In your Analytics career you can choose between 1. working within a single industry or domain, or 2. jumping around between different industries There are advantages to both! Sticking to one industry: - You probably get more replies when applying - You hit the ground running faster in a new job - Your domain knowledge compounds over time Jumping around: - Wider pool of job openings available to you - Get exposed to a wider variety of tools & methods - On average, it helps you grow more as a generalist Based on your experience, what else would you add? And what do you prefer? #data #analytics #career
Drew - Really interesting question, but don't you think almost everyone specializes to some degree as their career progresses? When I was in consulting, the associates were almost all generalists and the partners were all specialists/SMEs. Clients won't pay partner-level rates for generalist skills....
I prefer a diversity of experience. Makes you better and is much more interesting. I believe though, the market favors the specialist/ seasoned SME
Drew Mooney what would you say is the ideal point in one's professional career where they decide to specialize in a specific industry?
When you understand basic business concepts (e.g. business models, competitor analysis, pricing strategies, marketing, partnerships, corporate strategy, business growth strategies, market trends, external factors, etc.) they can serve as a solid foundation on which to build expertise in different industries. Business understanding is germane.
I’m personally a fan of hiring people with diverse backgrounds. Success across many domains is my favorite indicator of future success with our firm.
Extra variable #1: How curious am I? Do I enjoy being challenged with projects that require research and learning? Extra variable #2: Should I pursue a business/leadership track or lean more towards data engineering?
I always say get some knowledge about a bunch of industries, but specialise in one or two. Knowledge of multiple business models should help you think about these things
Getting exposure to different industries also help you build perspective which you can use to your benefit. Use the knowledge gained from one to your next job. The fundamentals generally remain same across industries, it’s the way of working changes and various exposure helps a lot
Sounds like you need Tailored Projects if you’re doing number 1 👀👀👀
I help align data teams with the business | PMP | MSDA | Epic Certified
1moI think the biggest advantage to jumping around is a more informed view of what you personally like. Seeing it done 10 different ways makes the 11th more of a known quantity