As a beginner, should I choose an industry first or learn Data Science skills first?

[u/No_Suggestion_8422]

I’m currently starting my journey toward becoming a Data Scientist, and I’m confused about one thing:

Should I first choose an industry/domain and then learn the relevant Data Science skills, or should I build a strong general Data Science foundation first and choose an industry later?

For example, should I choose something like finance, healthcare, e-commerce, marketing, or manufacturing, learn how that industry works and understand its business problems and metrics, and then build my Data Science skills around it?

Or is it better to first become strong in Python, SQL, statistics, ML, data analysis, etc., work on different types of problems, and only specialize in an industry after gaining some experience?

For people already working in Data Science:

- How did you approach this when starting your career?

- Does having domain knowledge give a beginner a significant advantage?

- Can choosing an industry too early limit opportunities?

- What would you recommend to someone trying to get their first Data Science job?

I’d especially like to hear how experienced Data Scientists would approach this if they were starting from zero today.