5 Reasons Why Every Data Scientist Should Consider Freelancing | by Shawhin Talebi | Nov, 2022

It may be uncomfortable, but it’s good for you

Whether you are employed or unemployed, a seasoned pro or a novice, like it or not, freelancing can be good for you.

Before diving into it, a little background on me. I started working in data science during grad school. For those who aren’t familiar, the bulk of grad school consists of research, deadlines, and writing a thesis.

Halfway through my 3rd year, I started my freelancing journey by taking on short-term projects and fusing them into my research and writing schedules. While I would have learned plenty without this additional workload, freelancing took my development as a data scientist to another level. Here I will discuss 5 benefits I have found through my experience.

One of the greatest powers of data science is that it is context agnostic. Meaning you can use the same technique to solve a wide range of problems (e.g. logistic regression — assessing customer churn, evaluating credit risk, predicting stock prices, etc). This gives data scientists a unique opportunity to apply their expertise to a wide range of fields and industries.

Despite this opportunity, it’s easy for data scientists to operate in a narrow set of contexts, which can be problematic if your goal is to learn and improve.

This brings up the first benefit I found in freelancing: exposure to new fields and problems. It feels similar to traveling. Just as visiting abroad helps you gain a greater understanding of life and culture, exploring new problems helps you gain a deeper understanding of data science.

Data scientists aren’t typically known for their supreme powers of sales, marketing, and negotiation. This is exactly why freelancing was good for me. It provided me with several opportunities to develop these skills.

When you freelance, most potential clients are strangers. Therefore you need to connect and communicate with people who don’t know anything about what you know or how you can solve their problems. In other words, you need to sell yourself and your ideas, which is a good skill set to have no matter where you end up in life.

There are 2 key elements to learning: reps and feedback. The more reps and the faster the feedback the better. Accordingly, if you’re trying to improve your resume, craft compelling proposals, or present yourself effectively, you need reps and feedback.

This is an aspect in which freelancing dominates full-time roles. There are significantly more contract opportunities out there than full-time roles. Furthermore, contract roles operate on much shorter time scales.

Put explicitly,

• More contract opportunities mean more reps.
• Shorter timescales mean faster feedback.

Needless to say, the contractor is going to have a much better pitch than the full-timer.

Another aspect in which freelance dominates (most) full-time roles is flexibility. Contracts often don’t restrict when or where work needs to be done, it just needs to get done by the deadline. If that means you work 4 hours a day from a loft in Honduras or 12 hours Monday-Wednesday from your mom’s basement, you are free to do that.

Additionally, you choose your work. If a project seems boring, no need to pursue it. Conversely, if a project looks exciting you have a big influence on your chances of getting that contract.

This tremendous autonomy doesn’t just sound like the good life, it has a big impact on motivation. When we can choose what we work on, when we work on it, and who we work with, the work we do is more engaging.

The final benefit I have found in freelancing is developing new relationships. There is a saying that “your network is your net worth”. The way I interpret this is, who you know has value.

Sure, you can put a dollar amount to it, but often the value comes through as meaningful connections, engaging conversations, and the comfort of “having a guy (or gal) for that”.

Through my contract work, I have had the opportunity to meet fascinating people who work in worlds I didn’t even know existed. I’ve worked with ER doctors, special forces operators, clinicians, business people, and researchers with so many different backgrounds and experiences. These connections have truly enriched how I see the world.

If these 5 reasons weren’t enough, there is always the money. Data science contracting work can be very lucrative. Typical hourly rates are around $56 an hour according to ZipRecruiter, while Interview Query states even higher rates above $200. Whether it is the main source of income or just a side gig, freelancing is a good way to bring in cash.

It may be uncomfortable, but it’s good for you

Whether you are employed or unemployed, a seasoned pro or a novice, like it or not, freelancing can be good for you.

Before diving into it, a little background on me. I started working in data science during grad school. For those who aren’t familiar, the bulk of grad school consists of research, deadlines, and writing a thesis.

Halfway through my 3rd year, I started my freelancing journey by taking on short-term projects and fusing them into my research and writing schedules. While I would have learned plenty without this additional workload, freelancing took my development as a data scientist to another level. Here I will discuss 5 benefits I have found through my experience.

One of the greatest powers of data science is that it is context agnostic. Meaning you can use the same technique to solve a wide range of problems (e.g. logistic regression — assessing customer churn, evaluating credit risk, predicting stock prices, etc). This gives data scientists a unique opportunity to apply their expertise to a wide range of fields and industries.

Despite this opportunity, it’s easy for data scientists to operate in a narrow set of contexts, which can be problematic if your goal is to learn and improve.

This brings up the first benefit I found in freelancing: exposure to new fields and problems. It feels similar to traveling. Just as visiting abroad helps you gain a greater understanding of life and culture, exploring new problems helps you gain a deeper understanding of data science.

Data scientists aren’t typically known for their supreme powers of sales, marketing, and negotiation. This is exactly why freelancing was good for me. It provided me with several opportunities to develop these skills.

When you freelance, most potential clients are strangers. Therefore you need to connect and communicate with people who don’t know anything about what you know or how you can solve their problems. In other words, you need to sell yourself and your ideas, which is a good skill set to have no matter where you end up in life.

There are 2 key elements to learning: reps and feedback. The more reps and the faster the feedback the better. Accordingly, if you’re trying to improve your resume, craft compelling proposals, or present yourself effectively, you need reps and feedback.

This is an aspect in which freelancing dominates full-time roles. There are significantly more contract opportunities out there than full-time roles. Furthermore, contract roles operate on much shorter time scales.

Put explicitly,

• More contract opportunities mean more reps.
• Shorter timescales mean faster feedback.

Needless to say, the contractor is going to have a much better pitch than the full-timer.

Another aspect in which freelance dominates (most) full-time roles is flexibility. Contracts often don’t restrict when or where work needs to be done, it just needs to get done by the deadline. If that means you work 4 hours a day from a loft in Honduras or 12 hours Monday-Wednesday from your mom’s basement, you are free to do that.

Additionally, you choose your work. If a project seems boring, no need to pursue it. Conversely, if a project looks exciting you have a big influence on your chances of getting that contract.

This tremendous autonomy doesn’t just sound like the good life, it has a big impact on motivation. When we can choose what we work on, when we work on it, and who we work with, the work we do is more engaging.

The final benefit I have found in freelancing is developing new relationships. There is a saying that “your network is your net worth”. The way I interpret this is, who you know has value.

Sure, you can put a dollar amount to it, but often the value comes through as meaningful connections, engaging conversations, and the comfort of “having a guy (or gal) for that”.

Through my contract work, I have had the opportunity to meet fascinating people who work in worlds I didn’t even know existed. I’ve worked with ER doctors, special forces operators, clinicians, business people, and researchers with so many different backgrounds and experiences. These connections have truly enriched how I see the world.

If these 5 reasons weren’t enough, there is always the money. Data science contracting work can be very lucrative. Typical hourly rates are around $56 an hour according to ZipRecruiter, while Interview Query states even higher rates above $200. Whether it is the main source of income or just a side gig, freelancing is a good way to bring in cash.