CareerCon resources on YouTube

The data analytics industry is always changing and constantly aiming to improve its diversity. Google is proud to support a well-rounded education and a more inclusive environment for all of our learners.

Kaggle's CareerCon resources are for anyone interested in a data analyst career.

What is CareerCon?

Have you ever wanted to get into the mind of a data analyst? Kaggle’s CareerCon is an annual and free digital event whose aim is to help new data analysts land their first job in the field. Recorded sessions from CareerCon offer tons of firsthand knowledge and expert advice from top data analysts and hiring managers through seminars, coding workshops, and resume advice.

Although the resources offered are aimed at data scientists, the principles and guidelines are still similar to what data analysts can expect on their career journey.

Important note about CareerCon

Most likely due to COVID-19, CareerCon 2019 was the last event held. At the time of this writing, there were no publicly available plans for future CareerCon events.

CareerCon 2019 resources

Browse the full sessions for CareerCon 2019 .

Be sure to check out Portfolio and resume analysis with data science hiring managers : A panel of hiring managers discusses what they are seeking in candidates and how they examine different resumes submitted by job seekers like you. Learn from the mistakes of others and get ahead of the curve by adapting your resume/portfolio to avoid the noted mistakes and capitalize on what others have done well in their resumes.

Highlights from CareerCon 2018

How to build a compelling data science portfolio and resume : A hiring manager from Quora reviews actual resumes from data science candidates and gives candid feedback on areas of improvement. Learn what to include and omit from your resume and portfolio as well as formatting tips. This offers a great firsthand look into what hiring managers are seeking when reviewing your resume and portfolio.

Overview of the Data Science Interview Process : Hiring managers at Google discuss typical data science interviews, including the soft and hard skills you will want to prioritize. You will get a better sense of the interview process from both sides, and better prepare yourself for what to expect when interviewing for a data science role.

Live Breakdown of Common Data Science Interview Questions : Watch a mock interview to see how a Kaggle data scientist answers questions during a data science interview. The video also includes live coding! This video is great preparation for some of the most commonly asked data science interview questions.

Am I a Good Fit? Identifying Your Best Data Science Job Opportunities : Ever wonder where you will fit in for your future career? This chat with Jessica Kirkpatrick, an intelligence manager, gives you a great breakdown of the different types of categories within the data science job market, the different types of job opportunities you may notice, and how you can frame previous work and skills from another career to fit into the data science job market.

Real Stories from a Panel of Successful Career Switchers : Are you switching careers? Awesome! Learn from people who were in the same position as you and successfully switched their careers into data science. This panel discusses the different experiences in their careers and life that shifted them into the data science field.

Hands-On Activity: Adding skills to a resume

Question 1

Activity Overview

What you will need

To get started, open the resume template that you chose in the previous activity. If you can’t find the template you chose, you can access the resume templates below.

To use the templates for this course item, click the links below and select “Use Template.”

Link to resume template 1: Resume Template 1

Link to resume template 2: Resume Template 2

OR

If you don’t have a Google account, you can download the templates directly from the attachments below:

Resume Template 1

Resume Template 2

Add skills to your resume

Data analysts are expected to have strong technical skills and abilities, so effectively highlighting those skills is a crucial part of crafting your resume. Focus on your skills for this activity. Don’t worry about adding your work experience just yet; you’ll complete that in a future activity.

Get help from the real world

Reviewing real-world resumes is always a great idea. It can help you get a feel for how others in the industry are representing their experience and skills. You can find resumes on job sites and LinkedIn or even just by searching for “data analyst resume.” There are many ways to represent your technical skills, and taking a moment to understand how other data analysts do this may give you some great ideas!

What skills to add

The skills section on your resume likely only has room for 2-4 bullet points, so be sure to use this space effectively. You might want to prioritize technical skills over soft skills. This is a great chance for you to highlight some of the skills you’ve picked up in these courses, such as:

• Strong analytical skills
• Pattern recognition
• Relational databases and SQL
• Strong data visualization skills
• Proficiency with spreadsheets, SQL, R, and Tableau

Notice how the skills listed above communicate a well-rounded data analyst’s skill set without being wordy. The skills section summarizes what you’re capable of doing while listing the technology and tools you are proficient in.

Many companies use algorithms to screen and filter resumes for keywords. If your resume does not contain the keywords they are searching for, a human may never even read your resume. Reserving at least one bullet point to list specific programs you are familiar with is a great way to make sure your resume makes it past automated keyword screenings and onto the desk of a recruiter or hiring manager.

Take a moment to complete the skills section of your resume.

Confirmation and reflection

Which types of skills should you prioritize in your resume’s skills section? Select all that apply.

• Interpersonal skills
• Data-related skills
• Soft skills
• Technical skills

Explain: To create a strong and effective skills section, you should include technical skills and data-related skills. Soft skills and interpersonal skills are very important, but can be emphasized in other parts of your resume. Going forward, you can update the skills section as you grow as a data analyst to reflect what you’ve learned. This will help you create a resume that stands out to potential employers.

Question 2

During this activity, you built on the resume you started by adding your skills. In the text box below, write 2-3 sentences (40-60 words) in response to each of the following questions:

• What did you learn about presenting technical skills when you reviewed resumes from other data analysts?
• Which skills do you think will be most useful for securing a job as a data analyst?
• What are some additional skills you would include if you had more room on your resume? How might you highlight these skills in other sections?

Explain: Congratulations on completing this hands-on activity! A good response would include that a strong skills section is extremely helpful for securing a job interview.

By listing your skills effectively, you can communicate your strengths and abilities to show recruiters and hiring managers that you are a great candidate for the role. In an upcoming activity, you will continue to build your resume by adding experience.