From Jobless to Data Scientist: How Ann Mary Made a Successful Career Switch

“I wanted to make a career switch and move to the data science field but was not getting any interview calls. With Preplaced's mentorship, I found the confidence to overcome these challenges and succeed.” - Ann Mary

Meet Ann Mary who wanted to transition into the field of Data Science. 

But as she started applying for data science jobs, she faced a tough challenge – no interview calls! It was frustrating and disheartening.

The thought of being jobless was creeping up on her. That's when she stumbled across Preplaced mentor-led program.

She connected with mentor Nehaa Bansal a Data Scientist at Impetus and from there, things turned around for her.

She honed her technical skills and learned how to effectively communicate her Data Science projects, impressing prospective employers with her depth of knowledge.

She was able to clear interviews and get offers from TCS and Proclink before her mentorship with Nehaa even ended. 

This is her story!

What is your background?

I have a B.Tech degree in Computer Science Engineering. 

In my previous company, I was involved in Python Programming and had responsibilities that included scripting, testing, and related tasks.

What was the reason you wanted to switch companies?

Well, the main reason behind my decision was that I lost my job in March. 

It was tough because the company I worked for was planning to shut down, and I received a notification about it back in February. 

Since then, I started applying to various jobs, but unfortunately, I wasn't getting any calls or responses. 

I also wanted to make a career transition into the data science field. 

The few calls I did receive were for Python development, which was similar to my previous role.

You mentioned that you needed help in your interviews, where were you getting stuck?

You see, I wanted to switch to the data science field but was not getting any interview calls. 

I think it might be because my background was different from the data field.

It seemed like I needed some kind of experience in the data domain to be considered. To be honest, I had limited knowledge about certain aspects too.

Another issue I faced was I often struggled when discussing my data science projects. I realised that I wasn't going in-depth enough when explaining them.

How did you discover Preplaced and why did you choose Preplaced?

I discovered Preplaced while searching for different options to improve my chances of getting interview calls. 

I came across a post on LinkedIn by one of the mentors working at Microsoft, Shailja. 

Intrigued, I decided to check it out.

My first interaction with Preplaced was attending a trial session with Pooja Palod. 

Unfortunately, she wasn't available at that time, so we couldn't proceed further. 

But then I reached out to Nehaa Bansal and discussed my background and my desire to switch careers.

I really appreciated how Nehaa patiently listened to my doubts during the trial session.

Based on our conversation, she suggested a 3-month mentorship program to guide me through the process. 

Initially, I felt a bit hesitant and frustrated, as three months seemed like a long time being “jobless”. 

However, after just 1 month of preparation with Nehaa, I was able to clear interviews. 

What was your mentorship structure?

My mentor, Nehaa, organised our mentorship using an Excel sheet. 

Every day, she assigned me two tasks. 

One task was related to Python programming, while the other involved reading material related to data science. 

At first, the Python programming questions were relatively easy for me to solve, but as we progressed, Nehaa increased the difficulty level.

Before working with Nehaa, I used to program on platforms like Hackerrank.

However, she gave me problems from Leetcode. 

Thanks to that, I was able to evaluate my progress and where I am standing compared to others.

It improved my coding skills significantly.

Apart from programming tasks, she also gave me learning assignments. 

She would assign a topic and ask me to write a post about it. 

So, from that point onwards, I started writing Medium posts on the given topics. 

I even went a step further and published them in publications like "Towards Here". 

Nehaa also suggested that I post the same on LinkedIn as it would increase my visibility.

It turned out to be incredibly helpful, especially during my interview preparation. 

These posts, combined with the topics Nehaa covered, greatly contributed to my success in clearing interviews.

When did you start applying for interviews? 

I attended 4 interviews within a month of starting the mentorship in which I cleared 2. 

Nehaa advised me to be active on LinkedIn and engage.

Thanks to that, I received a call from TCS HR and managed to crack the interview.

During the interviews, the questions were based on the topics Nehaa assigned me. 

The first topic was about EDA (Exploratory Data Analysis), and the second one was about Data Clinic. 

Since I had been writing on Medium, I had everything documented, which helped me refer back and prepare for the interviews.

Nehaa provided me with clear guidance on what to expect during the interviews. 

After receiving 2 job offers, she also told me how to proceed with the offers and salary negotiation.

What was the experience like in the interviews after taking the mentorship?

After completing the data science project with Nehaa's mentorship, I felt much more confident during the interviews. 

Prior to this, I had worked on a data science project, but I wasn't familiar with the specific keywords and the proper flow of a data science project. 

I referred to the topics Nehaa provided me and I implemented the same on a dataset that I had used for my project.

During the interviews, when they asked me about the project, I was able to explain the data analysis and data cleaning parts effectively. 

Thanks to Nehaa's guidance, I had a well-structured way to describe the entire data science project. 

Previously, I used to struggle to go into depth, but now I could confidently discuss the project details with ease.

What was the duration of the mentorship program at Preplaced?

3 months. 

How did you feel when you received the job offers?

I was absolutely thrilled! 😄

I had been without a job for 2 months, so it felt amazing to finally get offers from two companies. 

The offers were from TCS and Proclink.

After careful consideration, I decided to go with Proclink because it aligned better with my expectations.

Any message you’d like to give to Nehaa?

I'm incredibly grateful to her! 

She's been the driving force behind all my learning, preparation, and negotiation skills. 

Without her, I wouldn't have achieved any of this!

What advice would you like to give to aspiring candidates who may be facing similar challenges?

We should not consider interviews as an event. 

Instead, treat it like a continuous learning process. 

Eventually, you'll find the silver lining in the cloud and achieve your goals. Keep pushing forward!

To sum it up

And just like that, from being disappointed and lost to making a successful career transition, Ann Mary was able to reach her goals.

So, if you're feeling stuck in your career or facing hurdles in your job search, remember Ann Mary's journey. 

Reach out for mentorship, and let the guidance of experienced professionals take you on the path to success. 🚀

Your dreams are within reach – all it takes is a little help from the right mentors!

Related:

Overcoming Rejection: Divya’s Journey to a Data Analyst Role

From Clueless to Confident: How Aditya Landed His Dream Job at CME Group