Fast Track your Data Analytics Career with Advice from a Professional
Sections
- Why do you need advice from a data professional?
- Why not ask my counselor for advice?
- Are you prepared for a career in tech?
- Is career advice worth the money?
- Conclusion
Why do you need advice from a data professional?
The world of data analytics and data science is evolving fast. Understanding the different career paths is not possible for those outside of the analytics field. Whether you are a recent high school graduate or a professional pursuing a career change, having an insider perspective is critical. More importantly, understanding which technologies are in demand, which educational program aligns with your goals, or the differences between a data analyst and a junior data scientist can be a full-time job. You need someone in the field because their career depends on having a firm grasp of the industry.
Why not ask my counselor for advice?
In the fall of 2012, I walked into my graduate advisor’s office and asked her which computer science class she recommended for me. I explained that I was a complete novice in programming. She suggested Introduction to C Programming. After attending a few lectures, I discovered that the majority of the students I spoke to in this introductory course had some prior experience in programming. Six weeks and 80 hours of work later, I dropped the course.
This experience almost caused me to give up on programming for the rest of my life. It was all because of some mediocre advice from a guidance counselor.
Let’s go through a simple exercise.
Ask your local high school or college counselor what H2O means in the context of data science. Hint — it has nothing to do with water. Whenever I hear anyone mention H2O in conversation, my mind goes straight to artificial intelligence. You should want someone whose life is so ingrained with data analytics that their mind relates “H2O” more with technology than water. How can you trust a counselor, friend, or teacher’s advice on courses and career paths if they aren’t using or reading about these technologies every day?
Are you prepared for a career in tech?
Everyone in tech and yes I mean everyone has faced a point where they did not think they could make it. Every week, there seems to be a new technology or method that you need to learn fast. Three years ago, I could barely explain what “the cloud” meant. Now, the vast majority of my work takes place in the cloud or using cloud-based tools. If that isn’t challenging enough, there is a constant stream of hungry college graduates who grew up with more exposure to technology than you did. Data science and data analytics didn’t even exist as a major when I was in undergrad. These days, the cloud enables undergrads to learn skills that are more directly applicable to the fields of data analytics and data science. With all of this pressure, it’s no wonder that everyone in tech feels imposter syndrome. I found this note from Blind that perfectly summarizes the challenges of a career in tech.
There are many career options in tech. Not everyone needs to be nor should be a full-time programmer. Talking to a data professional can help you understand the nuances of each position and which career path makes sense for you.
Is career advice worth the money?
Speaking to professionals in the analytics field will set you on a more profitable and/or enjoyable career path years before you could achieve it otherwise. If I were given the proper advice to pursue more programming classes in undergrad, I have no doubt that I would be in higher demand for job prospects. Being in high demand is the best way to find a job that meets your priorities, whether that is more compensation, career growth, work/life balance, or something else.
While I may have found my ideal career path now, there is an opportunity cost to the time I spent to get here. To approximate a cost-benefit analysis, let’s imagine the following alternative career path for myself:
Cause: I completed an additional 3 computer programming courses in undergrad after given good advice.
Effect: The programming knowledge made me a more desired candidate for jobs. This compensated me an additional 10,000 dollars in salary each year in my twenties post-graduation. This minor adjustment would net me an extra 109,207 dollars at retirement*.
Let’s walk through a different, theoretical scenario.
A health care professional, with a masters in Biostatistics, is interested in a career shift to data science. They ask me whether they should pursue the Thinkful Data Analytics Bootcamp or the University of Texas Online MS Data Science program. A data professional can examine the design of each program, cross-reference this with the clients’ skillsets and interests, and communicate a recommendation. This client would clearly not benefit from the Thinkful program because it is likely too easy and does not prioritize machine learning or statistical modeling. In fact, this health care professional might not even need a full masters in data science to obtain the skills for a career shift.
Cause: Selected the University of Texas program over the Thinkful Bootcamp.
Effect: Saved at least 2,000 dollars and months of time commitment learning the less optimal skills for a data science position.
Conclusion
In the age of infinite options, it can be exhausting trying to find the best sources for career advice in data analytics or data science. You wouldn’t ask your mechanic for legal advice, so why should you ask a counselor for career advice outside of academia? You should treat your career like a business because that’s what it is. You need skills that provide a sustainable advantage against competition to guarantee a steady cash flow. In order to identify the most appropriate career path, education program, or in-demand skill, advice from a data professional is warranted. This unmet demand is what inspired me to start my own data analytics career advisory service.
*Assumes an extra 10% contribution to your 401k from age 22 to 29 and a 7% annual growth rate until age 65. Subtracts initial $1000 additional contribution each year. Total does not include the extra salary, but only the additional return in the 401K.