UPSKILLING: Do more projects, not take more classes
It's like no one is hiring tech workers anymore...
Let’s start today’s read with this not-so-funny meme.
I struggled writing this since I had no potential answer to the question, How do professionals get jobs when the professional world is collapsing?”
But I set my hands at peace with writing when this thought came to mind.
Jim Rohn said in 1981 that:
If you’re finding the secret to the future and your success, always remember this. THE FUTURE WILL BE THE SAME. OPPORTUNITIES MIXED WITH SOME LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY.
At the moment, we all now have the opportunity to access the global economy, to work remotely and not be limited to the currency of our country, all from the comfort of our home.
No generation ever enjoyed that. At the same time, in just six months, over 70,000 tech professionals have been laid off, and companies are still planning on laying off more. Yet, the advice remains the same: “start a business and become an entrepreneur or upskill so you won’t be left behind.” However, True entrepreneurship isn’t about desire alone—it requires resources, exposure, and time. Great Entrepreneurs like Bill Gates succeeded because of unique advantages and access most people, especially in Nigeria, simply don’t have.
Upskilling on the other hand, though necessary, isn’t simple either. 41% of professionals say they lack time to learn because work has erased the boundary with rest, I currently belong to this group. Even those who manage to learn find that only 12% is ever applied.
We can’t ignore the fact that feedback is scarce, quality resources are expensive, and by the time you catch up, the market shifts again. However, my conclusion on this is based on the following points:
Upskilling by keeping yourself updated with future trends, this entails subscribing to YouTube channels, podcasts, blogs, etc that project the trends in tech. The trick here is to think forward whilst ensuring you rapidly upscale to be in a position to apply for jobs that may come out of that trend. I remember a friend who quickly took a course in Prompt Engineering when the first version of ChatGPT was released. In a matter of months, he became one of the leaders of that field.
Upskilling by looking at top companies in places like USA, UK, China whilst observing the skills in demand for their Data roles. Use the top skills across the Data role vacancies to upskill yourself.
As a personal example, my current role is heavily focused on the mastery of SQL, and some python. A lot of our work lies on innovating new models for different project deliverables using these two and while these are skills every DS should possess, I am also aware that these skills may not land me an interview or a Job if I decide to move. Most Data Science roles especially in the industries I want to work require a lot of knowledge in LLMs, MultiModal models, Transformers, etc.
What does this scream? UPSKILLING. A strategic way I’ve done this is to search for current data science vacancies, watch out for the major roles that seems to appear in most of the role descriptions, and note where I may have gaps when I decide to move. This helped me come up with a 6-8 months plan to do some study and create some projects that fills the gaps I am lacking. This was easy to do with the help of ChatGPT.
How does this apply to you? Simply get to work to do the same for up to 10-15 vacancies locally and remotely, check where gaps are missing and create a plan that fills those gaps. Covering a wide range of skills will not only help you land the dream job, it makes you a valuable member of the Team. This is what I intend to do even if I eventually decide to move.
Lastly, remember to upskill by DOING PROJECTS, do NOT take more courses unless you know you need the course to achieve the deliverables of a planned project. You must always have a project in mind that cover your gaps, before going for a course to help you obtain the skills for the gaps.
I do hope you find this helpful. If you did, remember to share to another person in your circle who may be struggling with landing their dream job.
Here are three links to follow to apply to current remote data-related jobs:
Data Scientist jobs in Nigeria (24 new)
Data Science Freelance Jobs: Work Remote & Earn Online~Upwork
Data Science Jobs, Employment in Remote | Indeed
I want to take some time to thank those who write back to me, it means a lot to read your encouraging words. If you’ve never written to me before, let this newsletter be a motivation for you to. I look forward to reading from you, even if it’s a rant.