Unlock the Next Level of Your Career
Practical career advice for data engineers
I’ve been mentoring data engineers for many years and the most common reason they seek mentorship is for career progression. However, most can’t answer the first question I ask them.
What gaps do you think you have in your skills which is preventing you from progressing?
It amazes me that so many people I talk to don’t have an answer to this question. They know their destination but have no idea of the path to get there.
I share the same advice over and over again and it’s really simple. Let’s work through it.
Start with the end
The most obvious place to start is the end.
What does your next dream role look like?
This provides us with a clear focus and goal to work towards. Data engineering is a huge field with a large number of technologies and skill sets. It is very difficult to learn them all quickly, so by focusing on the role you want to be doing, you can focus on which skills to learn.
It’s super important that your goal is both realistic and healthy. Jumping from junior to architect may be a step too far. Moving location and working a 70-hour week just for job title prestige is something I…
