Data Mining
How to hire data miners
Businesses spend a large amount of resources collecting data from marketing channels, customers, and internal processes. But a warehouse of data isn’t very useful if you don’t have the means to process it. A data miner can help you glean meaningful insights from large aggregates of data.
So how do you hire data miners? What follows are some tips for finding top data miners on Upwork.
How to shortlist data mining freelancers
As you’re browsing available data mining consultants, it can be helpful to develop a shortlist of the freelancers you may want to interview. You can screen profiles on criteria such as:
- Technology fit. You want a data miner who understands the data infrastructure your business is working with.
- Project experience. Screen candidate profiles for specific skills and experience (e.g., data warehousing with Google BigQuery).
- Feedback. Check reviews from past clients for glowing testimonials or red flags that can tell you what it’s like to work with a particular data miner.
How to write an effective data mining job post
With a clear picture of your ideal data miner in mind, it’s time to write that job post. Although you don’t need a full job description as you would when hiring an employee, aim to provide enough detail for a freelancer to know if they’re the right fit for the project.
An effective data mining job post should include:
- Scope of work: From spreadsheets to database tables, list all the deliverables you’ll need.
- Project length: Your job post should indicate whether this is a smaller or larger project.
- Background: If you prefer experience with certain industries or technologies, mention this here.
- Budget: Set a budget and note your preference for hourly rates vs. fixed-price contracts.
Ready to data mine actionable insights from your data stores? Log in and post your data mining job on Upwork today.
DATA MINERS FAQ
What is data mining?
Data mining is the practice of analyzing large batches of data for discernible trends or patterns. These insights can be leveraged in many ways. For example, a retailer might use data collected from loyalty-card holders to offer them targeted promotions.
Here’s a quick overview of the skills you should look for in data mining freelancers:
- Data science
- Data mining and web scraping
- Data analytics and modeling
- Data mining tools such as RapidMiner, Orange, and Weka
Why hire data miners?
The trick to finding top data miners is to identify your needs. Do you need someone experienced with Amazon Redshift to help you build a data warehouse that will play well with your AWS-powered IT infrastructure? Will they also need to know how to perform advanced analytics using machine learning algorithms on the data they mine? The cost of your project will depend largely on your scope of work and the specific skills needed to bring your project to life.
How much does it cost to hire a data miner?
Rates can vary due to many factors, including expertise and experience, location, and market conditions.
- An experienced data miner may command higher fees but also work faster, have more-specialized areas of expertise, and deliver higher-quality work.
- A contractor who is still in the process of building a client base may price their data mining services more competitively.
Which one is right for you will depend on the specifics of your project.