Companies are storing more data than ever before and the need to extract meaningful information, as well as business value from this growing asset, is becoming increasingly important. Insightful analysis requires a different skill set than simply managing or storing data.

Many organisations are quickly realising they need talented analytics professionals who have specific skills in applying scientific methods, statistical approaches, data analysis, and other data-centric methodologies. Or, put more simply, data science

Data is critical to success

A recent Google-commissioned study by IDG highlighted the role of data analytics and intelligent solutions when it comes to helping businesses separate from their competition. The survey of 2,000 IT leaders across the globe reinforced the notion that the ability to derive insights from data will go a long way towards determining which companies win in this new data-led era.

IT leaders realise how critical data is to their future success, even when resources are scarce. From implementing pandemic response plans to managing natural resources such as clean water to navigating new travel routes, data and analytics enable organisations to make better, faster decisions.

Data science trends

When COVID-19 hit, organisations using traditional analytics techniques that relied heavily on large amounts of historical data realised one key issue: many of these traditional models were no longer relevant. The pandemic changed everything and rendered a lot of data useless. 

Forward-looking data and analytics teams have had to pivot from traditional AI techniques relying on “big data” to a class of analytics that requires less, or small, or more varied data. Transitioning from big data to “small and wide data” is one of the Gartner top data and analytics trends for 2021 and beyond. These trends represent business, market, and technology dynamics that IT leaders cannot afford to ignore. They will help organisations and society deal with disruptive change, radical uncertainty, and new opportunities.

So, as we approach the end of 2021, is the demand still growing for data scientists, analysts, and engineers? Based on the demand we’ve seen here at luvo, we can safely say, yes, it is, but the skillsets will be different… data and analytic experts must be ready to embrace disruption and new trends.

The future of data and analytics

According to Gartner, the future of data and analytics will follow 10 trends. Each of these new trends fit under one of these three main categories:

Accelerating change in data and analytics:

Leveraging innovations in AI, improved composability, and more agile and efficient integration of more diverse data sources.

Operationalising business value through more effective XOps:

Enabling better decision-making and turning data and analytics into an integral part of the business.

Distributed everything:

Requires the flexible relating of data and insights to empower an even wider audience of people and objects.

10 data and analytics trends identified by Gartner:

Data is the new corporate currency. The impact on the data science sector is far-reaching and, as a result, a range of new roles and skillsets are in demand.

Recruiting data scientists

Data science-related roles vary enormously from company to company in terms of responsibilities, expectations, and skillsets. This can make recruiting the right data scientist quite difficult.

As recruiters, we understand the complexities and work closely with hiring managers to build out accurate job descriptions to match the requirements of that company.

We will iron out nuances to distinguish which types of data scientists will be the best fit for your business needs. And we will set realistic expectations in terms of the available candidate pool.

What skills are needed to get into a data-related role?

Pre-pandemic, and late in 2019, Linkedin reported that four of the top 10 in-demand skills were related to data analytics. And in 2020, Linkedin went on to report that two of the top 5 fastest-growing skills were related to data analytics.

And whilst these roles and skills continue to be in high demand, looking at the trends listed above, the data science requirements are evolving. Data scientists should not put all their eggs in one basket when it comes to technology or platforms. They should proactively upskill and extend their experience regularly.

Furthermore, data scientist roles are not constrained to one dominant industry, but companies are looking for industry-specific experience. So, if you have a keen interest to work in a specific sector, do your research and hone your skills.

There is no doubt it is an interdisciplinary field that combines statistics, maths, and programming. However, a superstar data scientist will also possess intellectual curiosity, an obsession with solving problems, strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills, business acumen, and data visualisation.

In our experience, we’ve found that the best data scientists have a solid understanding of how their work fits into their organisation. Moreover, they are always looking for ways to deliver real value to the business.

For more information

For more information on recruiting for roles such as data scientists, data analysts, data engineers, data architects, or other business intelligence positions, please reach out to our Talent Team.

To see which IT roles we are currently recruiting for, send us your CV or check out our Job Board for current openings. Whether you’re looking to join a dynamic start-up or a large enterprise, our experts are committed to finding you a new role at a company that’s right for you.