How to Start a Career as a Statistician

Statistics has been defined as the science of learning from data. Statisticians perform a wide variety of functions: survey statisticians collect information from a carefully specified sample and extend the results to an entire population, government statisticians conduct experiments to aid in the development of public policy and social programs and statistical scientists analyze and validate the results of clinical trials. Statisticians also play an important role in business and industry by predicting the need for goods and services in the future.

Instructions

1. Complete an undergraduate program in statistics. Programs are available at many colleges and universities; you can locate these schools on the American Statistical Association website. In addition to statistics, students study mathematics and/or some related field of statistical application. Because statistics can be applied to different professions, statisticians often develop skills in a particular field of study such as medicine, public policy, economics, biology, psychology or agriculture. Most statisticians who work in business have a master's degree, and in academia a doctorate is generally required.

2. Complete an internship. Your college or university program will probably have information about these programs. The American Statistical Association also has a list of opportunities. Internships offer you an opportunity to identify your likes and dislikes before choosing a position.

3. Prepare a cover letter and curriculum vitae. The American Statistical Association gives you tips for preparing a CV that will get noticed.

4. Identify positions that you are interested in. Use the American Statistical Association website, any resources such as job fairs at your college and word of mouth from recent graduates or statisticians you met at your internship.

5. Join the American Statistical Association. Professional organizations provide opportunities to network with and learn from other statisticians. There are also educational workshops you can attend to expand your knowledge.

Tips & Warnings

• Read some statistics journals like the American Statistician or Journal of the American Statistical Association to see if this field is interesting to you. Current issues are available online.

Resources

• This is the website for the American Statistical Association.
• The Journal of the American Statistical Association is considered the premier journal in the field of statistics.
• The American Statistician publishes articles on a wide range of statistics topics.