same tools and terminology as their colleagues.

3. Understanding of a Project’s Stakeholders

A big part of the data scientist’s job is to work with the people in charge of the organization’s decisions and make sure they are able to provide the information that’s needed. This means that data scientists mustunderstand the business plans, goals, and strategies of the organization.

Additionally, they must pair this information with the company’s day-to-day operations and decision-making patterns. By understanding the different types of stakeholders and their roles, data scientists can provide more effective solutions and recommendations. 

4. An Eye for Outliers

A data scientist’s job goes beyond finding patterns in data; they need to be able to identify the issues in the data itself. This includes identifying problems, missing data, or outliers.

They should also be able to provide a good description of these problems, as well as be able to explain the potential impact of these problems. This can help the data scientist alert the stakeholders to their issues and help them understand how these problems could affect the company.

5. Communication

As previously mentioned, a big part of data scientists’ job is to communicate with the different stakeholders to ensure that they can provide the information that’s needed. This is why good communication skills are essential for this.

Data scientists should be able to articulate any recommendations that they have clearly. They should also be able to help stakeholders avoid unnecessary decisions based on the data by providing them with the context they need to evaluate the data effectively.

Conclusion

Advances in technology have created an abundance of data that companies can leverage to help their businesses thrive. By speaking with data scientists, business leaders will be able to better understand the methodology of their work. This can help them to provide the right strategies and ensure that the data scientists can give them accurate and effective results. Keep your eyes open for these skills, and you’ll be sure to build a strong team.

Recruit the right people with the help of our IT staffing agency. We’ll get you in touch with the best data scientists that will help you reach your goals. Contact us today, and begin scaling your business!