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Joyce Li

A Look Into Data Science Programs and a Career in the Industry…

October 28, 2021 by Joyce Li Leave a Comment

data science programs

Online courses and masterclasses are no joke. With bountiful resources available such as EdX, SkillShare, and even YouTube, you can pretty much study anything and become an expert. However, one particular field has gained a lot of recent interest – data science. There is a booming market for data scientists, and they’re in high demand in almost every industry. Data science is essentially bringing together stats and –  well, data into an analysis which uncovers important patterns that let firms make informed operational and logistical decisions for their company.

A lot of people have managed to completely pivot their careers towards data science given the large number of data science courses available online. They range in price and commitment level from free masterclasses to online degrees. We’ve done our research at Lloyd and found some online course options for those who may be interested in pursuing data science as the next step in their career. 

Two options for data science courses are actually full-time online master’s degrees.

  • UCL’s data science master’s program is full time, typically with a start date at the end of September and lasts for one academic year. This is the only course we came across with a prerequisite – a bachelor’s degree in a quantitative field. The course is part time over the course of 2 years, and comes with a hefty price take of 175,500 pounds.
  • UC Berkeley also offers an online master’s degree in Data Science. The program consists of 27 units priced at $2,712 USD per unit, totaling to $73,224 USD for the entire program. There are flexible paths a student can take to finish the degree. The accelerated option requires 3 courses per semester for completion in approximately 12 months. The standard option requires 2 courses per semester for completion in approximately 20 months. Finally, a decelerated path allows for one course per semester (after the first term) for completion in about 32 months.

An online master’s is a major commitment, but we’ve found a few offerings that are slightly less expensive and with a shorter time commitment but still offer a great in-depth learning opportunity.

  • MIT’s “micromaster” course in data science is prerecorded, with an audit available. Each of the four total courses are self-paced, and the total price tag comes to $26,820 USD for the entire program. There is a new intake of students every year, and this option is best for those who really want to take a deep dive into data science and are committed into this career path.
  • The Lambda School is a popular option due to its flexible payment structure. Aside from a set $30,000 USD price tag specific to California, the program is based off your post-graduation earnings and is paid in 24 monthly installments of 17% of your monthly income. However ,the program require a large time commitment with an investment of about 40 hours per week and is 24 weeks long.
  • FlatIron School offers an online data science bootcamp which boasts an impressive 95% employment rate and 83k starting salary for those who graduated from the program. The full-time program is 15 weeks with 9 hours of work a day, though flexible durations of 20, 40, or 60 weeks are available. Start dates are varied. This program will set you back a $500 USD deposit and $16,900 for total tuition.
  • This Is Metis is similar to FlatIron School and offers online flexible part time courses that are 20 weeks long, with a 15-20 hour time commitment per week. A full-time version of the same course lasts for 10 weeks, with a 35-40 hour time commitment per week. The program is slightly cheaper than Flat Iron School’s program at $14,500 total.

Other offerings come from online subscription based learning services with a much lower cost than those seen from official online master’s degrees.

  • EdX offers their own version of a data science course for free – though those who choose to go for the free audit track do not leave the program with a certificate. Only the first session is available before a payment of $79 USD is required. The program is 6 weeks long with a time commitment of 4-6 hours per week.
  • Another offering from the EdX website is co-hosted by UC San Diego. This course has a higher time commitment as it’s 10 months long at 9-11 hours per week, though the price is quite fair for the amount of content you’ll be covering –  the whole program will only set you back $1,260 USD.
  • UC Berkeley has their own version of a data science online course. The program is 6 weeks long with a time commitment of 8-10 hours per week on a flexible schedule and will set you back $2,850 USD.

There are also courses that come with a monthly or annual billing cycle.

  • Data Camp’s online offering includes 15 videos and 48 exercises, with a free basic option that allows you to try out one course. Otherwise, it’s $25 per month and comes with problem set answers for more efficient self-study.
  • Coursera’s IBM data science course has a relatively lengthy time commitment at 11 months long with 3 hours per week, but the schedule is flexible and there are no prerequisites necessary. After a 7 day trial, the cost will either be $439 USD for a single installment payment or $39 USD per month, cancellable any time. A major benefit is that this course offers subtitles in eleven languages though the language of instruction is still English.
  • Lastly is Strata Scratch is a unique platform that offers data science interview questions and may be a good investment alongside a data science course. The website offers hundreds of updated practice questions, coding workshops, and discussion boards. A lifetime subscription will set you back $199 USD, a yearly subscription $99 USD, and a monthly subscription $29 USD.

