Human-First Data Careers in the Gen AI World
Your data career, accelerated: A people-first roadmap to break in and keep growing. Clarify your path, build a business-savvy portfolio, sharpen resumes and interviews, activate mentors and networks, and master SQL, Python, visualization, cloud fundamentals, and Gen AI with confidence so you stand out, earn offers, and advance quickly.
Data careers are built, not stumbled into. This session gives students, early-career pros, and career changers a clear, human-first roadmap to land the first role—and accelerate the next one. We’ll demystify how modern data teams work, what hiring managers actually scan for, and how to translate skills into business outcomes that stand out. You’ll leave with a tangible 30-60-90 plan: what to learn, what to build, how to tell the story, and who to ask for help. You’ll take away:
- (1) Break-In Roadmap: Target the right role, use concise outreach scripts, start a referral flywheel, and kick off with three high-signal projects.
- (2) Role Navigator (variety matters): Analyst, BI developer, analytics engineer, data engineer, data scientist, ML engineer, and product/data PM—day-in-the-life, ladders, and transfer paths.
- (3) Skills Stack: SQL, Python, data modeling, data visualization (Tableau/Power BI), BI, cloud fundamentals, and where AI/ML responsibly fits.
- (4) Portfolio Playbook: Project archetypes, dashboards with clear metrics, reproducibility tips, and presenting business impact with brevity.
- (5) Resume & Interview + Mentorship: ATS-ready bullets, STAR stories, whiteboard/take-home patterns, recruiter cues, and building a mentor circle that compounds.