My Path to Data
Welcome to the first edition of “My Path to Data,” where we talk to women from Slalom, current and alumni, about how they got into data, what their roles are like and even some tips on how to prepare for a career in data. Remember to join the 1-hour panel discussion event on November 18th hosted by Slalom’s Women in Data to hear more about their journeys and share stories of their careers at Slalom.
Today, we spoke with Serima Nazarian, a Director of Data and Analytics, from Slalom’s Hartford office. She shares her path to data starting with her strong educational foundation in Analytics that lead to a natural progression in Data and Analytics.
How did you get into the data field?
My undergraduate was in Computer Science & Software Engineering, and I have a master’s degree in Analytics. So, Data and Analytics seemed like the natural route to take. My strong educational foundation was the start of my career in Data and Analytics.
What is one thing you wish you could go back and tell yourself before starting a career in data?
Try various roles before you start going up the ladder.
What is your role at Slalom?
I am a Data Strategist. I team up with the client leadership to design data organizations along with multi-year data strategy roadmaps. Then assemble technically and geographically diverse teams to help implement them.
What made you decide to apply to or choose Slalom?
The awesome people and the work life balance!
What are some tips for those interested in a career in data or applying to Slalom?
Learn coding. Specifically, SQL and Python. We can teach you everything else. As much as coding is less and less needed these days, knowing how to write an algorithm, regardless of the language used will help you with the logical thinking needed to work in data.
What is the most important Slalom core value to you now as a woman in data?
Do what is right, always
What is your superpower? Tell us something that you are good at!
Being direct
Want to hear more from Serima?
Register now for Slalom’s Women in Data Community event: You & Data panel discussion on November 18th. Whether you have 10+ years of experience or are just starting your career, we hope you will join us to listen in on this conversation with other women in the industry. https://go.slalom.com/WID_You-and-Data
Serima is an interdisciplinary solution principal across multiple technologies and methodologies with +10 years of work experience. Her strong educational foundation and rich background of consulting in different industries enables her to be successful in very diverse roles. From leading technically and geographically diverse teams of data analysts, developers and scientists to creating cloud-based data-models to teaming up with client leadership in creating multi-year technical strategy roadmaps and helping to implement them.
