On one hand, I experienced the infamous and harrowing ‘whiteboard test’ where interviewers younger than myself pushed me to my limits (and were extremely encouraging, to their credit).
On the other, I was absolutely taken aback by an encounter with someone in a senior tech role who was oblivious to the most basic of tech and data concepts (imagine a biologist who had never heard of DNA).
It drove home the point that in today’s environment of rapid technological change, no one – no matter your seniority or designation – is exempt from lifelong learning.
I may have achieved a small measure of success in my career switch so far, but if I rest on my laurels, I can easily be made obsolete by those who are hungrier and armed with knowledge I don’t possess.
This may seem daunting, but I got my start in data analytics precisely because someone was willing to evaluate me based on whether I had the relevant skills and the capacity to learn, and not based on my seniority or a piece of paper I earned from university years ago.
And in this world where skills are king, anyone who is willing to learn has a fighting chance.