Now that DS11 are approaching the end of our 4 months of training at the Data School and will soon be shipped off to our first of 4 placements, I have been reflecting on the experience and would like to convince you to apply for the Data School too.
Because it’s an amazing opportunity
Where do I start with this one? A salary of 30k in year one, rising to 35k in year two. That alone is a reason many would want this job but it’s so much more than the pay. You will be taught for four months (paid) by the best in the business. The Information Lab is home to 4 Tableau Zen Masters and 2 Alteryx Aces as well as so many of the brightest in the community. The wealth of knowledge and experience that you will have access to is something enviable for many. The Data School is an opportunity to learn and kickstart your career. By the time your 2.5 years are up, you will have worked at 5 different companies (incl. The Information Lab) and worked with many more clients while you were in training. There is no question that you will be qualified for some amazing jobs afterwards. In fact, if you have taken advantage of the opportunities presented to you in the 2.5 years, you will likely have a choice of jobs to go to.
Because it’s great for your personal development
Yes you will become experts in Tableau and Alteryx with good knowledge of SQL and you’ll have the opportunity to learn R and Python. Yes you will learn all these technical skills and you’ll get your certifications. But, you’ll also get so many “soft” skills. Now what people often call soft skills, in my opinion, are key skills that are anything but soft. While at the Data School, you’ll present, present, present. Hate public speaking? Many do but you’ll get good at it. No promises that you’ll love it though. Every week, you’ll present in front of your cohort and the other cohort currently in training. This gives you the opportunity to hone your skill in a safe environment so that when you are in front of clients, you don’t click your pen constantly anymore.
On top of this, you will be teaching members of the public about 2 months into your training. I had the opportunity to help a class of masters students learn to use Tableau. Also, you will be encouraged to demo at our Meet and Greets (link here), speak at external events like Tiny Tableau Talks or Tableau Fringe Festival or attend university careers fairs.
Everyone in your cohort will have the opportunity to project manage one of your client projects. Again, this is a great opportunity to practice leading others.
Me looking super awkward before I started teaching the class
Because The Information Lab is an awesome company to work for
Putting aside a stocked bar and table tennis at the office, The Information Lab is a great company to work for. Everyone at the company wants to help if you have a problem you can’t solve, everyone wants you to develop and do better. Our company is small enough so that you know most people, meaning no lack of support or friendship. TIL doesn’t use email to communicate, instead we use a platform called Convo. It’s basically a social media/chat platform for businesses. It’s amazing because while most of TIL are out with clients around the world or are working from home, everyone still checks in, keeps others informed and asks/answers questions. We are a social company. We frequently have dinners/events/etc and I personally love having the choice to attend. I’m very much looking forward to our Christmas Party in May!
Bottom line is the support you get from the company is invaluable and really makes you feel *cue cringe* like part of the family.
DS11 opening our Secret Santa gifts to each other (I got Exploding Kittens!)
Because you’re a problem solver
You will like this job if you like problem solving. Download Tableau and try analysing a dataset that’s interesting to you. If you think “that was really fun” then you’ll like it here. Plus, if you’ve done that, you’ve already started the application process. At the Data School, we all come from different backgrounds with different work histories but we all love thinking critically and solving problems. If you’re worried about a data analyst career then start your application, if you like it, then you’ll like being a data analyst. The application is designed to give you an idea of what the work will be like, as much as it is for us. If you’re worried about fitting into this company, then come visit us at our Meet and Greets! We have a Meet and Greet coming up on the evening of January 30th 2019. Sign up and meet us!
Still unsure? Come see us, comment on this post or message me on Twitter.
That’s all, folks!
Louise
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