A New Perspective
On Your Strengths
The DST Profiler is the first profiling system designed to help Data Scientists and Data Engineers discover their unique combinations of strengths and skills.
Based on your responses to a web-based multiple choice questionnaire of 77 questions, you’ll receive valuable insights into the precise mix of the 8 distinct Data Scientist or Engineer profiles that describe you best.
We are measuring your inclination towards - and strengths in - different aspects of Data Science and engineering work. Our profiling tool evaluates your strengths in 12 key dimensions commonly used in Data Science and engineering, helping you understand what type of work you are best suited for.
Unlock Your Potential:
Discover Your unique Data Science And Engineering Profile
Your combination of skills is completely unique. By clearly understanding your strengths, you can focus on your most impactful work and achieve better results. You will be able to make more informed decisions about your career path, identify areas where you need to improve your skills, and discover new opportunities that are well suited to your unique strengths.
Using our profiling tool is simple and straightforward. Once you complete the questionnaire, you will receive a detailed report outlining your strengths and skills, as well as the types of job profiles that may be best suited to your unique skillset. We invite you to take our profiling questionnaire today and discover what type of data scientist or engineer you are. It's completely free, and it could be an important step towards unlocking your full potential in the world of data science and engineering.
We invite you to take our profiling questionnaire today and discover what type of data scientist or engineer you are. It's completely free, and it could be an important step towards unlocking your full potential in the world of data science and engineering.
What exactly is the DST Profiler & why do you need it?
The DST Profiler system is a typology-based model describing eight interconnected profiles that exist in a data science and engineering team. The system measures inclination and relative strength across 12 dimensions (skills). Each of the eight profiles are then built on a combination of the three or four key dimensions, identified as the main strengths of that profile. There is overlap between the profiles and in reality, most Data Scientists or Data Engineers are a combination of two-three of the profiles. Typically, in a large enterprise these roles are more specialised, whilst in a smaller organisation there is a tendency towards generalisation and for less people to ‘wear more hats’.
The problem is that these different roles are not always well defined and often data scientists and data engineers spend more time than necessary doing work that is either not what they’re most interested in nor suited to their core strengths. One of the root causes of this is a lack of clarity from the company about the strengths of their team, and data scientists themselves can often have an incomplete picture of their own strengths. When both the company and the data scientist are clear on the strengths of the individual it ensures that the data scientist is in the role that can best grow their career and skills.
When it comes to hiring - for many data science jobs, the recruiter and/or hiring managers are unclear about the type of profile they really need. Data Scientists repeatedly tell us that most recruiters lack real understanding about what their job entails.
This means data scientists/engineers, recruiters and hiring managers spend a lot of time talking about jobs that are not really a fit for the candidate's strengths. Despite the explosion in the adoption of data science in the last ten years, there is still a lack of agreement on the specific roles that exist in a data science team. There are hardly any ‘Unicorn’ data scientists who are good at all of the core data science and engineering competencies yet many job postings require a long list of skills that are unrealistic to find in one person.
When used in recruitment,the purpose of this tool is to bring clarity to both sides of the hiring equation. We believe strongly in enabling both the hiring manager and the data scientist to focus on work that fulfils them while leveraging their core strengths. In the long run, this will significantly benefit both the data scientist and the company by creating a thriving strengths based data science team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is This For?
Data scientists & data engineers, from beginners to advanced who want to better understand their skillset and where they best fit into the marketplace.
Data science Leaders who want to improve the performance of their current team by making sure that they are working in jobs that best fit their unique combination of strengths and skills.
Data science or data engineering team Leads who are currently hiring and want to better understand the people they are interviewing.
Please Note:
This website is the correct place if you wish to take the profiler as an individual. If you are representing a company and want to profile your current team or use the profiler for hiring (points 2 & 3 above) then you will need access to a separate platform. Please go to DataScienceTalent.co.uk/dstprofiler to register your interest in this.
How accurate is this system?
The questions and scoring matrix was designed by a Data Scientist with a Statistics PhD, having worked in quantitative disciplines since 2005. He has interviewed over 300 Data Scientists & Engineers and seen Data Science in action across a high volume of companies over a long consulting career.
We have tested the profiler on hundreds of different types of data scientists with a wide range of work experience. The feedback we have had from them and their work colleagues is that the outputs are very accurate. However, please remember that all profiling systems are attempting to describe humans, which means the results will always be an approximation that is 80-90% accurate.
Is this putting people into boxes?
This system is not about putting people into boxes. Instead, the system is describing (as accurately as possible), the unique mix of dimensions and profiles that each individual brings to the table.
Whilst many people are likely to share your mix of the eight profiles, your mix of the dimensions are totally unique to you. Even if another Data Scientist has the same order of top dimensions as you, they will not have the same exact mix of each of these.
Is this a silver bullet for solving hiring issues?
No. There is no such thing as a silver bullet for hiring. Hiring involves people making decisions about people, which will always be complex as every individual is unique and every company and hiring manager is unique. What the profiler will do is greatly reduce the risk of you making the wrong decision, whether you are a job seeker or a hiring manager. The system will also increase the probability of Data Scientists and Engineers ending up in the job that is the best fit for their strengths.
Is This Algorithmic For Hiring?
No. Absolutely not. Most of the current algorithmic tools used in the various stages of the hiring process are poorly designed and impair your ability to hire the right people. In contrast, our system is a human engaging with questions designed by a human. The end product report is provided to the participant so they see exactly how they have scored, whereby the hirer and/or recruiter also sees this report. Therefore, no decision to accept or reject a candidate is made without first discussing the report results with the participant to ensure they are accurate.