Data Scientist Resume: Examples & Writing Guide
You'll learn:
The term "data science" is getting popular recently with the implementation of technology in every corner of our lives. it's a fusion of algorithms, tools, and machine learning principles to extract information from hidden patterns in its raw data form. Data scientists "wrangle" big data to make relevant discoveries for businesses to achieve their goals. In addition to this, they combine programming, statistics, analytics, and math to create algorithms, design data modeling processes, and build machine learning pipelines for a better understanding of their customer base and competitors.
Despite how skill-related a data scientist's job is, just having the skills is not enough. A precisely tailored data scientist resume is also essential to ensure that you stand out among other applicants and leave a good impression on the hiring managers
How to Write a Data Scientist Resume?
Before you enter your "job-hunting mode," it's important to note several elements to take note of and know to enhance your overall resume writing experience.
Step 1: Understand the differences between a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a resume.
Data scientist CV and data scientist resume, are there any differences? Although both are interchangeable terms in some instances, it's vital to know the differences to avoid submitting the wrong kind to your prospective employer.
A data scientist CV …
- is more detailed and has a simple structure
- is over 2 pages long
- and mostly used in academia, medicine, or science fields
Whereas a data scientist resume …
- emphasizes more on relevant information for a specific job and has various layouts
- is within 2 pages long
- and primarily used for a job application
💡 Double-check if the job ad has requested a data scientist CV or a data scientist resume. Format them accordingly before submitting your document.
Step 2: Choose the right data scientist resume format.
They say that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but a hiring manager WILL judge you by your resume. For your data scientist resume, there are 4 data scientist resume formats that you can use: chronological, functional, hybrid/combination, and targeted. Ensure that the format of your picking is suitable for both your data science-related experiences and the job itself.
Step 3: Look up data scientist resume templates & examples online as references.
If you're unsure of how to start writing your resume, you can look up data science resume templates and data scientist resume examples online as references. Remember to keep a lookout for both the strong points to emulate and weak points to avoid in these data science resume examples.
Don't copy and paste these references' content, adjust it to your own specific experiences and the job description itself.
Step 4: Tailor your resume for the data scientist job.
Your data scientist resume should never be a "one-size-fits-all" resume. Thus, it's best not to use an entry-level data scientist resume for a position that requires you to possess extensive experience.
Your past resumes can be a starting point, but you should always continuously add your relevant data science-related responsibilities and achievements to your resume. By the time you're close to the top of your career ladder, you should be able to build an experienced data scientist resume.
Step 5: Craft a data scientist cover letter.
Similar to your resume, tailor your cover letter for a data scientist position instead of making a general cover letter.
A cover letter is your chance to showcase your enthusiasm and explain why and how your profile and data science skills make you a great fit in their company's data scientist role.
Step 6: Proofread.
As tedious as proofreading may be, it's a necessary extra step that you should take to ensure that no careless spelling or grammatical mistake exists on your data scientist resume.
What Should a Data Scientist Resume Look Like?
Different data scientists might have different data scientist resume templates. As one tries to stand out with their data scientist resumes, they might forget to include crucial information. The following are sections that you should always have in your data scientist resume:
1. Resume Profile (Personal Information)
ALWAYS INCLUDE:
- Full name
- Professional title can give your prospective employer an idea of how experienced you are as a data scientist.
- E-mail address
- Phone number
- Address (city, state, and country)
DO NOT INCLUDE:
- Current salary
Putting out a number too early may lessen your bargaining power when discussing your salary.
- Social Security number/National Insurance Number
Only required AFTER you get hired.
- Private information (e.g. sexual orientation, race, photograph)
Your private life is irrelevant to the job position; exclude them to avoid potential hiring bias or discrimination.
2. Resume Headline for Data Scientist
A data scientist resume headline is a one-line and concise description to quickly inform the hiring manager of who you are, your strengths and relevant experience, and why you're the perfect fit for the position. Use keywords that you may find in the job advertisement.
Data scientist resume headline example:
- Highly Experienced Data Scientist with 10+ Years of Experience in the Healthcare Industry
- Detail-Oriented Senior Data Scientist with Experience in Data Mining
3. Data Scientist Resume Summary
A data scientist resume summary is a continuation of your resume headline. Ideally, it's around 2-3 sentences highlighting your data science skills, experience, and qualifications.
Data scientist resume summary example:
Business-minded data scientist with the ability to deliver insights via data analytics and mining. Achievements include creating models to predict stock prices with 30% more accuracy than the historical average, increasing investment returns by 23%.
4. Career Objective for a Data Scientist
- What is your career objective as a data scientist? Your resume objective should answer this in 2-3 sentences. You can incorporate this in your resume summary.
Data scientist resume objective example:
Experienced data scientist with robust statistical analysis and research skills. Seeking for the position of Data Scientist with XYZ Inc., offering 4+ years of experience utilizing statistical modeling and machine learning techniques.
5. Skills for a Data Scientist Resume
Your skillset is one of your main selling points as a data scientist candidate. The skills that you possess serve as an indicator for the hiring manager of your potential fit for the position. Your listed skills for a data scientist resume should be relevant and be kept short. If you're still unsure, you might find it helpful to look online for a data scientist resume sample or refer to the job description.
