In Part 1 of this two-part series, we explored some psychological reasons to take your shot and apply to The Data School. If you suffer from imposter syndrome and other crises of self-esteem, one survival skill is not to think "What is the worst that can happen" - because asteroids are out there and probability is a cruel mistress - but "What is the worst likely outcome?" To help that, I want to share my observations of specific areas of growth and personal benefit you're likely to experience if you take your application seriously. You're not guaranteed acceptance, but you are going to grow in ways that are materially beneficial to your career path in data.
Tableau Techniques
One of the benefits of the application process is the specificity of the feedback, either directly from the coaches and interviewers, or from Data School members who may volunteer to give help with your application viz. From my bootcamp I had learned some things about containerization and working with parameters, but the examples of and lessons on tooltips, Dynamic Zone Visibility (DZV), map control, and dashboard actions that I was referred to helped enormously with my final application viz. I actually ended up completely redoing my dashboard on a stronger foundation the night before it was due; the difference between my first dashboard and my final first round viz is like night and day.
After you submit your first round viz - if you get it in before the feedback deadline - you'll get some specific feedback and links to resources to support that feedback. During your phone screen/first viz view, you may get some additional feedback from the coach interviewing you, depending on time or if there's any major areas of concern. If you make it to the second round, you'll get one of us as your buddy to give you support, suggestions, and additional resources to help you improve during that week. My final viz needed work - see how many areas you could improve on! - but in concept, color use, and overall design it shows real improvement.
Consulting Skills
Something that came as a bit of a shock to me in the final round interview was the importance of consulting skills and business scenarios. It shouldn't have, given that we're, you know, consultants, but I tunnel-visioned on my dashboard and presentation and forgot to prep for the interview and consulting scenarios. I perhaps should have read Tristan Kelly's blog on how to succeed in the application, or reflected on the questions asked in the first round interview. I wasn't prepared to look at a dashboard and explain to a client how it could be improved, for instance. Now that you're a bit more forewarned, you'll be in a better position to learn from the feedback you'll get to your answers. Every question I was asked about is directly relevant to common tasks that our consultants are asked to complete on placements or for client projects; preparing for the interview will also help you improve important job skills. There's a tremendous amount of overlap with other employers in the field; before I got my offer I interviewed with another company and I was asked some of the same questions I was asked by the Data School. I did better, too.
Finding Community
The idea that hiring isn't about what you know but who you know is an oversimplification, and something The Data School's hiring process is designed to get past. That being said, for your professional growth and chance of being hired as a data analyst in general, the more people there are who are aware of what you know, the better. The same things mentioned in Part 1 that help with your application - doing Workout Wednesday and Makeover Mondays, attending Tableau User Groups (TUGs), reaching out to current TILers for suggestions and guidance - also improve your visibility to potential employers. Your great idea for a viz or unique perspective on a data set will find a better audience if you're actually publishing it, showing it to people, and seeking feedback. Coaches, instructors, and employers of all sorts of backgrounds show up to TUGs. Connecting with people in the data community via LinkedIn or your social media of choice gets you seen more. Tableau Public profiles are one of the single best ways to show your growth available to prospective data analysts.
Networking is valuable, and you've got a great excuse to get started with it as part of your Data School application. Your application is a pretty decent conversation starter, and your growth mindset is likely to impress, even if networking and getting your name out there is uncomfortable or stressful for you.
Now what?
If you've read the first part this is familiar territory for you, but go ahead and start your application, go to Tableau User Groups, practice Workout Wednesday and Makeover Monday, build your network, go to a meet and greet event, and set yourself up for success. You're going to grow in your skill and value in the process, whatever your ultimate destination is.