But major universities, in particular, can have decent job fairs.
However, my real recommendation is that networking events and meetups within your local machine learning community will probably be better than a traditional job fair.
(Read on for more on those!) While the options above are pretty traditional, its more and more common for candidates to take a different tack when it comes to getting a job interview.
Often youll need to hustle and demonstrate creativity and grit in order to get a position.
Startups are one of the main areas of new jobs in AI and machine learning and are known for pioneering a different type of interview style.
4.
Attend or Organize an EventThis is often the best way to meet people interested in AI and machine learning in your community, and you may also learn about job opportunities from attendees.
There are large conferences and smaller or more focused community meetups that you can target, depending on what you’re looking for.
ConferencesInternational Conference on Machine Learning (ICML) ICML is one of the leading international machine learning conferences in the world, with over 35 years in the business.
Usually hosted in California, its full of expert speakers on the current state and future of machine learning.
You should consider this event if youre a machine learning engineer, but theres likely something for everyone connected to machine learning at this one.
Artificial Intelligence Conference This conference focuses on the latest breakthroughs in AI and machine learning.
Its an OReilly event that brings together science and business, featuring speakers from top software companies, training courses, and networking opportunities.
Its a great place to learn about different applications of artificial intelligence.
Its especially well-aligned to product managers and business intelligence developers.
Neural Information Processing Systems Conference Another long-time conference (since 1987), this one is probably the most focussed on theory and research into the latest developments in machine learning.
There is a significant focus on computational neuroscience, so it would be perfect for machine learning researchers or individuals from theoretical backgrounds to consider.
MeetupsSometimes it may be more in your interest to attend smaller community events where youre able to make a bigger impression and potentially even take on a leadership role after some time.
Its also a way to get to know people in a local community.
Often, large events are chock-full of vendors and people focused on bigger partnerships.
Small events can give you easier access to hiring managers and help you connect with peers who could help you down the road.
You also may be able to find an opportunity to snag a speaking gig or start to build your name within the community.
One of the best stops for meetups is very simply Meetup.
com.
You’ll find all sorts of them on the site.
Some are quite large; for example, the NYC Machine Learning Meetup has more than 13,000 members.
But don’t let that intimidate you; many people will register for a Meetup but not actually attend.
Typically a smaller meetup is between 10-200 people.
Another alternative if you cant find a good meetup or one nearby: create one yourself!.I know many candidates for roles that have gotten jobs because they started the relevant community group.
It makes you a connector or an influencer in the community.
And thats a great role to add to your CV.
5.
Freelance and Build a PortfolioTheres no reason that you cant start doing machine learning work right away.
One of the easiest ways is to start freelancing.
This will likely be easiest for designers, engineers, and data scientists, though there certainly can be opportunities for researchers and product managers as well.
Sites like Upwork or TopTal make it easy as a skilled professional to create a profile and find work in short-term contracts and ongoing projects, or even longer-term engagements.
A portfolio can help you build your brand and also be an online record of experience for your work.
It can also give you some early references and testimonials that you can pass on to potential employers.
And of course, it could allow you to do some genuinely interesting work that could inspire articles for blogs or other content that you can use to expand your profile.
Ultimately, freelancing may also simply be a good idea for you to validate the different types of work and industries that you are interested in, to help you narrow your job search and be more specific in the future.
Portfolios are focused on and given mentoring support through Springboard’s online machine learning boot camp if you’re looking for an extra boost.
6.
Get Involved in Open SourceAnother way to make connections in the machine learning community is to get involved in open-source projects.
These are non-proprietary code bases and repositories that are worked on by distributed communities and are typically not meant for profit or owned by a company.
They are often in open-source repositories on Github.
This includes the Natural Language Toolkit project, which helps deal with human language as a data source, and the various libraries that make up the Python data science and machine learning toolkit.
Companies hiring engineers are often particularly known to hire based on open-source contributions, and sometimes will find you through what you wrote.
Its similar to the portfolio effect.
People will often look you up online and want to see what you worked on.
7.
Participate in Competitions / HackathonsIf you prefer to use your skillset in a more confined or time-limited environment, perhaps a competition or a hackathon is the way to go.
There are machine learning competitions like Kaggle and many hackathons that allow you to work quickly on real business or social problems.
Its a great way to put your skills in machine learning and artificial intelligence to use, and you will be able to meet people as well as showcase your ability to make a difference.
8.
Informational InterviewsThe final path in, or step that you can take, is a classic, but it may be irreplaceable.
Ultimately, relationships are what can start you on the path to a job, and help you close the deal.
More than half of jobs arent even posted on job boards, and sometimes the only way through a company’s seemingly impenetrable shell is to start meeting people from that company and build strong relationships with them.
One of the best ways to network is to request only a little bit of someone’s time.
A quick coffee date is ideal.
Meet them on their schedule, at a place of their choosing.
Reach out via email or a LinkedIn message with a very short note.
All you need is one sentence about why youre unique as a candidate.
You could also use this great framework from Steve Blank.
If you’re successful in getting coffee, treat it as an opportunity to seek advice and information from people in the field.
And if youre good at growing your network, you’ll really get a sense of how the industry works.
Bio: Jaxson Khan is a CEO at Khan & Associates | Consultant and Writer for AI & Fintech | Volunteer for Education & Economic Development.
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