Three Questions for Sanjay Singh

This Udacity student got a great new data job before he’d even graduated from his Nanodegree program!

Meet Sanjay Singh. Sanjay is well on his way to being a two-time Nanodegree program graduate because he loves learning, and trying his hand at new subjects. Since enrolling in his first program, he’s been on a journey of self-discovery and, even before he graduates, he’s managed to do something pretty amazing to advance his career. We asked Sanjay three questions to learn a little more about his experiences with Udacity.

Can you tell us something you’d love the Udacity community to know about you?

Starting the Data Foundations Nanodegree program* was one of the best decisions I’ve taken in my life. The portfolio of projects I completed was so important in landing my current job as a Data Analyst with Accenture. And that was even before I’d even finished the program!

When I went to interviews before, I’d have no finished work to show to the interviewer. I could tell them I’d learned a lot from YouTube and other online resources, but that always ended with a polite “thanks for coming in…”. After I started my Nanodegree program, it was so different.

When my current employer first interviewed me, I could talk proudly and knowledgeably about every project I’d done, and I could show I’d spent months dedicated to studying data topics. It was on that day that I understood the importance of taking the time to master what you’re learning, and the need for a portfolio of projects to help ace the job interview.

Since becoming a Udacity student, is there a particular experience or new discovery that has resonated with you?

Before I enrolled in my Nanodegree program, I was looking for shortcuts to learn data skills as quickly as possible. Other programs promised I could go from zero to hero in a matter of days, so the three-month duration of the Nanodegree program seemed overwhelming at first. But I’m so glad I decided to try it and enroll!

“Since becoming a Udacity student, the curiosity to learn things, and the persistence to build things, has been ingrained in me.”

I am learning like a pro, and it’s because Udacity taught me the value of continuously practicing what you learn, so that it becomes second nature to you. And I learned that the best way to find shortcuts is to thoroughly understand the full processes first!

Have you achieved the goals you had when you began your studies?

To be honest, I started with no specific goals in mind. There seemed to be so many different skills to learn, I wasn’t even sure which ones would suit me best. Now, I understand far more about the importance of choosing a program according to my goals. Even so, I think it was better that I took action, did something I found interesting, and just got started! Fortunately, it doesn’t feel like I made any mistakes and I’m so happy with what I’ve done. And I’ve started setting goals now, because I can see that having a goal helps me measure my success!

“My goal is to one day start my own online business. When it’s a success, I will come to California and thank every Udacity mentor and instructor that helped me!”

We look forward to seeing you soon Sanjay! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us, and congratulations on your amazing new job. It’s fantastic to hear that you’ve not only learned the data skills you needed to land your role, but that you’ve also gained a deep insight into effective ways to learn in the future. We’re sure this will come in very useful if you maintain your current rate of Nanodegree enrollments!

*The Data Foundations Nanodegree program is now titled “Business Analytics Nanodegree program.”