Unemployed → Employed within 6 months
This is my story of starting a new career and getting hired as a DA within 6 months
Hey there, if you’ve stumbled upon this blog, chances are you’re either kickstarting your career or already on that path (and hey, trust me, you got this!). And guess what? After reading this, you’ll realize you’re not alone in this journey, my friend! It happens to all of us.
I’m here to share my path month by month, spill all the resources I used, and I gotta tell ya, please don’t even think of copying my exact path. Learned that the hard way, success can’t be copy-pasted. You gotta forge your own way, embrace failure, and keep trying. Just take a page from my book of mistakes, ’cause yeah, I’ll share ’em too.
So let’s roll on this journey together, learnin’ from the ups and downs. Trust yourself, believe in the process, and we’ll reach that career dream! You got this! 🌟
1st Month — November 2021:
I gotta spill the beans — I got the news that I didn’t get into my dream college, and man, it hit me hard. I had two choices — cry myself to sleep every damn day or do something about it. Crying wasn’t cutting it, so I went for the latter.
I started soul-searching, asking myself what I really loved. And you know what? Spending another year trying for that dream college just didn’t click for me at all. So, higher studies? Nah, not my thing. But hey, here’s the beauty of knowing what you don’t want — it sets you free to chase what you truly desire!
Data Analysis, that was my calling. How’d I arrive at that conclusion? Well, even if higher studies didn’t pan out, I still dreamt of being an analyst. So, I decided to dive into my dream and become an analyst.
I hit up YouTube for the “6 months ultimate roadmap of Data Analyst” videos and scribbled down the tools I needed to learn:
- Python — Advanced Level
- Power BI/Tableau — Basic Level
- SQL — Basic Level
- Excel — Basic Level
But hold up, turns out I got the format all wrong, thanks to Python hype! The correct sequence is:
- SQL — Intermediate Level
- Power BI/Tableau — Intermediate Level
- Excel — Intermediate Level
- Python — Basic Level
Yeah, it took me 6 months to realize that mistake 🥲. But you know what? It’s alright if you don’t have all the answers from the get-go. Just start learning, and you’ll figure things out along the way.
So, that first month was all about binging YouTube tutorials, learning those tools one by one. Gotta admit, I pressed myself a bit too hard on the hard-core Python skills (not my forte) and neglected the rest. Oh, and during that time, I set a deadline to start job hunting after a month.
It’s been a ride, but we’re rollin’ with it! Onward to new horizons! 🚀
2nd Month — December 2021:
Man, I went down a rabbit hole! So, I started following software engineers on YouTube, thinking I gotta be the best at everything, you know? And who’s the king of Python? Yup, software engineers. So, I went full speed into learning Data Structures and Algorithms (DSA), solving Leetcode, the whole shebang. I was dead set on becoming a DSA and competitive programming whiz in the next 6 months (spoiler alert: that deadline got pushed way further ’cause come on, that’s a tall order for a month!).
But hey, not all was lost during this wild month. I reached out to some folks on LinkedIn for help with Data Analytics ’cause I was flyin’ solo. That’s when the golden advice hit me — I needed to master Python ML Libraries like Pandas, NumPy, Seaborn, Matplotlib (seriously, jot that down, it’s a must-know).
So, I dove into reading blogs and LinkedIn posts, and it struck me like a lightning bolt. DA role ain’t just about theory, it’s all about tackling real-life problems. And here I was, stuck in theory-land. That’s when I decided to hunt for internships on Internshala. Oh, and if you wanna know how I scored that internship, check out my blog!
I might have taken a detour, but the journey ain’t over yet. Gotta keep hustling, right? Let’s see where this path takes me!
By the end of 2021, I had my skills all sharpened and even scored an internship offer, woohoo! Oh, and I whipped up two Dashboards, thanks to those trusty YouTube tutorials. Gotta admit, I was so focused on bagging that internship that I kinda pushed SQL to the back burner (whoops, major oopsie on my part 😅).
But hey, we live and learn, right? SQL, I’m coming for ya now! Onward to new adventures and no more overlooking the important stuff! Let’s rock this internship and beyond!
3rd month — January 2022:
Ah, my internship as a Power BI Intern was a blast, fully invested in it! But hey, life’s all about balance, right? So, alongside, I took a well-deserved vacay with the fam, good times!
Now, here’s where things took a twist. I tackled some Leetcode questions, revised DSA, but the passion for Python started to fade. Doubts crept in, wondering if this was really my jam for life. Talking to some LinkedIn folks opened my eyes — gotta shift my focus to SQL queries, that’s where the magic lies. Strata Scratch popped up on my radar, and I saw the way forward.
So, after 3 months, I faced the truth — I’d been wasting time on things that didn’t really matter. But hey, no time for regrets! I mustered up the courage to dive into SQL (yeah, forgot everything, but that’s alright), and I pledged to master it no matter what!
Onward to mastering SQL like a boss! Bring it on, SQL, I’m ready for ya!
