Should Data Scientists Have Agents?
An op-ed proposing that those who command six-figure compensation packages and are responsible for millions in corporate assets should have professional representation.
The following is a modest proposal that due to skyrocketing market demand and the proven, tangible value that data professionals add to organizations across a spectrum of industries, talent agencies should consider representing data scientists, data engineers and data analysts as they would entertainment clients. If data science is truly one of the most in-demand, one of the most lucrative and, yes, one of the sexiest jobs of the 21st century, then there would be both monetary and non-monetary advantages for both parties when it comes to taking on high-performing data and tech professionals as clients.
After spending time in the media world and being acquainted with individuals who were ‘repped’ (an industry term for agency representation), I’ve concluded that having similar representation could help new and established data professionals gain more agency over their careers, especially as the job market balance of power shifts from recruiters to candidates.
