Live data from Hacker News

I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

refinery29.com

31–40 of 163 posts

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I run a SaaS analytics product company in NYC. I help refer data analysts and data scientists to my customers. Sharp analysts can command $140k base with about 3 years of experience right now.

Just because they can, doesn't mean it's average or to be expected. I think a lot of people on here (and Blind) constantly say everyone is underpaid. It might be trying to help educate people they can be paid more. But it's usually framed in a way most people find insulting. Only 5% of laborers in cities like LA and NYC make over $200k a year. That number is a bit higher in The Bay. Only about 12-15% of people make o…

Average? No. Expected? Yes.

Technologists systemically undervalue themselves. Partly because the barrier to entry to software/analysts is so low, and most people are pretty bad. It's also because interviewing is such a time-consuming task that most people only look at 1-3 offers when getting a new job.

If you look in comment history you'll see a few references to me paying engineers/data scientists/data analysts $400 to spend an afternoon with me solving a real world problem. If I felt like you were someone I would work with, I personally introduce you to the head of a team at a companies that I know pays great money and has a great team, and you're fast tracked to the final interview (mostly culture and talking tech. No bullshit).

I always knew what the position paid, and the candidates would always sell themselves 10-20% of what they could get (I obviously helped them get the most they could).

Just because the market is skewed with a lot of bad candidates and poor negotiators doesn't mean the market price is accurate. We can all do better.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#32

Idk if real world engineering is often about passion. Who is passionate about legacy code, constantly changing design requirements and live site issues/on call? I love to build things but at the end of the day it's more of a job than it is a passion project.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#33

Link to original post: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/six-figure-paycheck-data-sc... (Edit: URL fixed) The real question is that $125k as a Senior Data Analyst in NYC seems low. > I have this creative side, which comes in handy when thinking through challenging problems, but there is only so much creativity that I can use when in data analysis. This I disagree with; in data analysis/science, there's more than way t…

[deleted]

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#34

So I left my 'typical' role type for a massive paycut due to being done with working in SF and Silicon Valley for something I am passionate about. I turned down a job at $180,000 and took a job at $52,000. (previous to that I was making $228,000 - as a consultant) Because I have literally no passion for what I used to do, the ageism, cut-throat bullshit in silicon valley has quite a toll. Housing is retarded. Transpo…

20-something here, we get it too, or people in late 20s anyways. I recently quit a $220k job to pursue a passion startup. I can at least say this: 3 months in and the health metrics I track are significantly better - sleep, heart rate, HRV, blood glucose, and inflammation markers. While it's a great stepping stone for gaining skills and credentials, there's really nothing "high status" about being an employee for som…

How do you track those markers?

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#35
I often wonder how/why professional developers got into this profession - and basically came to conclusion that it’s not for everyone (basically solving puzzles all day long in front of monitor), and most folks move out from it (into management or wherever) after about 10 years. Especially those that got into it for money.

Personally I got into it by accident - and couldn’t believe that I get paid to basically continuing playing games that I was into as teenager and solving various puzzles all day long.... I was doing it for free before, and frankly would still be if not for all the money bull shit all around us.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#36
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just because they can, doesn't mean it's average or to be expected. I think a lot of people on here (and Blind) constantly say everyone is underpaid. It might be trying to help educate people they can be paid more. But it's usually framed in a way most people find insulting. Only 5% of laborers in cities like LA and NYC make over $200k a year. That number is a bit higher in The Bay. Only about 12-15% of people make o…

Thank you so, so much for pointing this out. I am so tired of basically everybody believing they are under-paid by making $120k+ It puts out the wrong expectations. Most people under-estimate, what kind of life they can live with $60-80k anyways.

What are the "wrong expectations" put out?

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#37
I find the last two paragraphs on this web page to be hilariously juxtaposed:

> "Slow down and enjoy the moment. It's not worth stressing about how to become a partner in ten years or make money as quickly as possible. Set an attainable goal (something you can achieve in six months or a year) and work towards that."

> Are you a woman under 35 with a six-figure salary ($100,000+) and want to tell your story? Submit it here.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#38

So I left my 'typical' role type for a massive paycut due to being done with working in SF and Silicon Valley for something I am passionate about. I turned down a job at $180,000 and took a job at $52,000. (previous to that I was making $228,000 - as a consultant) Because I have literally no passion for what I used to do, the ageism, cut-throat bullshit in silicon valley has quite a toll. Housing is retarded. Transpo…

Same. I'm now $90k/year behind my peers that haven't left Silicon Valley but every time we talk I'm clearly better off overall financially and emotionally. I think a lot of people aren't satisfied in their careers and double-down on investment in their careers thinking that'll fix it (and sometimes it might, but not always). You gotta prioritize and keep things in perspective.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#39

Idk if real world engineering is often about passion. Who is passionate about legacy code, constantly changing design requirements and live site issues/on call? I love to build things but at the end of the day it's more of a job than it is a passion project.

Passion is a tricky thing because even great jobs require some combination of cool, interesting things and wading through shit. A job that you're passionate about doesn't mean one that's shit-free--it just means that you get enough fulfillment out of the good parts that you're happy to tolerate the stench.

Re: I'm a Data Scientist and It's Not My Passion

#40
The media's constant reporting on college debt and low paying majors has actually had a large impact on what the next generation is studying. https://qz.com/1370922/the-2008-financial-crisis-completely-...

The humanities and social sciences have fallen off a cliff, heath care and STEM has soared. I'm skeptical that this is a good thing.

Post reply on HN