4th month — February 2022:
Alright, I had my plan ready! With my first month stipend from the internship, I made a smart move and got myself a 1-month subscription for Strata Scratch, ready to conquer SQL. It set me back around 2500 INR, but it was worth every penny.
I took it seriously, no slacking off. On alternate days, I solved easy level Python questions. Sometimes, I’d go for 6 hours, and other days, just 2 hours, but I kept up the consistency. Even on those days when I didn’t feel like it, I pushed myself to open Strata Scratch and practice. Heck, even if I did just 2 questions, I made sure I got my practice in. No giving up!
As I went along, I tackled 150 easy questions and then upped the ante, moving to medium level questions, ratcheting up the difficulty (shoutout to the Pyramid technique!). I was on a roll!
By the end of this month, I stumbled upon web-scraping, EDA, Kaggle Dataset, and had an epiphany — time to build my portfolio and snag that DA gig! I decided to apply to jobs, see what skills were in demand, and work on my areas of improvement. Confident as ever, I knew I’d be landing a job after March 2022. Here’s to the future!
5th month — March 2022:
It was a month of pure learning, but let me be honest, I faced rejection from multiple companies. Ouch! But hey, I took those rejections as lessons and revamped my profile, making it shine brighter. I proudly added my web-scraping project, 2 EDA projects, and a Visualization project, all done by yours truly, no tutorials needed. It was a turning point, learning from setbacks and growing stronger.
But, oh man, seeing my friends land plush jobs in top MNCs while I felt like I achieved nothing hit me hard. Doubts started creeping in, and that pesky insecurity phase set in. I questioned my own abilities, doubting if this was the right path for me. You know that feeling, where you lack the drive to chase your dreams and achieve anything.
But hey, I ain’t one to give up that easy! I decided if companies won’t give me experience, I’ll create it for myself. Freelancing as a Power BI Developer seemed like a solid plan. I prepped myself by watching Upwork videos, getting ready to conquer that freelancing world. Oh, and big shoutout to my LinkedIn friends who convinced me to keep pushing, not lose hope, and keep applying to jobs.
Here’s to staying strong, hustling hard, and believing in myself! Onwards and upwards, my friends!
6th Month — April 2022:
I started freelancing on 1st April 2022 after 3 days I got a client and I earned 300$ within a day. Read this blog to know how I did it?
Oh man, got an interview call from Uber, and I aced that first round! But then, they put my application on hold after the second round. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions this month, I tell ya. I prepped like crazy for the interviews, drilling different SQL questions. But ya know, there were tough nights too, crying myself to sleep, just hoping my dreams would come true.
It’s been tough, but I’m not backing down. I’m holding on tight, determined to achieve what I desire. Let’s keep pushing, keep grinding, and see where this journey takes me. Fingers crossed and hustle mode on!
Man, back then, I had no clue what the upcoming months held for me. I was lost, really lost. And yeah, I cried a bunch too ’cause I’d done everything in my power to be a kickass DA, and yet, no job offers in sight. I reached out to my LinkedIn connections, hoping they’d shed some light on what I was doing wrong — GitHub profile, portfolio projects, anything! But nada, zilch, no answers. It crushed me ’cause I couldn’t figure out what was going wrong, you know?
But hey, hold up, hold up! Things took a turn on 28th April 2022 — a startup swooped in and offered me a Data Analyst gig. BOOM! Your girl’s got the job, oh yeah!
And you see where I’m headed? Each month, I set a mental deadline for myself — learn this, ace that, knock out n number of projects for my profile. Self-learning is tough, real tough, but I found my secret weapon — discipline! And how do I get that? Yup, deadlines, my friend. It keeps me focused, pushing myself forward, and getting closer to my dreams.
So here’s to staying disciplined, embracing the ups and downs, and celebrating those hard-earned victories! Onward to bigger and better things!
Few Takeaways:
- Try to be consistent: Being consistent is the name of the game, but hey, let’s be real, it’s okay to just “try” sometimes. You can’t be on fire all the time, right? Some days you’ll feel like a superstar, clocking 8+ hours, while other days, you’ll barely manage 3 hours at your desk. And guess what? That’s absolutely fine!
- Don’t copy paste my path: Now, listen up, don’t copy-paste my journey. We all have our unique strengths and weaknesses. I had a background in statistics, so no tutorials needed for that. But you might have your own advantages, like killer programming skills or charisma to nail interviews. Focus on your strengths and work on your areas of improvement, every day.
- Remember that It happens with everyone: And hey, when you’re in that dark place, feeling like the world’s against you, remember, you’re not alone. Life throws challenges at everyone, but you got this! Whatever you’re going through, rest assured, it’s a part of life’s grand adventure.
So let’s keep pushing, growing, and embracing the journey, ups, downs, and all! We’re in this together!
I have been getting mails like these for the past few months, that’s why i felt I should create a platform where I can have an interaction and help you people in your career, that’s why I made my Topmate profile to bridge this gap! If you’re stuck at Business Analyst Job Hunting or Need a mock interview practise before your interview or need help in your resume and LinkedIn profile building or if you’re just unaware what is going wrong, connect me there we will sit and talk about how to get you a job!!
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