Introduction
I have been working as a Data Scientist since 2017, and during that time I have been promoted from a junior/mid-level to a senior, and most recently to a Lead Data Scientist.
There is a lot of content online regarding landing your first Data Scientist position, but what I find is lacking is the amount of knowledge being shared regarding how to progress your Data Scientist career after you have already landed your first position.
In this article, I will share my experiences over the past 8 years and offer advice to those looking to take the leap and get promoted in 2025.
Show What You Can Do
I have always been a believer in earning your promotion through hard work rather than receiving it under alternative circumstances. It might seem like an obvious suggestion but simply demonstrating what you’re capable of and that you’re ready to step up and take on more responsibility is key to landing a promotion.
Take advantage of opportunities to showcase your work and vocalise what you have achieved. Many companies host internal show-and-tell sessions where individuals are given the opportunity to present their work to the wider organisation, take advantage of these opportunities! During these interactions, don’t just focus on the technical elements of your work, provide insights into how your work has directly contributed to business goals (e.g. increasing ROI, reducing costs, or improving efficiency).
With that said, it is not only about showcasing your work once complete. You also need to show that you are ready to take the lead on projects and that you understand how project success directly impacts company goals. Start to take more ownership of your work, when speaking to stakeholders, demonstrate that you are willing to take on more responsibility for your tasks and their outcomes.
Always remember, actions speak louder than words!
Keep Track of Your Achievements
Most of the companies I have worked for have their employees fill out annual or quarterly personal development plans (PDPs) as a way to set goals and track progress over time. If your company does not do this, I highly recommend that you set these goals yourself as a benchmark of what you want to achieve in the short/mid-term. Having a PDP in place provides you with a formal future checkpoint which you can discuss with your line manager. Individuals who are overachieving in their PDP goals are much more likely to gain promotion or receive a salary increase.
I also recommend keeping an updated personal list of all of your main achievements broken down by quarter, therefore you have solid evidence to back up your claims that you are ready to step up and be promoted. Always ask for feedback from senior colleagues when completing projects and document this, a strong candidate for promotion should be able to demonstrate their ability to implement feedback and improve their performance over time.
Don’t just focus on technical achievements; also focus on non-technical achievements, such as leading a workshop, mentoring a junior team member, or temporarily taking on more responsibility due to an annual leave or absence.
In my experience, those who approach the conversation of promotion with factual documented achievements have a much better chance of being promoted, and preparation is key.
Be Visible
Throughout my 8 years as a Data Scientist, I have witnessed individuals less qualified get promoted over others simply because they were more visible and had established a presence within the company.
There is the perception that Data Scientists are promoted primarily based on their technical experience, but this is not the case. Having a broader presence within your company is a great asset when looking to land a promotion. I believe the higher the promotion, the more visible you should be to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
To become more visible in your company, you should:
- Speak up during group discussions, vocalise your ideas, and do not be afraid to challenge other people’s opinions, regardless of job titles.
- Spend time getting to know others within the business, and engage with product managers, stakeholders, and broader technical teams e.g. software developers.
- Present your work at technical talks or write about your achievements via company blogs.
- Spend time at lunch and after work with colleagues, and get to know them personally outside of a work setting.
These actions can be challenging, especially for more introverted people. To simplify, just start communicating with others outside of your immediate team.
Business Structure
Every company is different. What you first need to do is understand how your company handles promotions. Some companies will batch promotions together, others will prefer to recruit externally, and others will promote ad-hoc throughout the year.
You will find in larger companies there are more hoops to jump through, more people are involved, and there is a higher level of sign-off before a promotion is granted. Smaller companies and start-ups are often able to promote at a much faster pace.
My advice would be to look at existing employees who have been promoted during the time you have worked at the company. Analyse their path and understand whether or not this is something you are able to replicate. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to approach them and ask them about their own journey. Once you understand this process, it gives you more information to roadmap your own progression.
Unfortunately, some things can arise that are out of your control, such as restructures, funding, and people’s opinions that you are not quite at the level they expect for the position you are hoping to be promoted to.
Keep Learning
To be successful as a Data Scientist you must have a passion for continuous learning. New research is being published daily at a rate that makes it impossible to keep up, but we need to try!
Throughout your day-to-day responsibilities as a Data Scientist, you will be picking up new skills and learning. While this is great, I would advise you to also keep an eye on trending topics outside of the remit in which you are working. Personally, I have found podcasts and newsletters to be a great tool for providing me with the perfect level of information I require to ensure I am up-to-date with the most recent Data Science news.
An often disregarded learning resource is actually the people around you who you work with day-to-day. Keep an interest in their projects, ask them what they are working on, and learn from them.
Take Advice from Others
The best place to get advice on getting promoted is to ask those who have recently experienced this themselves (that is why you are reading this, right?).
Sometimes you believe you are ready for a promotion when in fact you are not. In these circumstances, it is great to have a mentor or senior colleague who can provide you with advice and recommend areas for you to develop further before pursuing a conversation regarding promotion.
For instances where you are ready, you want to set yourself up with the best pitch possible to deliver to your line manager. Although I am providing you with my personal advice in this article, you must understand that all companies are different. I strongly advise you to reach out to your senior colleagues and ask them about what makes a good senior in your company. Take their advice, build your case, work on developing any areas they believe are essential, and arrange the conversation to pitch yourself as a strong candidate for the newly available senior position at your company.
Final Thoughts
Your tenure at a company alone does not warrant you to be next in line for promotion, neither does your technical ability alone or your relationship with your stakeholders.
From my experience, those who demonstrate what they are capable of, keep a log of all their achievements, enhance their visibility, understand the business structure, continue to expand their knowledge, and take advice from others have a much higher likelihood of getting promoted.
Don’t get me wrong, there are instances where promotions are not handed to the best-suited candidate, but by following the six points in this article, you will be maximising your chances of being successfully promoted in 2025.
Disclaimer: Unless stated otherwise, all images included in this article are owned by the author.
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Happy learning! 🚀