Fiverr Adds Data Science Recruiting Category

(Dooder/Shutterstock)

The latest attempt to address the data science skills gaps comes from Fiverr International, a recruiter of freelance technical talent, which unveiled a new vertical segment this week dedicated to data-related skills and services.

In another sign of growing demand for data scientists, the freelance platform operator said its data service was its first new vertical industry segment since 2012. Earlier market segments addressed by Fiverr include programmers, illustrators and voice-over actors.

The New York-based recruiter noted soaring demand for data specialists, especially among small businesses that are steadily embracing data analytics. Fiverr cited studies revealing that more than two-thirds of its small businesses are willing to spend more than $10,000 annually on analytics help.

“IT departments rely heavily on data analytics tools, with more than 75 percent of respondents saying they couldn’t live without them,” concludes a recent survey on data analytics trends. “Generally, these tools influence technology decisions, business growth and budgets.”

Fiverr said its new offering includes data science, data analytics, visualization and processing along with database and data entry categories.

In greatest demand are data science skills spanning computer vision, text and natural language processing, time-series analysis along with ranking and recommendation systems. Available data science freelancers offered skills ranging from machine learning using Python to time-series analysis using the R programming language. Hourly rates for freelancers ranged from $5 to $400.

Data analytics specialists offered services ranging from business intelligence to statistical data analysis and data visualization. Geospatial data skills were also heavily represented in the visualization category.

Among database specialists, skill sets included different flavors of MySQL and query engine development.

As demand for data scientists expands beyond large enterprises to include small and medium-sized companies, the number of freelance recruiters expands. The website Business.com ranks Fiverr among the best freelance service providers, a list topped by the “career hub” Dice.com.

(It noted that Fiverr’s freelance platform casts a wide net, including voice-over actors able to do Morgan Freeman impressions.)

Fiverr said the data science skills gap affects small businesses in ways that differ from larger companies. More than half its clients say “they don’t have the right people to manage the process of implementing the solutions,” said Fiverr CEO Micha Kaufman.

“As all kinds of businesses are being forced to shift their operations online, the need for the insights data can deliver becomes even greater,” Kaufman added.

Recent items:

Data Salaries Get a COVID Bump

Why Data Science is Still a Top Job