Top 20 Tips for Finding Data Jobs in Houston
Data jobs like data analyst, data scientist, and data entry jobs, among others, as covered over at runrex.com, are among the most lucrative and highly sought-after nowadays. The only question is where can you find, especially in a city like Houston with so many potential employers for such jobs. To help you with that, here is a list of 20 tips for finding data jobs in Houston.
Keep your resume updated
Before you even begin your job hunt, the gurus over at guttulus.com recommend that you update your resume, and then keep it that way. Add any related work and side projects you are currently working on, and list all relevant technologies and frameworks. Also, make sure that you tailor your resume for each job application and avoid a cookie-cutter approach.
Practice interview questions
As is articulated over at runrex.com, there are lots of practice guides online for free as well as archived questions on websites like Glassdoor among others. Practice common interview questions as well as coding challenges if you want to land data jobs in Houston.
Work on a side project
As per the experts over at guttulus.com, if you are actually interested in data jobs, especially data science and data analytics jobs, then you should make sure you have lots of side projects and project ideas. Try doing a project related to the field you are targeting if you are to impress employers in Houston.
Target jobs within your domain
It is also worth noting that you will have much better luck getting interviews if you apply for jobs within the industry you are currently working on are targeting. Domain expertise is incredibly important, especially for feature engineering, and is something employers in Houston pay close attention to.
Start anywhere
You should also be willing to accept junior or ancillary roles when looking for data jobs in Houston. You should be open to entry-level roles with a lower salary, and take a long-term perspective, as this will help you get your feet through the door, and increase your options when looking for data jobs in Houston.
Check out big online job boards
If you are to find data jobs in Houston, you should ensure that you are set up on big online job boards like Indeed, Glassdoor, and many others as covered at runrex.com. These sites list a large number of jobs and also have an “Easy Apply” option that allows you to send credentials quickly, and will connect you with opportunities in Houston.
Don’t restrict yourself to only the major job boards
While the job boards mentioned in the previous point are useful resources when looking for data jobs in Houston, you should remember that many companies avoid hiring from them, especially for technical jobs. This is why, according to guttulus.com, you should not limit yourself only to these sites if you want to find data jobs in Houston.
Check out data science and data analytics job boards
If you are looking for data science and data analytics jobs, then you should check out popular data job boards in this vertical. From discussions over at runrex.com, they include Kaggle Jobs, KDnuggets Jobs, Outer Join, AnalyticsVidhya, Stats Jobs, DataJobs, etc.
GitHub and AngelList
In addition to the job boards listed in the previous point, you should also check out GitHub and AngelList when looking for data jobs in Houston. AngelList will connect you with job opportunities with startups in Houston, and it’s the best option if you are interested in working with a startup.
Optimize your GitHub profile
Additionally, rather than just looking for data jobs in Houston on GitHub, you should also make sure that your profile is well set up, and that people can view your projects when they check out your profile. This will allow employers in Houston to find you, even as you work to find them.
Check out company websites
A company’s website can be a good place to find and apply for jobs. Therefore, as the subject matter experts over at guttulus.com point out, make sure you know the companies in Houston you are targeting, and then regularly check out their websites for any job opportunities.
Reach out to HR
While a company’s website can be a good place to find and apply for jobs as mentioned in the previous point, it can sometimes be difficult to tell how recent job postings are (as well as the fact that not all companies keep their websites regularly updated). This is why, whenever possible, it is probably best to reach out to the HR director, hiring manager, or data team leader before applying as explained over at runrex.com.
Networking
Also, don’t make the mistake that many job applicants make and only look at online job boards since it is convenient to do so. According to guttulus.com, if you are looking to boost your chances of success, then you may be better of taking a much more personal approach. Supercharge your networking skills if you want to land a data job in Houston.
You shouldn’t also hesitate to reach out directly to data science/data analytics recruiters or working data professionals on LinkedIn, particularly if they operate in Houston or work for a company in the city that you are particularly interested in.
Many people, particularly recruiters, have company emails posted publicly on the company’s website or social media accounts. If you can’t find an email address, tools like Hunter.io and VollaNorbert are great for finding employee email accounts as long as you know the name of the person and their company’s URL. Make sure you keep your initial message short and to the point when you do reach out, with the goal being to establish a relationship.
Social media
As is revealed in discussions on the same over at runrex.com, social media can be another great way to interact with members of the data community and make connections, which can lead to job opportunities. Check out platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and even TikTok, etc. Interact with data science/analytics influencers in Houston as well.
Online communities
In addition to social media platforms, you should also check out online communities like Reddit and Quora. According to guttulus.com, these communities will not only give you an opportunity to network, but they will also allow you to be among the first people to know of job opportunities in Houston.
Meetups and events
Data and tech industry meetups and events can be a great way to connect with other people in the community, network, and find jobs. Often, hosts will even ask the audience, “who’s hiring?” so that you can easily spot the folks with whom you should be trying to chat. Check out runrex.com for more information on data meetups and events in Houston.
Leverage Meetup.com
On a related note to the previous point, you can also check out Meetup.com if you are having trouble finding events and meetups near you. Given that Houston is a major city, you will have no trouble finding meetups in the area as all you will need to do is type in keywords like “data science”.
Conferences
If you want to cram a ton of valuable networking into a very short period or build a broader network of contacts outside of your local region, then you should look into attending some data-related conferences in Houston.
These are some of the tips that will help you find and land data jobs in Houston, with more on this wide topic to be found over at runrex.com and guttulus.com.