How to Get Promoted in Data Science
Now, without boasting, earlier this year, I got promoted!!!!
I went from essentially a junior data scientist to now being a mid-level. I started working as a data scientist in September 2021, so it took me about 2 and a half years in total to get the promotion.
In this article, I want to review some tips and advice that helped me get promoted so you can reach the next level more quickly than I did!
My Journey
I want to briefly summarise my journey within data science to build some context behind my promotion.
So, from September 2017 to July 2021, I studied and graduated with a master's in Physics. During my final year, I realised that physics research was not for me, so I decided to become a data scientist after watching the AlphaGO documentary (amazing, you should check it out if haven't watched it!).
In 2021, I proactively dedicated my time to mastering essential Python, statistics, and machine learning skills. This led me to several job offers in data – and other quantitative-based roles.
The one I accepted was a graduate data scientist scheme with an insurance company here in the UK that started in September 2021.
I stayed in that first company for about a year and was offered a great opportunity at the company where I am currently. I joined in September 2022 as a junior data scientist (level 1), and in March 204, I was promoted to a mid-level data scientist (level 2)!!!
The level system is mainly used for software engineering roles within tech companies. If you are interested, see here for an explanation. Note that levels vary between companies, so often the title is a better measure of your abilities.
If you want to read my entire journey in becoming a data scientist, check out the article below:
Right, let's now move onto the tips and advice that helped me get promoted!
Note: This advice is mainly for those looking to go from junior to mid-level. Some of this may apply to other levels, but I can't comment as I am not there yet and have no experience in those advanced levels!
Understand The Promotion Process
The first and most important tip is to make sure you find and understand how the promotion process works at your company. You can't get promoted if you don't even know how it works!
Even though many tech companies have similar promotion setups (see here for a great explanation), research how your company approaches promotions as a start-up will probably do it very differently to an established big corporation.
From experience, there will be an internal document or page that explains the process. If you need help or can't find it, ask your manager for their understanding of the process or who you should reach out to. Ensure you do this well before the promotion cycle for which you aim to build your case.
In addition, try to find a similar document or page that lists the key competencies and skills required for each data science level/role. Again, make sure you do this well ahead of the promotion cycle you are aiming for so you can take action to demonstrate and gain the required skills for that next level.
Be Visible
Whether you like it or not, you are unlikely to get promoted if people don't know who you are.
You see, typically, the promotion needs to be approved and discussed by people much more senior than your manager. You probably don't work on projects with the top data science managers, Vice Presidents, or CTOs inside your company. Especially if you are very junior.
Therefore, to let these people know who you are and what you are doing, you must show them your work as much as possible.
Obviously, don't just go around ranting and raving about your work on Slack and in the office.
However, you should seize every opportunity to share your insights with a broader audience and craft concise summaries of your findings that you can circulate internally, ensuring your work reaches the right people.
While it's understandable to feel apprehensive about this and to be nervous about putting yourself out there, it's important to remember that the ability to effectively communicate your technical work to a wider audience is a valuable skill for data scientists.
This skill not only enhances your professional growth but also increases your potential for promotion, regardless of your current career stage.
Take Ownership
There is nothing wrong with doing your day-to-day tasks to a high level, this is obviously encouraged. However, to move from junior to mid-level, you must take responsibility and ownership over projects and deliverables.
You want to say things like , "I am the person who is in charge of X", or "I am the person who is responsible for Y."
This demonstrates your leadership ability and shows you can work independently, which signifies you are operating at a higher level than just a junior.
You can do this by taking a proactive approach to improving current systems, processes, and models. Instead of waiting to be told what to do all the time, you actively look for areas you can make better.
I did this by taking ownership of one of our data science models and guiding the direction of this data product. I also volunteered to run our company's journal club, where every fortnight someone presents a research paper they read and we have a little discussion about it.
Listen To Seniors & Mentors
As a junior, you are at the bottom of the knowledge and experience pyramid, and to progress, you should definitely take on board the feedback of seniors and mentors within your team.
The best part about this is that you have access to all this knowledge and are getting paid to learn it! Earning and learning is a killer combo.
I often request feedback or review on any work I do from someone more senior and specialist on that type of work:
- If I did some modelling -> I would ask a data scientist to review
- If I did some analysis -> I would ask a data analyst to review
- If I wrote some production code -> I would ask a software engineer to review
- If I made a business case study -> I would ask the product manager to review
By consistently seeking and incorporating expert feedback, you are not just improving, but you are also setting yourself up for continuous growth as a tech professional. Remember, you are like a sponge (cliche I know), absorbing as much as you can, and with each feedback, you are getting better, inching closer to that next level in your career.
Another helpful strategy that I used was to ask someone who recently got promoted from the level I am currently on for their advice and suggestions on things I should improve on.
Having someone who was just in your exact position is incredibly powerful, and I highly recommend you use this. They will tell you the process, the things that helped them, advice on building your case and much more!
Invest In Technical Skills
From junior to mid-level, a big part is improving your technical abilities. As a junior, chances are you probably have pretty beginner data science knowledge and aren't used to working in production code bases. In fact, it may even be your first ever job!
Depending on your company and role, I recommend investing your learning efforts in the technical area that is most applicable to your job. This strategic focus will not only enhance your skills but also align your professional development with your job responsibilities making you are valuable.
For example, the team I work in is mainly focused on forecasting and optimisation, so I spent a whole year learning and upskilling in these two domains. I wrote many blog posts and did several side projects to ensure my foundational knowledge in these areas was up to scratch.
I am still by no means an expert, but I like to think that I am pretty knowledgable in those two areas.
The main goal is to develop your coding abilities and data science knowledge so that you can comfortably work independently on projects in your specific area. This shows you are performing at a higher level than just a junior.
If you are interested in how I self-studying data sciences, check out my previous post below!
Track Your Achievements
To ensure your promotion case is as complete as possible, log and track all your achievements and deliverables, no matter how small they may be.
This can range from a massive model improvement to a presentation you made to stakeholders. Everything should be recorded, as you never know when you may need to refer to it at a later date.
You can do this by simply creating a Word, Excel or any other document file that you fill out at the end of the week with everything you have accomplished in the past few days.
Note down what you did, how you did it, and any helpful feedback you got. If you have a list of quotes from people telling you how good your work is, this will undoubtedly help your promotion case and make sure you use them!
I can't tell you how helpful my document was, as I forgot many things I did several months ago but really added to my promotion case!
Summary & Further Thoughts
Going for a promotion can be exciting and scary, and I hope the tips here gave you some helpful guidance on how to better structure your promotion case and get to that next level quicker. In general, you want to demonstrate that you are already working at the next level, as this will make your promotion case much easier. But remember, Careers are very long; we are talking about 30, 40, or even 50 years. So, if you don't get it this time, there is always next year!
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