Artificial intelligence is all the rage these days; it seems like practically every industry is bursting with newly introduced AI tools that improve productivity, efficiency, and much more. And as these tools enter the market and companies look to take advantage of them, skilled professionals who know how to make the most of these tools and use them to benefit the country are in high demand.
If you’ve seen a rise in AI-related job roles, this is exactly why. Artificial intelligence tools are powerful, but they require a skilled professional behind them to ensure they’re running properly and are adjusted to match the exact needs of the company at the moment.
If you’ve clicked on this article, you’re probably well aware of this fact and that’s why we’ve written this article: to help you dissect the AI job hunt and land your first role in this booming field. In case you’re still on the fence, however, we’ll begin by reviewing some of the major advantages of using AI in your day-to-day work life and why you should be prioritizing AI knowledge heading into the future.
The Power of Artificial Intelligence
We’re sure you know that artificial intelligence is the next big thing both in and outside the tech fields and if you want to remain a competitive candidate for tech roles, it’s important to prioritize learning artificial intelligence skills for your career, no matter your sector. And apart from simply being incredibly popular, AI skills can bring the following to your career:
Staying up-to-date with the latest trends: the introduction of artificial intelligence into the world has led to the dire need for professionals who know how to make the most of its tools and as more and more tools are released and relevant to helping you with your role, employers will expect and want to find candidates who are up-to-date with the latest market offerings and able to transform what AI offers into actionable and positive results for them.
Expanding your employment options: as the power of artificial intelligence expands and more and more of your tasks can be automated or checked by AI, you’ll find that your employment options will expand significantly as you’re able to move into other sectors that are also prioritizing artificial intelligence and take on more higher ranking roles with your new knowledge. With AI knowledge in your toolbox, what you can do and for what company will expand significantly.
Achieving better results: lots of the praise surrounding AI is how well it automates and takes care of tasks that are either tedious to humans or too large, such as processing huge amounts of data, but with AI, you’ll also be able to achieve better results with the help of tools that are free of human error, fast, and able to handle large amounts of information.
Bringing AI to every field: when revolutionary AI tools were first introduced, they were limited to just tech fields where the need for machine learning was clear; however, now that AI has transformed into something that anyone, anywhere can use at any time, knowledge of AI could burst doors wide open in any field, opening up your career opportunities.
Landing a Job in Artificial Intelligence
As we mentioned above, AI has permeated practically every industry and is no longer limited to just tech fields. And what does that mean? Well, it means that regardless of where you’re currently working, there is some AI skill out there that could help you expand your horizons, improve your productivity, or simply deliver better results.
But when it comes to learning about AI skills so that you can put what you’ve learned to the test, you might hit a bit of a road block. As a relatively new field (especially if you’re coming from a field outside of tech), you might struggle with how to actually start learning these skills. Luckily for you, this guide has everything you need to know.
Make sure you have the necessary foundations
If you have your sights set on becoming an AI engineer, you’ll need to have a pretty solid background in mathematics and statistics so that you can understand the foundations of AI. And if you’re looking to use your AI knowledge in other fields, you don’t need to have a super deep knowledge of how the systems actually work, but it’s a good idea to have at least a general understanding so that you know how to adapt tools to your needs.
There are quite a few courses, books, and videos out there that can help lead you in the right direction when it comes to learning the foundations on which AI is built, but the right way to gain this knowledge will depend on how you learn and, of course, the depth in which you’d like to dive into AI. Try out a few different ways and see what sticks; if you are having trouble keeping yourself honest or understanding the material, consider a formal course.
Try different areas of AI
There are so many different applications of artificial intelligence out there and we can only anticipate more emerging in the future. Therefore, you should play around with different areas until you discover the one that interests you the most and then jump head first into it. Remember, the more courses and certifications you have on your resume, in addition to practical experience, the more attractive you’ll be to potential employers.
As you find your footing in the field, try free or low-cost and low-commitment options so you don’t put all your eggs into one basket before you know what you like.
Gain practical experience
Classes and courses are great to have on your CV, but employers will want to see your skills in action during interviews and, of course, you’ll want to be able to put what you know into practice so that you can be the best AI professional possible. Therefore, make sure you’re completing side projects as you learn, either on your own, with classmates, or through online communities.
Remember that employers will want to trust you for what you can do, not what your resume says, so it’s best to get as much practice as possible throughout your learning journey.
Create a portfolio
To show potential employers what you’re capable of, it’s crucial to create a portfolio of your accomplishments and projects. After all, as we mentioned above, courses and certifications only get you so far and employers will want to see proof of your skills so that they’re confident in your abilities before hiring you.
To make your portfolio creation process easier and more straightforward, continuously update it with your new projects and work as you advance in your learning journey so that it’s always up-to-date and you don’t forget about anything you’ve done.