Some quotes to help you with your decision:

We’ve interviewed some Lloyd members and Lloyd friends about their experiences studying data science and working in the industry. If you’re looking for some guidance about which course to pursue, here are some perspectives that may help your decision process.

Jonathan Huck:

“My opinion is that if someone committed an equal amount of time to DataCamp and self-directed projects, they would be just as competent, if not better, than a Master’s graduate.”

Sam Wood:

“DataQuest is a great hands-on experience that I think is of similar quality to DataCamp, if not better. It’s a great intro / way to skill up on Python.”

Jake Cohen:

“Find people on LinkedIn who attended bootcamps at jobs you think you would want upon graduating. Reach out to those people to hear about their experience. If they ended up at a job appealing to you, look into that program.“

Francisco Garcia

“Don’t coast and just pass exams/certification…truly spend the time you need to understand the fundamentals of what you are studying”

What’s great about the myriad of online course offerings is that there’s a price range and commitment level suitable for almost anyone interested in shifting their career focus towards one in data science. The choice really depends on your preferences – would you rather have more guidance, support, and an official degree after completing educational training in data science? If cost isn’t a major concern, then maybe a master’s degree program would be suitable for your needs. If you like the idea of a self-paced education with a much lower price tag, but less guidance and more pivots between programs along the way, participating in several basic online courses over a longer period of time may be right for you.

Sam Wood:

“Be realistic – this stuff isn’t easy to learn. It takes persistence, patience, curiosity, grit, and the ability to be humbled over and over. It is eventually rewarding, but you’ll go through much despair before reaching true enlightenment! Also, you’ll never stop learning, so be prepared for that. There’s always something you don’t know.

One glaring thing I saw as a TA is that people in the program expected to be out the door hired as a Data Scientist, Data Engineer, etc. Their expectations of outcomes from the program were unrealistic for what job prospects are out there for bootcamp graduates. In reality many people get undergrad and graduate degrees to be considered for those roles (many in tech have PhDs). So leveling expectations is important. 6-12 months of a bootcamp doesn’t trump 6+ years to get an undergrad + grad degree, or even longer for a PhD.

Also, one final note about these programs: they aren’t going to give you every single possible skill you need to be successful in this space. They give you a jumping off point to continue your education throughout your career, and to give you some real-world practical experience for what a DS does day-to-day. Point being: keep on learning, and don’t stop. The moment you become complacent in this field is the moment you start getting left behind. I can’t stress this enough; be fearless in your pursuit of new knowledge, and embrace feeling ‘dumb’ from time-to-time.”

Zen Yui:

“If you want to pursue data science professionally, have a working knowledge of linear algebra and stats going into any grad-level machine learning program. For an intro/bootcamp level course, have a working understanding of python (at least in a scripting capacity) so you can pay attention to the machine learning content of the course.”

Jonathan Huck:

“The barrier to entry for starting your own data science projects is low, and that is the best way to overcome barriers to getting hired as a data scientist. When I’m involved in hiring, I’m many times more interested in a portfolio than a certificate.”

Overall, there is a lot of freedom in the realm of data science courses, as well as pursuing data science projects on your own time. Any thoughts or feedback on this article? Let us know!

Closing Remarks from Daniel Taylor:

“Make no time for half measures. If you researched the courses and are ready go ‘all in’ data science isn’t something you can partway focus on… like all the best things in life, it’s all or nothing!”


Feeling stuck in your career? Check out how Lloyd can bring more clarity to your career ➜.

Filed Under: Extra Information

Career Aspirations: Journey To Becoming Creative Director

October 13, 2021 by Joyce Li Leave a Comment

From Lloyd:

Lloyd is committed to analyzing and documenting the many individual paths that lead to specific career destinations. If you are a young professional, Lloyd’s blog is the place for you. We analyze the career journeys of individuals who have gone on to become anything ranging from Creative Director to VP of Finance to Head of Product. Our goal is to take the mystery out of what it means to navigate your career. Whether your journey involves a linear path or several career switches along the way, Lloyd is here to help you develop a clear direction and specific goals.

In this piece, the team at Lloyd collected data from the paths of a number of individuals who worked their way to becoming Creative Director. This data, as well as a number of figures and patterns (which will be released periodically on our Instagram and LinkedIn!), have been given to Joyce Li. Joyce is a college grad interested in learning about becoming a Creative Director. Read on to see our summarized data points, hear Joyce’s perspective, and see quotes from dedicated leaders who are already Creative Directors.

As always, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment and subscribe to our newsletter!

From Lloyd’s Data About Becoming Creative Director:

1. The journey to becoming a creative director is a non-linear path without a “set of rules”. Many of the individuals had varying degrees of experience before eventually becoming a creative director. It’s less about merit, and more about talent/passion/time.

