{"id":8525,"date":"2019-03-22T09:51:51","date_gmt":"2019-03-22T13:51:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=8525"},"modified":"2020-11-24T19:36:37","modified_gmt":"2020-11-25T00:36:37","slug":"how-to-build-a-data-science-portfolio-4-dos-and-donts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/how-to-build-a-data-science-portfolio-4-dos-and-donts","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Data Science Portfolio: 4 Dos and Don\u2019ts"},"content":{"rendered":"

An online portfolio is key for anyone working in the world of data science \u2014 because it\u2019s the best way to show employers evidence of your skill set, be it your Python prowess or your knack for data modeling.<\/span><\/p>\n

But knowing where to start can be tricky, and you don\u2019t want your data portfolio to just be… a data dump.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Adam Thorsteinson, BrainStation\u2019s Lead Educator for Data Science, budding Data Scientists should be aiming for the opposite: A curated, well-rounded showcase of your best work that\u2019s capable of catching an employer\u2019s eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

With that in mind, he offered a few dos and don\u2019ts for anyone building a data science portfolio.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Include Your Whole Body of Work<\/b><\/h3>\n

The first thing on your agenda needs to be conducting an inventory of all the data science work you\u2019ve done to date, Thorsteinson says.<\/span><\/p>\n

And it\u2019s worth thinking outside the box \u2014 consider everything from an eye-catching data visualization produced for a big-name client, to a thesis project where you showed off some powerful Python coding skills.<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, Thorsteinson says, figure out which projects make the cut for your portfolio. You want a few pieces that best showcase your range of skills and the whole data science process, from starting with a basic data set, to defining a problem, doing a cleanup, to building a model, and ultimately finding a solution.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s the arc of any data science project out in the wild,\u201d Thorsteinson says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do Showcase Your Communication Skills<\/b><\/h3>\n

For data-based jobs, employers will want to see your number-crunching and coding abilities, but that\u2019s not the only thing they\u2019re looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA huge piece of data science in the workplace is being able to communicate,\u201d says Thorsteinson.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a portfolio, you can show off your communication skills by coupling portfolio samples with an accompanying narrative, showing the work you did to find a solution to each problem. \u201cYou could write a whole blog post around a piece of work you’ve done,\u201d Thorsteinson suggests.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also worth including a bit about yourself \u2014 like your passions and past work experience \u2014 as part of the non-data elements of your portfolio. <\/span><\/p>\n

When asked what would make him want to hire someone, Thorsteinson put it this way: \u201cA good combination of well-written code, with a strong amount of communication built around that code.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Do Consider GitHub Instead of a Website<\/b><\/h3>\n

Sure, you can build a basic online portfolio to showcase your work. But why not use a platform where other Data Scientists are already gathering?<\/span><\/p>\n

GitHub \u2014 a popular software development platform \u2014 is used by millions of Developers around the world, meaning your work will be hosted in a space frequented by potential future coworkers, mentors, and hiring managers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely having a well-rounded, well-populated GitHub portfolio will take things to another level,\u201d Thorsteinson says. \u201cThat’s where a lot of Data Scientists will host their portfolio… instead of LinkedIn or a personal website.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

And, he adds, it\u2019s a place where you can easily post not just the technical side of things, but instead, have each portfolio sample constructed to showcase your code embedded within a larger written piece outlining the problem and process.<\/span><\/p>\n

Don’t Just Show Code in Isolation<\/b><\/h3>\n

Employers can get a bit glassy-eyed looking at the portfolios of applicants, and it\u2019s important to stand out. And, while it might sound obvious, it\u2019s also crucial to prove you actually know what you\u2019re doing \u2014 and not taking a \u201cfake it \u2018til you make it\u201d approach to coding.<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why just publishing your code in isolation doesn’t really highlight you know what you’re doing, Thorsteinson says. \u201cThat just highlights you’ve written this code, which may or may not have been copied and pasted from somewhere else.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Yikes. Not exactly the impression you want to leave in a hiring manager\u2019s mind.<\/span><\/p>\n

But, thankfully, there\u2019s a fix: \u201cIncorporating data visualization wherever you can \u2014 that’s a skill employers look for,\u201d Thorsteinson explains. \u201cIt’s one of the best ways to communicate your data findings to a non-technical audience.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also helpful to showcase a range of different techniques since data science is a pretty broad field \u2014 meaning there’s a lot of ways you can approach a problem, and a variety of approaches you can bring to the table.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf you want to build a great, well-rounded portfolio, find some well-rounded problems to tackle and showcase,\u201d Thorsteinson suggests.<\/span><\/p>\n

Find out more about BrainStation’s Data Science Certificate Courses<\/a> and Data Science Diploma Program<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A curated, well-rounded showcase of your best work can really catch an employer\u2019s eye. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":8531,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[343],"tags":[332,419,817,405],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Build a Data Science Portfolio: 4 Dos and Don\u2019ts | BrainStation\u00ae Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A curated, well-rounded showcase of your best work can really catch an employer\u2019s eye. 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