When I graduated from uni (end of 2018), I spent about 8 months looking for work. My study was in Chemistry and Mathematics, but I did a bit of programming as a hobby in my spare time. There are only so many jobs you can apply for in a month, so I spent a lot of my spare time contributing to OpenStreetMap. I got quite deep into it, and joined a project to import open address data from my state. In the process, I wrote a Python script to streamline the data processing steps.
After a few months of looking, I realised that there really aren't that many Chemistry jobs in my region, and fewer Maths jobs. The closest I got to a Chemistry job was an interview at a chemical sales company, and I the only Maths jobs I found were either research positions requiring a PhD (I only have Masters), or were at gambling game companies (which I'm morally opposed to). So I started applying for programming jobs. I got a couple of interviews, but no job.
When I applied for the role at my current employer (August 2019), I didn't really understand what the role was. I was hoping it was related to programming, as there was a bullet point about 'program logic models' in the job description. But in fact that was not the meaning at all. Nevertheless, I got an opportunity to talk about my experience with hobby programming, and particularly my experience working on the data processing script for importing addresses into OpenStreetMap. Providentially, my future manager was on the lookout for someone with programming experience, as the organisation was just beginning to understand the importance of good data processes. I'm pretty sure I got the job because of that project.
After a few months, I was able to get my title changed to Data Analyst. Within a year or so I was Data Team Lead of a brand new data team. And now I've moved sideways to a Data Engineer role.
My takeaways:
- While you wait, find projects that you're passionate about, and go deep.
- Don't be too fussy about your first job. Get in, then make it yours. Or leverage your experience to get the next job. (Either at the same employer or elsewhere.)
- Once you get that first job, you get out what you put in. Go the extra mile to understand what people need, then figure out how to give it to them. Try to think about the big picture AND the details. You'll learn more this way, and show people your value at the same time. Find projects that will stretch you and give you hands-on experience.
- Knowledge and experience compound. Never stop learning, and never stop practising what you have learnt.
- Set hard boundaries for how much time you spend at work. If you are paid for 37.5 hours/week, then don't work a minute more. If there's more work than you can do in that time, it's a sign you either need to take on less, or your organisation needs to hire more people. It's not your job to fill that gap, and you'll burn out if you try, which is bad for everyone involved. (We have a 'flexible work arrangement' which means if I work an hour extra today, I can finish an hour early tomorrow. I write down my extra time on a piece of paper to make sure I remember to take it.)
- Rest well outside of work, and keep learning.
After a few months of looking, I realised that there really aren't that many Chemistry jobs in my region, and fewer Maths jobs. The closest I got to a Chemistry job was an interview at a chemical sales company, and I the only Maths jobs I found were either research positions requiring a PhD (I only have Masters), or were at gambling game companies (which I'm morally opposed to). So I started applying for programming jobs. I got a couple of interviews, but no job.
When I applied for the role at my current employer (August 2019), I didn't really understand what the role was. I was hoping it was related to programming, as there was a bullet point about 'program logic models' in the job description. But in fact that was not the meaning at all. Nevertheless, I got an opportunity to talk about my experience with hobby programming, and particularly my experience working on the data processing script for importing addresses into OpenStreetMap. Providentially, my future manager was on the lookout for someone with programming experience, as the organisation was just beginning to understand the importance of good data processes. I'm pretty sure I got the job because of that project.
After a few months, I was able to get my title changed to Data Analyst. Within a year or so I was Data Team Lead of a brand new data team. And now I've moved sideways to a Data Engineer role.
My takeaways: - While you wait, find projects that you're passionate about, and go deep. - Don't be too fussy about your first job. Get in, then make it yours. Or leverage your experience to get the next job. (Either at the same employer or elsewhere.) - Once you get that first job, you get out what you put in. Go the extra mile to understand what people need, then figure out how to give it to them. Try to think about the big picture AND the details. You'll learn more this way, and show people your value at the same time. Find projects that will stretch you and give you hands-on experience. - Knowledge and experience compound. Never stop learning, and never stop practising what you have learnt. - Set hard boundaries for how much time you spend at work. If you are paid for 37.5 hours/week, then don't work a minute more. If there's more work than you can do in that time, it's a sign you either need to take on less, or your organisation needs to hire more people. It's not your job to fill that gap, and you'll burn out if you try, which is bad for everyone involved. (We have a 'flexible work arrangement' which means if I work an hour extra today, I can finish an hour early tomorrow. I write down my extra time on a piece of paper to make sure I remember to take it.) - Rest well outside of work, and keep learning.