Extract. Transform. Read.A newsletter from Pipeline: Your Data Engineering ResourceHi past, present or future data professional! Browsing through files recently, I found 100+ old resumes I used to apply for data jobs in 2021. While data science is sold as a “good career”, the truth is it’s always been tough to break in. Those looking for jobs need to do more than ever to distinguish themselves. For anyone looking for a job you may have been taught to network with recruiters and hiring managers. But there is a type of connection who might help you even more than a job poster: An early career data (ideally between years 1-3) professional. Folks like me, who have a few years of industry experience but no hiring authority, often get bombarded with “recruiter spam”, broad messages sent to hundreds of candidates with the hope that a handful will respond. While it’s tempting to delete these messages, you’d be missing a crucial line: “Forward this to anyone you know who might be looking for a role.” As an added incentive, many of these cold messages include referral bonuses. When forwarding a connection to recruiters or when asking for a referral, remember:
If you're interested in going deeper, I cover this kind of referral advocacy more in-depth here. Just because you were lucky to break in doesn’t mean you should be a gatekeeper. If anything, you should be the first one to answer the door. Here are this week’s links:
And if you're looking to explore development in virtual environments, check out this week's story. Set Up A Virtual Environment In A Compute Engine VM In 5 Min. Thanks for ingesting, -Zach |
Reaching 20k+ readers on Medium and over 3k learners by email, I draw on my 4 years of experience as a Senior Data Engineer to demystify data science, cloud and programming concepts while sharing job hunt strategies so you can land and excel in data-driven roles. Subscribe for 500 words of actionable advice every Thursday.
Hi fellow data professional! Once, during a virtual interview, I had to nod politely as my interviewer apologized for coughing after their cigarette. Oh, and to make this situation even more cringe—they were driving. Some industries design stressful interview processes to psychologically test a candidate’s poise under pressure. Luckily (for the most part) the software engineering field is not included in this basket of high-stress tests. Sure, we are subjected to moderate stress in the form...
Hi fellow data professional! On a recent holiday, a family member and I were strolling along a beach, talking about AI disruption (relaxing, I know). He, an attorney, assured me his job was AI-proof and jokingly offered to hire me when AI takes my data engineering job. If you ask executives at most companies, they’d find several flaws in that argument. Over 80% of technical executives, including Chief Data Officers and Chief AI Officers, consider data engineering to be an essential role...
Hi fellow data professional! Ken Jee, who you heard from last week, drops some sobering career advice in one of the earliest editions of AI Survival Guide: Making a senior-level tech role is no longer about advancement; it’s about survival. The post talks about the growing moat or "wall" between those breaking into the industry, those in entry-level roles and those in a mid-career phase. In the spirit of AI Survival Guide’s advice to bridge the gap separating the early and mid-career...