Resources

The Tools You Need to Take Your Data Science Learning and Career to the Next Level

My resources section is a curated list of the tools and websites I strongly recommend for learning analytics and building a data science career. I have tested every recommendation on this page. Many of the resources listed here have been and continue to be crucial to my growth as a data scientist.

Before digging into these awesome resources, an important disclosure:

Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no extra cost to you. I have experience with all of these companies and products, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you purchase something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you achieve your goals.

Companies to Help You Find a Great Job

As we all know, job searching can be a stressful and tiring experience. Luckily for us, data science and analytics are an in-demand fields, and there's a new type of company that can help you get a job with much less stress! Here's how it works:

  1. You fill out a quick application detailing your background and the types of jobs you're looking for.
  2. They will forward your information to companies looking for your talents. You can block your current employer from seeing this.
  3. The companies apply to you, complete with job position and salary expectation.
  4. You decide which companies you'd like to interview with!

In my most recent job search, I worked almost exclusively through these companies to find interesting opportunities. Two of my favorites:

Start a Blog To Supercharge Your Career

Creating my blog is, by far, the most profitable thing I have ever done for my career. I got my first data science job because of this blog. I'm able to help thousands of other people on their journeys to learn R and improve their careers each month because of this blog.

I can trace much of the money I've made and the career satisfaction I've enjoyed over the last 5 years directly to this blog.

Still, when I encourage other data scientists and analytics people to start a blog, they're skeptical.

I get it. A blog is a commitment. And you won't see success overnight. But I promise you this: if you start a blog and stick with it, writing consistently, you will see success. You will learn new things, grow your network, find new job opportunities and grow your income. Again, it won't happen overnight, but starting a blog is the single highest leverage thing you can do to grow your analytics career.

Recommended Books

In a culture increasingly driven by quick hits of information on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, I am a strong believer in the value of focus. Focused reading of a single topic is still the best way to understand something deeply. I spend a good amount of my time reading every day, and I think that this makes me a better programmer, a more nuanced thinker, and a more well rounded person.

The books below are my top recommendations for learning R, statistics, and data visualization. I am also including books that I believe are good resources to help you interview, get a new job, and grow your career.

Top Data Science Podcasts

I'm also a big fan of listening to podcasts to learn about new material and keep up to date on the latest trends in data science. I listen to podcasts on the subway, when I'm walking around, or when I have an hour to kill with nothing to do. They're one of the best ways to get advice directly from experts in your industry.

Get my Ultimate List of 41 Top Data Science Podcasts

You can check out my top 5 podcast recommendations below. But if 5 isn't enough, and you want more (trust me, I'm with you), then you'll want to check out my ultimate list of the top 41 data science podcasts that I recently created by crowdsourcing recommendations from Google search results. You can get the full list here:

Get the Ultimate List of 41 Data Science Podcasts

Data Stories

Enrico Bertini and Moritz Stefaner discuss the latest developments in data analytics, visualization and related topics.

Data Skeptic

The Data Skeptic Podcast features interviews and discussion of topics related to data science, statistics, machine learning, artificial intelligence and the like, all from the perspective of applying critical thinking and the scientific method to evaluate the veracity of claims and efficacy of approaches.

The O'Reilly Data Show

The O'Reilly Data Show explores the opportunities and techniques driving big data, data science, and AI. Through interviews and analysis, they highlight the people putting data to work.

Not So Standard Deviations

Roger Peng and Hilary Parker talk about the latest in data science and data analysis in academia and industry.

Present Beyond Measure

Your one-stop shop for essential data visualization and presentation skills for digital marketers, web analysts, and BI practitioners. This is the toolset you need to present your data, inform business decisions, inspire action, and become indispensable.