Finding and Preparing for the Right Job (Coursera)

Finding and Preparing for the Right Job (Coursera)

Finding and preparing for the right job in the DS/AI field can be tricky. In this course, we will explore how the job market has vastly different descriptions for the same job title, how to identify what a company is really looking for, and how to search the “hidden” job market. We will also overview major skills areas experts recommend revisiting before applying for jobs in this field, how to tailor your resume to catch the eye of a DS/AI hiring manager, and how to create a stellar portfolio. Finally, we will discuss the importance of marketing yourself and tips and tricks on how to do it well.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
• Decipher job descriptions with the same titles to discern the different skill sets needed.
• Recall the major skill areas experts recommend revisiting and identify which skills to refresh in preparation for DS/AI applications and interviews.
• Make their portfolio and resume stand out by applying tips specific to the field.
• Recognize how to market themselves and how career fairs, connecting with recruiters, and networking can help.
• Describe what kind of networking is beneficial in this field.

Course 2 of 3 in the Interviewing for DS/AI Roles Specialization.

What You Will Learn

  • Identify which skills to refresh in preparation for DS/AI applicaitons and interviews.
  • Make your portfolio and resume stand out by applying tips specific to the field.
  • Recognize how to market yourself and how career fairs, connecting with recruiters, and networking can help.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
The Job Search
Welcome to Module 1, The Job Search. In this module, we will overview DS/AI-specific job-search strategies including how to tell what a company is really looking for no matter the job title. We will also practice how to conduct a targeted job search and identify the “hidden” job market. Finally, we will compare two job postings with the same title and identify the differences in skill expectations and descriptions.

WEEK 2
Skills to Brush Up On
Welcome to Module 2, Skills to Brush Up On. In this module, we will identify the major skills areas experts recommend revisiting before applying for data science jobs. We will also list what specific skills should be studied for each of the four major data science job categories. In our group discussion, we will identify and share what skills we personally plan to brush up on and why.

WEEK 3
Portfolios, Resumes, and Cover Letters
Welcome to Module 3, Portfolios, Resumes, and Cover Letters. In this module, we will discuss the importance of portfolios and resumes as well as the surprising lack of importance of cover letters for this field. We will also identify specific tips and tricks to improve your resume and overview what should be included in a portfolio to make you stand out. Finally, we will apply the module’s core concepts to update our own resumes, portfolios, and cover letters.

WEEK 4
Marketing Yourself
Welcome to Module 4, Marketing Yourself. In this module, we will explain why marketing yourself is an important key to landing interviews in your desired field. We will learn how to market yourself, including how to connect with recruiters, how to build your online presence, and why and how to attend career fairs. In our group discussion, we will describe what kind of networking is beneficial in this field and one new strategy we plan to implement to better market ourselves.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

English for Career Development (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

English for Career Development (Coursera)

Welcome to English for Career Development, a course created by the University of Pennsylvania, and funded by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, Office of English Language Programs. This course is designed for non-native English speakers who are interested in advancing their careers in the global marketplace. In this course, you will learn about the job search, application, and interview process in the United States, while comparing and contrasting the same process in your home country. This course will also give you the opportunity to explore your global career path, while building your vocabulary and improving your language skills to achieve your professional goals.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study (Coursera) Coursera
Google

Google Data Analytics Capstone: Complete a Case Study (Coursera)

This course is the eighth course in the Google Data Analytics Certificate. You’ll have the opportunity to complete an optional case study, which will help prepare you for the data analytics job hunt. Case studies are commonly used by employers to assess analytical skills. For your case study, you’ll choose an analytics-based scenario. You’ll then ask questions, prepare, process, analyze, visualize and act on the data from the scenario.

Jul 28th 2026
4 Weeks
Project Management Job Search, Resume, and Interview Prep (Coursera) Coursera
IBM

Project Management Job Search, Resume, and Interview Prep (Coursera)

The demand for project managers in on the rise across different industries, including construction, healthcare, Information Technology, and finance. According to the Project Management Institute's (PMI) most recent Talent Gap report, 2.3 million people will be needed each year to fill all of the project management-oriented positions expected to open in the near future.

Aug 3rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Creating a Portfolio (Coursera) Coursera
Indian School of Business - ISB

Creating a Portfolio (Coursera)

This course integrates all the learning from the first three courses and guides the learner about ways of building a portfolio of strategies and integrating the same into a hedge fund. In the first part of the course, you will be taught ways of measuring the contribution of a strategy to a portfolio in terms of risk and return. You will be able to appreciate the consequences of including a strategy to a new as well an existing portfolio. Next, you are taught various ways of conducting the tilting analysis in order to determine the optimal weight to be placed on each strategy.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks
Interviewing, Negotiating a Job Offer, and Career Planning (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Interviewing, Negotiating a Job Offer, and Career Planning (Coursera)

Prepare yourself for interviewing and landing a job in the DS/AI field. In this course, we will discuss what needs to be done before, during, and after the interview process. We will also provide tips and tricks on how to practice for a major component of data science interviews: the technical interview. Finally, this course will cover best practices for accepting or declining a job offer, salary negotiations, and how to create a career development plan.

Jul 27th 2026
4 Weeks
Job Success: Get Hired or Promoted in 3 Steps (Coursera) Coursera
The State University of New York

Job Success: Get Hired or Promoted in 3 Steps (Coursera)

This course, Job Success: Get Hired or Promoted in Three Steps, will prepare you to stand out in a crowded applicant pool so that you can get hired or promoted. In three steps you will leave this course with : an upgraded social media presence (one that you can be proud of); a visual, infographic resume that will get you noticed; a professional pitch that highlights your strengths and skills.

Aug 3rd 2026
3 Weeks
Promotional Materials Every Musician Needs (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Promotional Materials Every Musician Needs (Coursera)

They say that first impressions are the strongest, and that is definitely true in the arts! The materials you create to communicate who you are and why you're special are critical to your professional success. This course will provide you with the skills to generate effective promotional materials you will use in your music career, including bio, headshots and other promotional shots, resume/CV, cover letters, and, tying everything together, your website. Perfect for young professional musicians creating promotional materials for the first time, as well as for seasoned professionals looking to up their game!

Aug 3rd 2026
3 Weeks
Portfolio Selection and Risk Management (Coursera) Coursera
Rice University

Portfolio Selection and Risk Management (Coursera)

When an investor is faced with a portfolio choice problem, the number of possible assets and the various combinations and proportions in which each can be held can seem overwhelming. In this course, you’ll learn the basic principles underlying optimal portfolio construction, diversification, and risk management. You’ll start by acquiring the tools to characterize an investor’s risk and return trade-off. You will next analyze how a portfolio choice problem can be structured and learn how to solve for and implement the optimal portfolio solution. Finally, you will learn about the main pricing models for equilibrium asset prices.

Jul 27th 2026
5-12 Weeks
Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Coursera) Coursera
IBM

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) (Coursera)

In this course you will learn what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is, explore use cases and applications of AI, understand AI concepts and terms like machine learning, deep learning and neural networks. You will be exposed to various issues and concerns surrounding AI such as ethics and bias, & jobs, and get advice from experts about learning and starting a career in AI. You will also demonstrate AI in action with a mini project.

Aug 3rd 2026
4 Weeks