Career change into Data Science in 2023: Was it worth it?

Making career decisions can be flipping hard work.

These days, it seems like every man and his dog are trying to switch into Data Science, but it can be really hard to know whether this is the right move for you. If you’re considering becoming a Data Scientist, chances are that you’ve come across a lot of “hype” about the industry, and also read your fair share of “Why you should NOT become a Data Scientist in 2023”-style articles. Often, however, I think these articles lack a personal touch, and it can be quite difficult as a non-Data Scientist to know which opinions you should trust.

Over the last two years, I have changed from being a Project Manager/Business Analyst to becoming a Data Scientist, and I am writing this article to share my honest reflections on why I chose to leave my old role, why I picked Data Science, and whether I’d recommend you do the same.

Why I became a Data Scientist

Around the start of 2020, I felt stuck on a career path I like to call “business generalism”. I was in the middle of a two-year rotational graduate scheme working for Vodafone, a large telecoms company based in London, UK. The scheme itself was fantastic — it involved completing several placements across different areas of the business, which was a great way to learn about how a large corporate works and make the transition from university to “the real world” of full-time work.