2. Several, (18%)  had worked as copywriters, which was a common theme among the data. It was the position that was the most commonly held. 

3. Only 1 held an MBA, and 1 with an MFA.

4. For undergrad, there was a large variety in areas of study. 14% studied art. 18% graphic design, 18% history or psychology. Only 1 person had studied finance, however he was successful in redirecting his career path. 

5. 40% worked as creative directors in freelance positions. 

6. 17% were employed in teaching positions. They taught art-related subject matter, and one individual taught dance. 

From Joyce:

A career in the creative field has always seemed elusive to me – I was never sure what first steps to take in pursuing a creative career, and I doubted whether my skills were enough to “make it” in the creative industry. The reason for my interest in a career in a creative field was mostly borne from a dissatisfaction with what I was studying at university. I wondered where I felt I got the most fulfillment, and I realized that it wasn’t in solving cases, balancing spreadsheets, or calculating profits. I respected those who had clear ideas of what they wanted to pursue, whether it be in consulting or finance. However, I couldn’t relate in the slightest. I often wondered whether studying Business Administration had been a mistake.

In classic just-graduated-from-university-into-Covid fashion, I have no idea what I’m doing with my life. However, I’ve recently been able to narrow down some of my goals: I want to be able to create and see my ideas come to life, and I want to be able to share my visions with others while also learning from others and hearing about their visions. Becoming a creative director is a potential future plan, and collecting and analyzing data for what it takes to become a creative director has been helpful for me. It’s given me a more concrete idea of what steps I could take to achieve the fulfillment I’d like to have from my career.

An interesting finding I came across was that 18% of all individuals I’d researched had their starts in copywriting positions. It was the most commonly helped position amongst all creative directors. I found this significant because I’ve always been interested in writing. Another one of the (many) potential career paths I’ve considered is writing, whether it be creative writing, editing, or copywriting. This data showed me that I don’t have to immediately start off directing photoshoots or creating hefty mood-boards for music videos and films. I could start where my strengths already lie.

Another part of the data I looked into was what each creative director had studied for their undergrad degrees. There was a pretty big dichotomy, with 18% having studied history or psychology and 32% having studied something in the field of art. One individual had graduated with a degree in finance, but redirected his career path into creative direction. This was an encouraging finding for me, because it showed me that even if I begin my professional career in one field, it doesn’t mean I’m locked into it for life.

 For someone looking over this data for the first time, I’d say the most important thing to keep in mind is that the path to becoming a creative director is multi-faceted, and many individuals worked for companies and projects while freelancing and not as represented directors. My advice to myself would probably be to just start – by practicing my writing skills, working on creative projects of my own, and researching further into what it takes to develop a career in the creative field.

Joyce

Joyce Li

Joyce is a recent graduate from the University of Southern California and is interested in pursuing a career with a creative focus.

    From Mariano, Professor & Creative Director:

    Advice to his younger self:

    “Stop trying to do what you think everyone wants you to do, follow your gut, listen to your heart, break some rules, and do work you are really proud of.”

    Mariano Testa

    Mariano is a part-time professor at Parsons School of Design. He previously was a Sr. Creative Director at Ralph Lauren. He lives in the greater New York City area.

      From Keith, Creative Director:

      Advice to his younger self:

      “It’s very interesting. Creative Direction is an idea, and honestly, not an idea that had been presented to my younger self. I used to joke with a photographer I worked with often, ” … well it’s not like I went to Creative Director School”. Because, that simply doesn’t exist. A Creative Director, is co-evolved position that is grown into based on the vectors of your employers, your own passions and your ability — and — desire to lead. Your young career centers on executional and craft growth. Do more, do it better than last time, do it again, and again. This is a critical step. It will build your credential with your teams that you may ultimately lead. You are proving yourself in practice. That said, now is the time to find fuel. Secure passions into point-of-view. Move convictions into credibility. These are the hyphens, your curiosities leading to expertise and expanding your spectrum of experience into a polygot-cultured-addled-strategic leader.

      Be mindful of how you communicate and support your ideas; “it’s fun” is not a reason why it may work, it now must work in the business return-on-investment sense. Be mindful of your desire to lead versus do. This is the most critical paradigm shift. For many of us, we chose to make, to create and manifest visions into campaigns, designs and new products underscored by our own hard work, our own efforts and via our own signature.

      Enter the “Creative Director” — your success is now contingent on your ability to coach success and to draw ideas into concrete business value — with a team. Simply, your success is now based on their success, and your creative and business leadership. Stay curious, and find the joy of collaboration and efficacy of your voice in guiding the work.”

