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?

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.

"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."