Data Science's Most Misunderstood Hero

Be careful which skills you put on a pedestal, since the effects of unwise choices can be devastating. In addition to mismanaged teams and unnecessary hires, you'll see the real heroes quitting or re-educating themselves to fit your incentives du jour. A prime example of this phenomenon is in analytics. The top trophy hire in data science is elusive, and it's no surprise: "full-stack" data scientist means mastery of machine learning, statistics, and analytics. When teams can't get their hands on a three-in-one polymath, they set their sights on luring the most impressive prize among the single-origin specialists. Today's fashion in data science favors flashy sophistication with a dash of sci-fi, making AI and machine learning darlings of the hiring circuit.