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.
When My "Safe" Data Science Job Stopped Feeling "Safe"
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Like most data scientists, I started my career in traditional 9-to-5 roles. With bills to pay and limited experience, a regular job felt "safe". Then COVID hit. Nothing felt "safe" anymore, and my dreams of working for myself no longer seemed so insane. I finally made the leap - and never looked back. Many data scientists share similar dreams of breaking free from traditional employment, but don't know where to begin. Yet, here's what I've learned along the way: there's no single path to data science self-employment. Every independent data professional's story is unique. Take, for example, my latest podcast guest, Daniel Bourke. He became a successful independent data professional before he turned 30 - co-creating Nutrify (the "Shazam for food") and teaching thousands through Zero to Mastery Academy. But Daniel's path wasn't about dramatic risks or having it all figured out from the start. It was about strategic preparation, building momentum while still employed and learning which opportunities to say yes to (and which to turn down). In the latest episode of Value Driven Data Science, Daniel shares the practical steps that made the difference - insights that apply whether you're considering full independence, building side income or just want more control over your career trajectory. In this episode, you'll discover:
Your path doesn't have to look like Daniel's or mine - but it does have to start somewhere. Listen now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or click the link below: Talk again soon, Dr Genevieve Hayes |
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.
The number one piece of advice I give to data professionals is to have more conversations. Conversations lead to good things. Things like job offers and stronger relationships. But more importantly, the opportunity to deepen your knowledge through learning from the wisdom of others. I owe many of the best opportunities I’ve encountered in my career to proactively seeking them out wherever I can. My podcast is a weekly example of the power of conversation. But if there’s one thing all these...
While working as a data scientist in a large organisation, I was once called on to attend a meeting with representatives of a big tech company and multiple senior leaders from my business area. The tech reps were there to sell us a new product. The data scientists had been invited because we were the intended users. Although there were a dozen or more people in the room, I was the only person who came prepared with any questions - 2 1/2 pages of them, to be precise. I let everyone else have...
Like many readers of this newsletter, I identify as a data expert. It took me years of study and hard work to build this expertise, and it’s something that I’m not willing to lose. This is not just because of everything it took to get here, but because my expertise forms an integral part of my identity. And the idea of losing it feels, in many ways, akin to losing a part of who I am. So, when I recently started hearing from data professionals who spoke of slowly losing skills as they...