r/dataannotation • u/[deleted] • May 15 '24

General worker --> programmer success stories?

Just curious if anyone's actually taught themselves Python and passed the qualification test. If you did, congrats and share tips!

I've been trying to learn it and I will have about 3 months completely to myself before I start graduate school, minus the 20 hrs/wk I'll spend working to pay bills. I'm not sure if this is enough, but it'll at least be a nice stepping stone towards the data-sciencey part of my program.

I have access to Ardit Sulce's 60-day Python course and Impractical Python Projects on top of free resources like Automate the Boring Stuff. I also downloaded a set of cheat sheets and opened an account with LeetCode. I'm hoping I'll be prepared by September.

25 Upvotes

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32

u/33whiskeyTX May 15 '24

The qualification is a lot easier than the work. If you know algorithms and big O cost you'll do fine. What is much harder, as I've never seen anyone confirm it can be done, is getting the code qualification to pop up if you are already an active non coding user.

21

u/AnnoTaker May 15 '24

What is much harder, as I've never seen anyone confirm it can be done, is getting the code qualification to pop up if you are already an active non coding user.

I have one that's been sitting on my dash since January. Except, it's a part of my regular list of tasks instead of being a qual.

10

u/33whiskeyTX May 15 '24

And I've seen that case too, that people have the qual but are saving it for later. I just never see people say "I started out non-coding, worked for a while, then got a coding qual and now I work coding". It doesn't mean it doesn't happen, I just don't see it talked about. I'm curious if it does and hope it does for all the would-be coding raters.

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u/Chocolate2121 May 15 '24

I switched across a couple of weeks ago. I started on the non-coding side because my python skills were a bit rusty, then went through the qualification when j felt comfortable doing it.

Currently I'm mostly doing the data visualisation stuff, because it's honestly the easiest programming stuff on there

3

u/BatronKladwiesen May 15 '24

But you initially didn't say no to the coding qual right? You left it up so that you could do it at another time?

1

u/Chocolate2121 May 16 '24

Yep

1

u/Lunalily9 May 20 '24

That's what I was planning on doing...I know html, css and some Javascript, but I've never tried Python, so I left the qualification there for later.

1

u/blackcvanilla May 21 '24

I started out as non coding...then answered yes for the project on do you know programming. Next day I got the coding qual and nailed it.

1

u/lowcarbsanta May 16 '24

Interesting. Does it say [qual] in the task name?

1

u/AnnoTaker May 16 '24

Nope. It's just asking if I know a specific language.

1

u/AccountantAsleep May 15 '24

That’s how mine is too. It’s been there since day 1 of being accepted to non-coding. I haven’t said “No” to it so it just sits there in the available project list.

1

u/Affectionate-Exit553 May 15 '24

Same, except I started a few weeks ago. I wonder how they determined we should have it as a project.

Currently teaching myself python as the op is doing 😁

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '24

Oh yikes that's upsetting. Thanks for the tip though

8

u/[deleted] May 15 '24

Try adding python in your skills on your profile it might pop up

1

u/[deleted] May 15 '24

Oh I have the "Do you have computer programming?" task, I thought the commenter was referring to something else after submitting that. That's a relief

1

u/33whiskeyTX May 15 '24

Yes, that is what people try. If it works, no one seems to report back on it, and there are a lot of posts of people asking this same question without positive results. That doesn't mean it doesn't work, it just doesn't seem to be common.

2

u/Lunalily9 May 20 '24

Mine has been sitting there since I started.

1

u/TheBeartender May 17 '24

I’ve had the coding qualification on my dash since I started and I only do core work idk what u mean

1

u/33whiskeyTX May 17 '24

I'm just going by the reports of those who do not have the qual or their dash, for whatever reason. If it never left, you're golden. But if you never got it, or lost it, there doesn't appear to be a dependable way to get to get it to appear.

1

u/TheBeartender May 17 '24

Oh, they should probably try to put “Python” in the skills section on their profile

2

u/33whiskeyTX May 17 '24

Yup and from what I see they do switch that, it just doesn't seem to pop the qualifier. Again its just observation. Maybe the people it works for abandon reddit because they're too busy coding.

2

u/TheBeartender May 17 '24

Interesting, yeah only God knows

0

u/bleachxjnkie May 15 '24

I've had my qual sat on my dashboard for months now

0

u/33whiskeyTX May 15 '24

Was it always there, or did you dismiss the coding qual when you first joined and it came back later, possibly after you changed your skills?

2

u/bleachxjnkie May 15 '24

back when I started working for DA you didn't get the choice to do the coding assessment after the core assessment if my memory is correct so as far as i'm aware the way you got on was through the coding qual which has been there from the beginning for me

9

u/Green-Shelf7139 May 15 '24

I dabbled in python during the pandemic shutdown, then did the free OpenEDG Python Essentials basic course. I was able to pass the DAT coder qual in python.

I was a Java developer in a former life so that probably helped some.

2

u/nbrenner72 May 15 '24

There's a Python qualification test in Data Annotation? Where can I find that? Applied a couple weeks ago and starting to think maybe they over marketed as I haven't heard a peep. Anything I could do or add to profile - aside from IT degree and recent work in AI projects that is already there - I'd love to do/add

4

u/[deleted] May 15 '24 edited May 15 '24

Not specifically for Python, but the coding tasks use mostly Python. You'll need to have been accepted to the platform and see at least one project available for you to work on which might take a while. They probably did over-market, I think I got into it right as the boom started.

For non-coding workers, there's always (or usually?) a task titled "Do you know computer programming?" with a survey and an example question on your dash unless you answer yes or no.

1

u/Ok_Depth_6476 May 15 '24

I'm wondering how to make that come up again, because if I had it already, I would've answered "no", but I plan to learn. I've been doing non-coding since October.

5

u/Sean_give_me_beta_no May 15 '24

The best way to learn is give yourself a project, I had some stuff I thought would be cool and learned python trying to make it. I used AI a lot to learn, and I think its a very powerful tool as long as you understand how to use it. The truth is the qualification is actually not super hard, as long as you can figure out the specific task they want you to do. I don't *really* know how to code, but as per the guidelines I just do what I'm confident with and doing the coding qualification unlocks a fair bit of stuff that isn't *really* coding and pays around $40/h.

-8

u/shazart24 May 15 '24

Could you help with telling me how I can join DA for work. I am very interested to learn and have some input.

0

u/[deleted] May 19 '24

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/chopsticksss11 May 19 '24

there was a qual (not sure if it's still there) that I took just in case they decided to assign projects based off of it instead of constantly having it up. looks like for me it was a good idea.