Twice weekly, I share proven strategies to help data scientists get noticed, promoted, and valued. No theory — just practical steps to transform your technical expertise into business impact and the freedom to call your own shots.
I Was Wrong About the Gym (And You Could be Wrong About Your Data Career)
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When I was in high school, a friend of mine nominated me for School Sports Captain - but not for the reason you'd think. As the least "sporty" person she knew, she thought it would be hilarious if I got the gig. Had I been elected, I would have lobbied to cancel the Sports Carnival for that year. Needless to say, I didn't get the job. Like many data nerds, I've never been good at sports - and thought that was how it would always be. Fast forward to 5 months ago when, for the first time in my life, I started going to the gym. To begin with, I was as terrible as I expected myself to be - I was so weak, I had to ask for help if someone left weights loaded on a machine. But then something happened, which challenged everything I've ever believed. After going every day, putting in the reps, and following the plan my trainer set, slowly but surely I started to improve. I'd love to tell you I can now bench-press my own weight, but I've still got a long way to go. Yet, I'm stronger than I've been in my entire life and am proud of how far I've come. The secret wasn't natural talent - it was having the right program, following it consistently and taking action no matter how uncomfortable I felt. Here's the thing... Data science career advancement works exactly the same way. I've met data scientists who've wasted years believing they weren't cut out for leadership and remaining stuck in the same technical roles. But whether it's getting stronger at the gym, moving into leadership, or building strategic influence in your organisation, the pattern is the same: the right strategy plus consistent action. In data science careers, the strategy means:
The reps mean doing the uncomfortable work:
Just like at the gym, the results don't come overnight. But show up consistently with the right approach, and you'll be amazed at how fast you can go from executing other people's ideas to have stakeholders ask for yours. Talk again soon, Dr Genevieve Hayes. p.s. I needed a trainer to show me the right exercises at the gym. If you need help developing the right strategy to advance your data science career, reply to this email and let's talk. |
Data Science Impact Algorithm
Twice weekly, I share proven strategies to help data scientists get noticed, promoted, and valued. No theory — just practical steps to transform your technical expertise into business impact and the freedom to call your own shots.
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