A Career In Statistics

A valuable guide to a successful career as a statistician A Career in Statistics: Beyond the Numbers prepares readers for careers in statistics by emphasizing essential concepts and practices beyond the technical tools provided in standard courses and texts. This insider's guide from internationally recognized applied statisticians helps readers decide whether a career in statistics is right for them, provides hands-on guidance on how to prepare for such a career, and shows how to succeed on the job. The book provides non-technical guidance for a successful career. The authors' extensive industrial experience is supplemented by insights from contributing authors from government and academia, Carol Joyce Blumberg, Leonard M. Gaines, Lynne B. Hare, William Q. Meeker, and Josef Schmee. Following an introductory chapter that provides an overview of the field, the authors discuss the various dimensions of a career in applied statistics in three succinct parts: The Work of a Statistician describes the day-to-day activities of applied statisticians in business and industry, official government, and various other application areas, highlighting the work environment and major on-the-job challenges Preparing for a Successful Career in Statistics describes the personal traits that characterize successful statisticians, the education that they need to acquire, and approaches for securing the right job Building a Successful Career as a Statistician offers practical guidance for addressing key challenges that statisticians face on the job, such as project initiation and execution, effective communication, publicizing successes, ethical considerations, and gathering good data; alternative career paths are also described The book concludes with an in-depth examination of careers for statisticians in academia as well as tips to help them stay on top of their field throughout their careers. Each chapter includes thought-provoking discussion questions and a Major Takeaways section that outlines key concepts. Real-world examples illustrate key points, and an FTP site provides additional information on selected topics. A Career in Statistics is an invaluable guide for individuals who are considering or have decided on a career in statistics as well as for statisticians already on the job who want to accelerate their path to success. It also serves as a suitable book for courses on statistical consulting, statistical practice, and statistics in the workplace at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

STATISTICIANS USE MATHEMATICAL TECHNIQUES to collect and interpret information. The work is based on numbers, but unlike mathematicians who work on theoretical problems, statisticians use the numbers to solve real-life problems. Statisticians contribute to society in many ways. Some do serious work like finding ways to reduce hunger and disease, or studying the effects of global climate change on food supplies. Others help professional athletes up their game or help political candidates get elected. The biggest employer of statisticians is the federal government. Government statisticians work in just about every agency. For example, the Department of Labor has a large staff of statisticians studying things like employment rates, wage changes, growing and shrinking job sectors, and the demographic makeup of the workforce. The Department of Agriculture needs to know about crop conditions, livestock inventories, and how crops can be used for new products, and no mission at NASA proceeds without the thumbs up from their staff of statisticians. There is an obvious need for statisticians across all levels of government, but the demand is even greater outside the public sector. Statistical skills can be used to draw valuable insights from data in just about any industry. In fact, roughly 90 percent of America's industries use statistics in their daily operations. Since the advent of the computer, organizations of all kinds have been collecting and handling huge amounts of data. Computers can crunch the numbers, but statisticians are needed to analyze and interpret the data. They turn data into usable information that non-statisticians can understand and use to make good decisions. Statistics is the basis of one of the oldest professions in the world. Statistics were used to curb the spread of epidemics in the Middle Ages, and even ancient empires used them to track things like their populations, taxes, and important commodities like cattle. Yet the time has never been better to be a statistician. The career opportunities are so diverse, that statisticians can apply their knowledge to nearly any area they are passionate about. The demand for statisticians is at an all-time high. Employment for statisticians is growing fast, and so are their salaries. The median salary for those with less than three years of experience is $80,000, and that amount can double after being in the profession for at least nine years.

This book is intended for anyone who is considering a career in statistics or a related field, or those at any point in their career with sufficient work time remaining such that investing in additional learning could be beneficial. As such, the book would be suitable for anyone pursing an MS or PhD in statistics or those already working in statistics. The book focuses on the non-statistical aspects of being a statistician that are crucial for success. These factors include 1) productivity and prioritization, 2) innovation and creativity, 3) communication, 4) critical thinking and decisions under uncertainty, 5) influence and leadership, 6) working relationships, and 7) career planning and continued learning. Each of these chapters includes sections on foundational principles and a section on putting those principles into practice. Connections between these individual skills are emphasized such that the reader can appreciate how the skills build upon each other leading to a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. By including the individual perspectives from other experts on the fundamental principles and their application, readers will have a well-rounded view on how to build upon and fully leverage their technical skills in statistics. The primary audience for the book is large and diverse. It will be useful for self-study by virtually any statistician, but could also be used as a text in a graduate program that includes a course on careers and career development. Key Features: Takes principles proven to be useful in other settings and applies them to statisticians and statistical settings. Focused Concise Accessible to all levels, from grad students to mid-later career statisticians.

Learn How to Infuse Leadership into Your Passion for Scientific Research Leadership and Women in Statistics explores the role of statisticians as leaders, with particular attention to women statisticians as leaders. By paying special attention to women's issues, this book provides a clear vision for the future of women as leaders in scientific and

A New York Times bestseller "Brilliant, funny…the best math teacher you never had." —San Francisco Chronicle Once considered tedious, the field of statistics is rapidly evolving into a discipline Hal Varian, chief economist at Google, has actually called "sexy." From batting averages and political polls to game shows and medical research, the real-world application of statistics continues to grow by leaps and bounds. How can we catch schools that cheat on standardized tests? How does Netflix know which movies you’ll like? What is causing the rising incidence of autism? As best-selling author Charles Wheelan shows us in Naked Statistics, the right data and a few well-chosen statistical tools can help us answer these questions and more. For those who slept through Stats 101, this book is a lifesaver. Wheelan strips away the arcane and technical details and focuses on the underlying intuition that drives statistical analysis. He clarifies key concepts such as inference, correlation, and regression analysis, reveals how biased or careless parties can manipulate or misrepresent data, and shows us how brilliant and creative researchers are exploiting the valuable data from natural experiments to tackle thorny questions. And in Wheelan’s trademark style, there’s not a dull page in sight. You’ll encounter clever Schlitz Beer marketers leveraging basic probability, an International Sausage Festival illuminating the tenets of the central limit theorem, and a head-scratching choice from the famous game show Let’s Make a Deal—and you’ll come away with insights each time. With the wit, accessibility, and sheer fun that turned Naked Economics into a bestseller, Wheelan defies the odds yet again by bringing another essential, formerly unglamorous discipline to life.