Data Scientist Mock Interview
Practice 30 Data Scientist interview questions covering machine learning, statistical modeling, and technical problem-solving.
Question 16 of 30
Data Scientists do a lot of exploring and testing of hypotheses. Tell me about a time you were given freedom to explore a business problem with very few parameters. What was your initial approach in attacking this project?
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William Swansen has worked in the employment assistance realm since 2007. He is an author, job search strategist, and career advisor who helps individuals worldwide and in various professions to find their ideal careers.
"Many people believe that Data Scientists are very structured, disciplined individuals with little creativity or imagination. In my experience, just the opposite is true. Successful Data Scientists know that many times the answers they are seeking lay outside of the parameters which define the project they are working on. They realize that they need to be open to exploring new ideas without imposing any restrictions on their thinking or the analysis they perform. While working on a project to help improve the process for onboarding new customers, I was given a set of parameters for the project. Instead of limiting my analysis to these, I took the initiative to explore what other issues were involved with bringing a new customer on board. I discovered six other processes that were not part of the original plan for the project. After careful analysis, it turned out that two of these were critical. By adjusting and improving these, along with some other changes, the onboarding process was accelerated and customer retention was increased."
William Swansen has worked in the employment assistance realm since 2007. He is an author, job search strategist, and career advisor who helps individuals worldwide and in various professions to find their ideal careers.
This is another question that is meant to help the interviewer determine your level of creativity and initiative. These are qualities not typically associated with Data Scientists but which are key to the results they produce. Organizations value employees that are willing to work independently with little supervision and are confident enough to be responsible for their actions. The best way to respond to this question is with confidence and a straightforward answer.
William Swansen has worked in the employment assistance realm since 2007. He is an author, job search strategist, and career advisor who helps individuals worldwide and in various professions to find their ideal careers.
"One of the most rewarding parts of my job is the ability to work on a project with few parameters and the freedom to explore and experiment. I was recently assigned to determine why sales of one of our products had fallen off. I decided to approach the problem from two perspectives - those of the sales team and the customers. Using text analysis, data visualization, and other analytical techniques, then comparing the results from the two groups, I determined that the issue was one of communication. I recommended that the sales team modify their messaging and follow up with the customers in a more timely fashion. This helped to reverse the decline in sales."
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