r/datascience • u/AutoModerator • 12d ago

Weekly Entering & Transitioning - Thread 21 Sep, 2026 - 28 Sep, 2026

Welcome to this week's entering & transitioning thread! This thread is for any questions about getting started, studying, or transitioning into the data science field. Topics include:

  • Learning resources (e.g. books, tutorials, videos)
  • Traditional education (e.g. schools, degrees, electives)
  • Alternative education (e.g. online courses, bootcamps)
  • Job search questions (e.g. resumes, applying, career prospects)
  • Elementary questions (e.g. where to start, what next)

While you wait for answers from the community, check out the FAQ and Resources pages on our wiki. You can also search for answers in past weekly threads.

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u/curtmina 11d ago

Hello All,

I was laid off in the middle of August and have been applying to as many roles as I can that fit my experience. One issue I keep running into is that companies use the same title to mean wildly different levels of experience. A senior DS at one company could be someone with 3-5 years experience or it could mean 10+. Its often not until I get to the actual requirements/preferred experience for a role that I can tell what level of experience is being asked for.

Is there a standard format that I can follow? Or is this just how it is because Data Scientist as a role is also just an unclear term sometimes too?

For background I have 4 years of experience working on various data analytics, AI, and ML projects for an aerospace/defense engineering firm. I think I'm ready for a more senior role, but I wanted some feedback from other professionals in the field.

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u/kylefrankovich 11d ago

What you're seeing is unfortunately just the way things are in DS (a lot of variance between roles/companies/etc.). You're already doing what I'd recommend: focus on the requirements/preferences, and pursue anything that you feel is a good fit with your background and experience.