Career Change to Data Science & Analytic in early-30's

New
Black_Boom

New

Black_Boom
May 20, 2021 9 Comments

Hello guys,

I was wondering if someone in the field could give a career advice.

I am looking to switch to Data Science or analytics ( I realize those are different jobs, so I don't use this position names interchangeably.)

I have a degree in finance, and several years of financial modeling, investment analysis, and project management experience.

I've recently completed DA/DS certification programs where I learned and practiced writing code in SQL, R, Python. I'm familiar with Tablaeu, RStudio, Postgresql, BigQuery. Also, have a pretty solid foundation in data cleaning, manipulation, visualization.

I'm pretty passionate about the opportunity to switch to the Data Science field. Please let me know if you are aware of any entry level positions I could try to.

Also, I'd appreciate any other advice related to getting practical experience and/ or acquiring marketable skills.

Thanks in advance. #data #dataanalytics #datascience

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TOP 9 Comments
  • I graduated with a degree in finance but didn’t do anything with the degree

    Instead I went into IT Audit at KPMG. I did some high level automation in the job but that was pretty much it. I was a DBA in college

    I couldn’t get any job from a nice yech company. So I went for anyone that’ll give me an opportunity . Luckily that opportunity paid more than what I was making

    I was there for a year. Applied my knowledge in python and sql for all projects and started interviewing again and now I’m at LinkedIn

    TLDR: go for anyone right now that’ll hire you. Get some good experience. Apply to some big tech places then
    May 20, 2021 0
  • Google
    dversehire

    Go to company page Google

    dversehire
    You’re on the right path. IMO you should shoot for mid level positions, especially since a lot of skills you pick up in finance are transferable. As someone else recommended above, be open to taking a chance at a startup/small company. Wear as many hats as possible and help solve as many “data problems” as you can. After that you will develop the confidence to command much more TC at an established company
    May 20, 2021 0
  • Don’t aim too low for entry level positions. To be honest your experience seems super relevant already. You’re comfortable with numbers/reasoning, competent with tools, and from finance have a far better understanding of business value than most DS

    I would look for senior IC analytics roles. A surprising about of DS/analytics is business intelligence, reporting, and metric management. Guarantee you can pass interviews. Maybe a Capital One or Fidelity or other fin service place would be especially good for selling the financial side of your experience
    May 20, 2021 0
  • Roku
    🥸—

    Go to company page Roku

    🥸—
    I have done this, here is my experience

    Tc : 200
    Yoe : 4

    I used to be a financial analyst in investment few years ago when it was paying shit. Long story short (finance doesnt sponsor foreigners unlike tech) i ended up going to grad school and pivoting to tech data science.

    If you are a citizen, i would reconsider that move for 2 reasons :

    -its an entropic move, once you leave finance there is no way back

    -money isnt nearly the same. A top data scientist (the ones with top PHDs at Netflix, with heavy statistics background, and 10+ YOE <— unlikely you) could make up to 600k. Truth is most data analyst/scientist (IC) make less than 200k. If you stick around investment, you ll be easily making high 6 figures at the associate level in your late 20’ (yes WLB is not comparable). I m 30, some of my former coworkers are making 5x my TC yet they weren’t smarter than me/some of my current coworkers in DS (but credit to them for working 80 hours/week for the last 6-7 years/ sacrificing their prime years).
    Entering your 30’ in investment you could be working as “little” as 55-60hours/week and make 7 figures. I just wanted to warn you about this. That move has short term benefits, but long term you need to be ready to see your former coworkers making 10x your TC, retiring at 40, and seeing you as charity material. (Blind trolls please knock yourself out with your PC BS. Im not saying money is everything and wlb is worthless, im just trying to help OP understands whats ahead of him if he makes that move)

    Now answering your question 😅: before joining Roku (not top but decent public tech), i first joined a private tech company where I had a hybrid finance/data role (corporate analytics-ish) which was helpful to learn how to apply theoretical knowledge/tech skills to business problems. So I could put some data achievements on my resume and have more technical convo during interviews.
    May 20, 2021 5
    • Roku
      🥸—

      Go to company page Roku

      🥸—
      Amzn agree this is why I said
      “which requires insane resilience, sacrifice and dedication”
      My point is that the natural selection in finance is not that much about intelligence but more about hardcore motivation. Which is somehow democratic btw. So i wouldn’t state that its “more competitive”

      I think Netflix analytics engineer only making 200-300k could have been smart enough to get those jobs in PE/HF but they probably are incapable of working 90hrs/week for 7 years with your boss texting you at 3am on your cell to demean you because you still havent completed that LBO model.

      I m just telling OP you can make it in finance if you really want it, in tech analytics you ll have to be more humble/less ambitious
      May 21, 2021
    • Amazon
      qgLX13

      Go to company page Amazon

      qgLX13
      Roku, I don't have any experience in Finance but it still sounds like a huge simplification. I could be wrong. On another note how do you like working at Roku?
      May 21, 2021