Breaking into your First Data Role as a non-analytics manager

What advice do I have for someone interested in transitioning into a data role, from a non-analytics management role? Here are some recommendations.

First, in your current role, think about:

1. What's motivating the change? What is and isn’t working in your current role?

   • Employees want [HBR]: Career, Community/relationships, Cause

   • Is it a bad job or just a bad day?, by Nick deWilde

2. You know your company's culture. If something from (1) isn't working, do you think it can it be improved if you talk to your manager/HR/someone else? What needs to happen?

   • Book recommendations to help communicate ideas: Radical Candor, Crucial Conversations

3. Since you're in a management role, other than suggestion that you work on a side project on the weekend/after work, is there bandwidth to introduce 20% time for your current team, to try out proof of concepts that use data to bring value to your current company?

At this point, you've tried the above and have decided to switch roles and companies.

4. Have the end goal in mind. What would you (ideally) do in the role?

   • What's the (approximate) breakdown of responsibilities by business, technical and statistical expertise that you'd prefer to do?

   • Does this translate into management, IC, or split* (management + IC) role?

   • Does it address (1) above?

5. What’s directly translational/applicable, from your current experience and industry to a new role?

6. Research (ideal) job postings and figure out what (if any) skill gaps you have.

   • Please see my blog with advice on how to "Breaking in and Address gaps"

7. When interviewing, ask questions about your non-negotiables in (1)

Good luck!

Keywords: Data Science careers, breaking into data, data products, management

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