You might find plenty of companies requiring candidates to be proficient in programming languages such as Python for a data science entry-level job, and an understanding of NLP for a data science senior level job; these are keywords that you should include if you do possess said skills to make you more valuable as a candidate.
💡 Remember to include both your hard and soft skills!
Data Scientist Skills Resume Examples:
- Programming Language: Python, C++, R
- Data Visualization: Tableau, Power BI
- Communication skills: Presentation, Public Speaking
6. Work Experience
The experience section is definitive proof of your suitability and qualifications for the role, especially for a senior data scientist resume. Include your previous organizations' names, job titles, brief descriptions of responsibilities, achievements, and employment period in your data scientist resume.
Working experience example:
Junior Data Scientist, XYZ Inc.
Jan. 2012 - Apr. 2019
Improved data mining process, decreasing the time needed to infer insights from customer data used to develop marketing campaigns and strategies by 27%.
7. Education
Your education is formal proof of your skills and credentials; this is especially crucial if you're building a data science student resume, a data science intern resume, a data science fresher resume, or a data science resume with no experience. Combined with experience (if any), it can make an entry-level data scientist resume look even better.
💡 Tips: Include your school, degree, major, coursework, year of graduation, honors and awards, GPA, and extracurricular activities (if applicable).
8. Additional Information: Certification
Although your data science skills are mainly attested by the projects you have done and/or your previous work experience, there are data science certifications that can help you stick out from the crowd. Including certifications can help improve your data science resume. Some certificates that you can consider are:
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Data Scientist Associate
- SAS Certified Data Scientist
- Open Certified Data Scientist (Open CDS)
- Data Science Council of America
Tips for Writing The Best Data Science Resume
Tip 1: Customize the resume for data scientist positions.
You shouldn’t use the same resume for every application, even if the positions are of equal standing. Adjust your data scientist resume accordingly to the job description to exclude irrelevant details.
Tip 2: Quantify results in your data science resume.
Use numbers and statistics to show your achievements as a data scientist instead of putting them in a qualitative format to make your accomplishments seem more apparent and more convincing.
Tip 3: Choose an ATS-friendly resume layout.
No matter how pretty some fancy data science resume formats may be, it's best not to use them as applicant tracking software (ATS) cannot identify templates with too many visuals.
Tip 4: Adopt resume action words (verbs).
Action verbs can instantly provide information about you in an employer's mind.
Tip 5: GitHub is your best friend.
Your past projects are an asset as it's a testament to your data science skills; it lets the prospective employer know that you know what you're doing. Uploading your relevant projects to GitHub can strengthen a data science fresher resume or even a data science resume with no experience.
How to Write a Data Scientist Cover Letter?
As the first document a potential employer will look over when reviewing your job application, you would want to write a strong data scientist cover letter to help you stand out from other candidates by leaving a good first impression.
Your data scientist cover letter should include:
- Contact details to identify yourself. Include your name, e-mail, and phone number.
- Research on the hiring company to find out more about the hiring manager. Greeting them with the right name can be an excellent first impression. State who you are and mention the position you're applying for.
- Explain why you're applying for the job and what you can contribute to the company.
- Convince them why you're the perfect candidate for the position by showcasing 2 to 3 of your relevant skills and experiences as examples.
- End the cover letter in a polite tone, thanking them for their time.
CakeResume provides the right data scientist resume templates & formats for data scientist to showcase their skills and experiences. Sign up to create the best data scientist resume Now!
Data Scientist Resume Sample
Felicia Blundell
Highly Experienced Data Scientist with 10+ Years of Experience Who Increased Marketing Campaign Effectiveness by 28%
Mobile: (+92) 1234-56789
github.com/feliciablundell
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin.com/in/feliciablundell
Summary
Motivated data scientist with strong math background and research skills and 2+ years of experience using predictive modeling, data processing, and data mining. Coming with advanced programming skills and a master's degree in Statistics, seeking a position as a junior Data Scientist in Alpha Corp.
Work Experience
Data Scientist, ABC Company
May 2018 - Present
- Developed algorithms based on deep-dive statistical analysis and predictive data modeling that were used to strengthen relationships, longevity and personalize interactions with clients.
- Improved data mining process, decreasing the time needed to infer insights from customer data used to develop marketing campaigns and strategies by 27%.
Data Scientist Internship, XYZ Company
Feb. 2017 - Feb. 2018
- Responsible for assisting in designing and executing end-to-end data science solution to transform data into actionable insights and help the company's business stakeholder to decide how to create, market, and distribute content & service.
- Research, develop, prototype, and test new models and their related inputs and outputs; made any necessary corrections.
Skills
Python, C++, R, Tableau, Machine Learning, Data Mining and Analysis, Communication, Critical Thinking, Time-Management, Research, Collaboration
Education
- B.S. in Computer Science, Stanford University
2012 – 2016
Academic Award: Valedictorian
- M.S. in Statistics, The University of Chicago
2017 – 2018
Academic Award: AP Scholar
--- Originally written by Patricia Rosita ---
With the intention of helping job seekers to fully display their value, CakeResume creates an accessible free resume/CV/biodata builder, for users to build highly-customized resumes. Having a compelling resume is just like a piece of cake!
