Skill Requirements in Big Data: A Content Analysis of Job Advertisements

Abstract

The technology behind big data, although still in its nascent stages, is inspiring many companies to hire data scientists and explore the potential of big data to support strategic initiatives, including developing new products and services. To better understand the skills and knowledge that are highly valued by industry for jobs within big data, this study reports on an analysis of 1216 job advertisements that contained “big data” in the job title. Our results are presented within a conceptual framework of big data skills categories and confirm the multi-faceted nature of big data job skills. Our research also found that many big data job advertisements emphasize developing analytical information systems and that soft skills remain highly valued, in addition to the value placed on emerging hard technological skills.