      Keith_expert

      Keith Sanders

      Keith is currently Creative Director at Strada Advertising in Denver, Colorado. There he leads deep brand architecture, strategy and design focused on placemaking and community. Keith has been recognized for achievements in design through the a number of awards, publications and organizations.

        From Talia, Creative Director:

        Advice to her younger self:

        “Almost anyone can be trained to be a designer but very few have a natural talent for it. Tap into the intuition you have for visual art, voice your opinions and reasoning for your design choices, and actively listen to the audience that will be engaging with your work. This is how you will become a creative director that designers want to learn from.”

        Talia_expert

        Talia (Zuberman) Berg

        Talia is a creative leader and former founder. She currently is Brand Design Leader at Datadog. Previously, Talia was a Creative Director at multiple companies, including starting her own company. Talia resides in the greater New York City area.

          From Sameera Razak, Creative Director:

          Advice to his younger self:

          “An effective Creative Director must have a highly multidisciplinary understanding of how brands, campaigns, and products are created.

          Comprehension of areas traditionally viewed as “outside” of the creative realm—such as economics, client services, and people operations—ensure that the final works are relevant, and can be successfully communicated to the target audiences. Context and timing are everything!

          A Creative Director is as good as their team.

          While honing technical skills in junior design or art direction positions, observe how the individuals on a creative team complement each other, and how each skill-set is reflected in the final works. Eventually, as one amasses collaborator contacts within each discipline—design, typography, photography, copywriting, etc.—this network can be called upon while creating production teams in a senior, directorial role.”

          Sameera Razak

          Sameera is the founder of The Directory, and formerly was Creative Director at BlockFi. Sameera lives in the greater New York City area.

            From Kyle, Creative Director:

            Advice to his younger self:

            “First, learn your craft. Strive to be the best storyteller, designer, filmmaker or other creator you can possibly be. Pay attention when you feel a sense of joy and timelessness or flow. Apply that same commitment and self-awareness to mastering the art, science and ethics of business – especially sales and human-centered leadership. Be a disciplined observer and practice what you learn. The interplay of those skill sets and sensibilities will help you find your true north and reach your potential as a creative leader.”

            Kyle_expert

            Kyle Eason

            Kyle is a creative leader and former founder. Kyle currently works at an agency, and previously has worked for marketing firms and a variety of other businesses. He lives in Denver, Colorado.

              Filed Under: Career Aspirations

              Career Aspirations: Journey to Becoming Head of Operations

              October 5, 2021 by Joyce Li Leave a Comment

              From Lloyd:

              Lloyd is committed to analyzing and documenting the many individual paths that lead to specific career destinations. If you are a young professional, Lloyd’s blog is the place for you. We analyze the career journeys of individuals who have gone on to become anything ranging from Creative Director to VP of Finance to Head of Product. Our goal is to take the mystery out of what it means to navigate your career. Whether your journey involves a linear path or several career switches along the way, Lloyd is here to help you develop a clear direction and specific goals.

              In this piece, the team at Lloyd collected data from the paths of a number of individuals who worked their way to becoming Head of Operations. This data, as well as a number of figures and patterns (which will be released periodically on our Instagram and LinkedIn!), have been given to Perry Asibey-Bonsu. Perry is a young professional interested in becoming Head of Operations. Read on to see our summarized data points, hear Perry’s perspective, and see quotes from a dedicated leader who is already Head of Operations.

              As always, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment and subscribe to our newsletter!

              From Lloyd’s Data:

              1. Not many of the people in the dataset actually studied Business Administration. The most common degrees were in Finance, Art History, and Engineering. 

              2. 32% held MBA degrees.

              3. As you said, Big Tech companies were a definite feeder into Head of Operation roles as those people tended to switch companies fewer times before becoming Head of Operations.

              4. Most people worked at an average of 5-6 companies before becoming Head of Operations at their current role.

              5. 5 people had quite big career shifts. They had either worked in art, journalism, or founded their own companies before moving to a Head of Operations role.

              6. The people who had gone through career shifts started as interns in the new field before advancing through company ranks.

              7. Only 4 people had been at a single company for more than 5 years. The rest moved companies several times.

              From Perry:

              I’m currently working at a company that specializes in offering office space and developmental resources to start-ups and entrepreneurs. Thus far, I’ve learned a great deal about the necessary precision for back-office operations – especially when our customers are at the nexus of critical procedures such as leasing, event planning, and relationship management. My fascination with the career path of Head of Operations comes from a desire to become more proficient in assessing task workflows, isolating inefficiencies, and implementing improvements which amplify the efficiency and creativity of my teammates.

