ZachOverflow

Why Would Anyone Give Me A Data Science Job Referral?

Approaching experienced data science professionals for a referral can be scary. Understand what you, even as a data newbie, bring to the table.

ZachOverflow is a recurring column in which I attempt to answer one frequently asked data science question thoroughly and honestly. No oversaturated topics. No listicles. No clickbait. Just my (mostly) unfiltered responses based on professional experience, technical exposure and, yes, the occasional unsubstantiated opinion.

June 2018–It’s been six months since two complete strangers staked their reputations and got me into one of the most competitive internships in media. Now I sat at a cramped midtown Manhattan bar, for the first time, with the guy who made it all happen, who I referred to as my intern sherpa. We’ve since lost touch, but to maintain anonymity, I’ll refer to him as C.

Sipping on a Manhattan special (that’s what I call any watered down New York drink), I asked him the question that had been nagging me ever since I got my opportunity:

“Why me?”

“Because you didn’t ask for anything. You were genuinely curious and got to know me first.”

Even though we were alumni of the same undergraduate journalism program, we were strangers who only got to know each other through email; making matters worse, he…