You'll often hear job applications described as "soul-crushing," and that's the unavoidable reality even when the job market is hot. When interest rates are high and employers are screening extra-carefully to make sure every investment in human capital will pay off, it can be hard to convince yourself that it's worth the effort and that you're getting something out of the process. Beyond that, it can be hard to convince yourself that you are worth the effort, if like me you suffer from imposter syndrome. The Data School runs things differently; at every step of the application and interview process, you have opportunities for growth and feedback that will position you for further success regardless of if you move on to employment, make another attempt, or continue your job search elsewhere in the data world. In my experience applying for and being accepted to The Data School, and working to advise others going through the same process, I've found that these reminders help to keep you in the right frame of mind for success, even if you doubt yourself.
You Deserve the Chance
“I have spent my years since Princeton, while at law school and in my various professional jobs, not feeling completely a part of the worlds I inhabit. I am always looking over my shoulder wondering if I measure up.”
-Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor
I'm assuming that you are reading this, have read the application material and maybe insights from other DSers about the application process, and are willing to take the application seriously. Congratulations - from a moral and practical perspective, you've earned a chance to shoot your shot. You might be surprised how many people don't take their time to research, don't read (or properly process) the application instructions, or don't follow through on actually finishing. Or maybe you wouldn't - you probably know as well as I do how draining the job search process can be. Regardless of imposter syndrome or feelings of inadequacy - if you suffer from those maladies - if you come in with a growth mindset, we're interested.
We Want to Help - For Both Our Sakes
"People learn when they teach"
-Seneca the Younger
You hear warm and fuzzy platitudes from corporations all the time talking about supportive environments, growth mindsets, public good, altruism, all that good stuff. That's absolutely true about The Information Lab, and a huge part of why I applied and accepted the offer, but we can put that aside for the moment. The cold, hard reality is that we are consultants. Our job is to help people, and the more practice we get providing advice, resources, and support, within reason, the better we can meet clients' needs, the more we build our brand, and the more we grow within our roles. If you've ever been friends with a really good teacher or had one as a mentor, they've probably said "The best way to learn is by teaching someone else how to do it." Our business model and corporate practices are built partly on the insight that the same thing is true with consulting.
I can tell you as someone with a background in both education and data, I want to help you not just because I'm a (hopefully) decent person, but because I become greater when we become greater. In the best consultants at The Data School (all of them), I've seen that same attitude at work. If you reach out to one of us, we might not have time, but we'll generally be willing to provide some advice or feedback, or point you to someone who can help. Supporting curious, hardworking people during applications, at data community events, and as guest lecturers enhances our skills, keeps us sharp, and up to a point is literally our job.
It's Not All About You
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life."
-Jean-Luc Picard
The fact of the matter is, you could be a very strong candidate, and there might not be room for you in a particular cohort. You have no control over the number or accomplishments of other applicants, their particular balance of skills, the physical limitations of the training resources available, or the cultural fit that The Data School is trying to put together for a particular cohort. That doesn't mean that you've failed, or that you don't belong with us. Some people have applied twice or even three times before success, and each time they've demonstrated growth that set them on the right path to be a great data analyst. Sometimes that delay was because they needed to develop some fundamental skills further, and sometimes it was just business reasons beyond their control.
If you embrace the freedom that comes with recognizing what it is that you can change or influence, and what it is you can't, you'll find that your worst fears won't be realized, and that the application process for The Data School and for other employers will be much more tolerable. Beyond that, self-awareness about what your strengths and weaknesses actually are, and being willing to adjust your perception of where you actually stand in response to external feedback, is directly relevant to your tasks as a consultant. Unless you put yourself out there and accept the risk of failure - and both learn and accept what you have power over and what you don't - you may struggle to develop that self-awareness, which is really helpful when figuring out scoping in data consulting projects and in many other contexts. You deserve the chance to develop that skill.
Next steps
So go out there, learn what you can, and if you think we'd be a good fit for you and are willing to take a chance learning if you're a good fit for us, go fill out that application, go to Tableau User Groups, practice Workout Wednesday and Makeover Monday, reach out to us, and take the chance. If you can embrace professional growth, even if it's hard to believe in yourself, you deserve to give yourself the chance.
Next blog, I'll go over some of the concrete career skills that come with applying for The Data School, and what areas you're likely to grow in.