25 Bits and Bytes of Advice for New Data Scientists

In the time since I first learned to code and began exploring data in the 1970s — and while working for organizations ranging from Samsung to the CIA, and from Silicon Valley to Sydney — I’ve had the great honor and privilege of leading some of the most extraordinary teams of Coders, Data Scientists, Business/Intelligence Analysts, and AI Super-Geeks to ever put fingers to keyboards

While I don’t know if I have anything particularly wise to offer, here are some thoughts I would encourage you to keep in mind as you begin one of the most exciting, interesting, and intellectively challenging careers imaginable:

1. It’s not the size of your data. It’s what you do with it that counts.
2. Passionate, numerate, curious, autodidactic, humble technophiles make the best Data Scientists. If you’ve got those qualities, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
3. Have the heart of a hacker. Assume there is always a simpler way to solve the same problem.
4. Academic and professional pedigrees may get you in the door. What earns your colleague’s esteem will be your ability to perform.
5. This is supposed to be fun. We’re paying you a fortune to spend your day solving cool puzzles and figuring shit out. Don’t be a buzzkill; enjoy the ride — and try to be someone who’s fun to work with.
6. Concepts are more important than techniques. Any fool can cut and paste a few lines of code. Focus more on understanding what that technique is achieving.
7. Strip the word “I” from your vocabulary. Replace it with “we”.
8. Where you learned is not nearly as important as what you learned.
9. Remember that the value of mathematics comes from the ability to abstract concepts. Cultivate your ability to identify the essence of the problem you’re working on.
10. Be more like Leonard and less like Sheldon.
11. Focus on the fundamentals. Most of your peers don’t truly, deeply understand the most basic concepts — like variance and causality. Build a solid foundational knowledge and you’ll be able to take on any new challenge.
12. Everyone wants to focus on the sexy stuff — but the analysis is the easiest part. Pay…