With the advancement of technologies, we can collect data at all times. Every internet user has a digital footprint. This footprint can be analyzed by companies to study the present and future behavior of their consumers. This data might also consist of information regarding employees and the processes in a company. This information can be used to improve the productivity of the company.  To make sense of this data, a company needs to hire an employee with data mining skills. 

Data miners use software that creates statistical data sets that can be further analyzed to develop solutions that benefit their company. The work of data miners is not limited to making sense of the data, as they need to master the realms of technology and device plans for the betterment of the company.

The field of data mining presents an enticing proposition. Companies will always collect data; in certain cases, this data is never quantified. It is one of the fastest-growing fields in the job market, making a future in data mining secure. 

Let’s go through the steps one should take to establish a data mining career:

Steps to follow to make a Data Mining Career 

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1) Know your vocation 

This is one of the most important aspects that should be considered if you want to become a data mining specialist. Having an aptitude for analytics makes it easier for anyone to enter the field of data mining. 

It’s necessary to think about your life in retrospect to find instances where you showed a bias towards analytics. Having an interest in anything you pursue goes a long way toward becoming proficient in a data mining career. 

2) Enroll in a data science course 

A data science course involves in-depth information about the data mining skills you require to become a data mining specialist. Gaining theoretical and practical knowledge in a controlled environment allows an aspiring data miner to gain valuable experience. 

Data mining experts work on different types of databases every day. Any aspiring data miner needs to equip themselves with the data mining skills to process this data. In-depth knowledge of software such as SQL, SAS, and NoSQL are required to progress in the field of data mining.

A data miner should also be a good programmer; this involves having hands-on practical experience using Java, Php, and Perl. Last but not least, data miners should be comfortable with using Linux operating systems. You can learn all these data mining skills by pursuing a data science course.

Let us have a look at data mining skills that a comprehensive Data Science Course should cover-

• Programming/statistics language: R, Python, C++, Java, Matlab, SQL, SAS, shell/awk/sed…
• Big data processing frameworks: Hadoop, Storm, Samza, Spark, Flink
• Operating System: Linux
• Database knowledge: Relational Databases & Non-Relational Databases
• Basic Statistics Knowledge: Probability, Probability Distribution, Correlation, Regression, Linear Algebra, Stochastic Process…
• Data Structure & Algorithms
• Machine Learning/Deep Learning Algorithm
• Natural Language Processing
• Project Experience
• Communication & Presentation Skills

3) Get a job in data mining 

You can start by getting some experience in real-time data mining projects by doing an internship or preparing some freelancing data mining projects.

Once you’ve gained the necessary data mining skills required to excel in this field, you should apply to companies that are looking for data miners. As mentioned earlier, data science provides you with many opportunities as every company needs to process the data they collect. 

Working in an office will allow you to master your data mining skills and teach you the secrets of data mining. On the job, experience helps you expand your horizons even further, also allowing you to hone your data mining skills.

Data Mining Skills important to be a Data Mining Specialist

A data mining specialist need to build an elaborate skill set. Let’s look at some of the data mining skills required to have a top-notch data mining career:

1) Thorough Knowledge of Software

Data mining is not a non-technical field. It is a field that is encompassed in the domain of computer science and related technology. Software is an integral part of computer technology.

As mentioned earlier in the article, gaining a thorough knowledge and hands-on experience of software such as SAS, Java, Php, Perl, Hadoop, Spark, Hive, etc., will help you extract data as well as structure it into data sets. 

Mastering these Softwares makes you a valuable asset for any company. You can learn all this Softwares by pursuing a data science course.

2) Knowledge of at least one programming language

Technology is always up for innovation, invention, and novel technology. In the field of computers, programming is the sole of any subject. No one can escape from programming if you are aiming to be a data mining specialist.

As stated in a data mining course, the usage of the correct software, and the perfect application of statistics requires thorough knowledge of programming. Several programming languages exist. Some of them are old, whereas some of them are under development.

A person who wants to be a data mining specialist should know at least one developed language like Python, Perl, or R. Apart from that, he/she needs to be abreast of the latest technologies that are springing up in the domain of computer programming.  

3) Information about Databases and Operating Systems

The term ‘data mining’ in itself suggests the importance of data in this domain. Data is information. There is information coming in from various sources—the quantity of this information is stupendous.

Hence, you need knowledge of the database and its management for the effective and efficient handling of large datasets as important data mining skills. Also, the operating system is very important in data mining. It is the soul of a computer. The entire working of the machine depends on this operating system.

There are many types of operating systems, and one can use the most suitable one based on the features and applications of the system.

4) Basics of Statistics

Data mining isn’t all about collecting data through coding or facilitating machine learning. As a data miner, you need to assess the data that you extract. Knowing statistical sciences, which includes probability, linear algebra, correlation, and regression, allows you to identify the problems.

Having a basic knowledge of statistics also allows you to find solutions to the problems and present them articulately. Therefore, it is essential to have a basic knowledge of statistics to pursue a data mining career. You can gain this knowledge by enrolling yourself in a data science course.

5) Strong Communication Skills

Data means information. There is information that can be processed by the computer software to generate an output that can be used by the common man with the utmost ease for his benefits. There is no importance of data if it cannot be conveyed to others in the right manner.

As a data scientist, you should explain the data to others in the most efficient manner. This is one of the non-technical data mining skills. 

Not everyone has your level of expertise. There could be some non-technical people around you who need simplification. This expertise means that you need to simplify this data and present it to your non-technical colleagues. 

If you can do this well, you can be an accomplished data mining specialist.

6) Creating Dashboards

As a data mining specialist, you need to provide your company with the option of previewing and understanding data without your help. If you need to be summoned to make sense of all the data in your company, many crucial decisions will get delayed. 

By creating a dashboard, you will empower the company’s non-technical employees to quickly access and understand the data you have structured without your help. 

Removing these technical barriers will speed up the decision-making process, which will benefit your company in the long-run.

7) Problem-Solving

The job of a data-miner involves extracting and making sense of data that has been collected by the company. But during this process, a data mining specialist will come across many roadblocks.

These roadblocks may include the financial limitations of your company or a glitch in the software you’re using. Having the know-how of tackling these problems is an important skill. It would be best if you learned how to weave your way out of these limitations by clever thinking and creativity.

Whatever the circumstances, strong problem-solving skills will be an incredible advantage for anyone in a data mining career.

8) Gaining experience of working on a data mining project

Many data mining aspirants have this question lingering in their heads, ‘how to land a data mining job?’ The best answer to this question is to have experience working on a data mining project.

There are various ways to gain this experience. One of the ways is to do an internship. Many small and big companies offer such internships. These internships are for a predefined finite period of time and are targeted towards a single project or domain. This will help you gain real-time industry experience with this technology.

Along with this, you can go freelancing and do some data mining projects by yourself. This will help you get an edge over other data mining enthusiasts, and you will be able to have a great data mining career.   

Final Thoughts about Data Mining Skills!

The field of data science is full of opportunities. 

Learning the important data mining skills required to become a data mining specialist will help you secure your future. Enrolling in a data science course will provide you with the data mining skills required to excel in this field.

In case of any doubts about key data mining skills for you, feel free to ask us in the comment section below.

Garima Kakkar

Garima is a data-driven marketing manager who is buff of Big Data, Digital Marketing & Social Media. Conceiving and executing Digital Marketing Strategies that focus on the audience engagement and acquisition/growth are her strong suits. Writing blogs is something that she holds high for sharing her expertise of which you can get the dividends here, through Digital Vidya blogs.