              When assessing Lloyd’s compiled data, I’m left wondering what skills each tracked professional acquired over the course of their journey to becoming Head of Operations. The professionals Lloyd tracked in their data set are all in different industries, so without knowing the specifics of their specific responsibilities, I can’t get an accurate sense of what abilities one would need to be a successful Head of Operations. What the data shows me clearly is that there is no single, optimal starting-point to becoming Head of Operations. I was the most fascinated by the professional who began as a writer studying journalism and ended up as Head of Operations of a 200+ employee video technology company. To me, this signals an individual who managed to leverage their education in a more traditional medium for a modern, fast-paced one.

              I think that readers who see this data need to understand that it is not designed to tell the entire story of an individual’s professional development. A person’s title does not necessarily indicate their skills or knowledge. Additionally, the fact that forty- percent of the tracked professionals held positions listed as “Other” indicates that professional roadmaps often break convention. For me, this data suggests that my approach in career advancement should not focus on collecting titles but rather skills I can leverage to maximize my contributions to whatever firm I join.

              Perry Asibey-Bonsu

              Perry is a recent graduate of Drew University. He recently joined 36 Degrees North, a “Basecamp for Entrepreneurs” in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

                From Vanessa Budan Cao, Head of Operations:

                Advice: First 15 years are investment years, use money as a barometer but don’t let it be your only metric.

                My Story: At my first job out of grad school, I was told that I can start “looking” 2-3 years into a job and then leave when someone offers me a 20% pay bump. I took it to heart, but proceeded to change companies twice since then with a pay cut both times (-35-40% the first time, and -33% the second time). Results? Each time, I made it back and then some such that I exceeded what I would have made had I stayed. None of this was known to me per se, and results not guaranteed, etc. But the point is, it’s important to broaden and deepen your experiences early on even if you have to do it as “an investment” when it comes to pay. Each time, stay humble in the new role, figure out how to rock it, and you’ll see the returns come back to you not only in money but also personal growth and career options, and for me in operations – helping others along the way.

                Vanessa Budan Cao

                Vanessa is an experienced operator with a demonstrated history of working in the hospital & health care industry. She is skilled in Management, Healthcare, Leadership, Project Management, and Data Insights. She is a strong research professional with a BS focused in Human Development from Cornell University.

                  From Gregory Hay, Head of Operations:

                  Operations has been very fulfilling for me as I’ve been able to work in areas of startups which were greenfield; building process, teams, products, and departments. If you enjoy puzzles and deconstruction problems to make things work, are comfortable with the idea that your first two or three tries will fail before you succeed, and you love seeing your work help others succeed; I’d recommend operations. 

                  The key to success is really understanding the business model of the company / industry you’re in. Once you know how an org actually makes money, you’ll be on your way to creating great process and driving a ton of value.

                  Gregory Hay

                  Gregory is currently Head of Operations for MikMak. Previously, Gregory has worked at leading companies like Livestream and WeWork in operating roles. He started his career in the music and marketing industries.

                    From Heather Blonsky, Head of Operations:

                    I believe that people who are most successful in operations are detail-oriented systems thinkers, meaning they can navigate everything from the small details of specific processes to the big picture business strategy. My advice to those looking to build a career in operations is to 1) get curious about how the system works, 2) think critically and creatively about new ways to make the system more efficient, effective and inclusive, and 3) be willing to experiment and get messy; we learn the most from testing out ideas and seeing how they play out in the real word.

                    The role of Head of Operations will look wildly different depending on the industry, because the skills and knowledge it takes to run a business will be unique. I was thrilled to join Raise The Bar because I’m inspired by our mission, passionate about our industry, and aligned with our culture – if you’re looking to build your career, that’s the place to start.

                    Heather Blonsky

                    Heather is currently Head of Operations at Raise The Bar, a future of work startup. She has previously held a number of operations-focused roles and is passionate about bringing more empathy, authenticity and humility into the workplace.

                      From Sam Kernan-Schloss, Head of Operations:

                      Advice to his younger self:

                      I’d tell myself to take on as many different disciplines as possible — product, sales, marketing, support, etc. Head of Ops (usually a role in early stage companies) basically means being a utility player for the company. I’d also tell myself two other things: 1) be eager to translate customer needs to internal teams (i.e., engineers); and 2) learn to manage a team effectively + efficiently. The latter takes growing into but will teach you to prioritize and manage time appropriately, which a Head of Ops with multiple responsibilities often has to do.


                      Sam Kernan-Schloss

                      Sam is currently Head of Operations at Cabal, a startup building tools for founders to manage their relationships with investors and advisors. He previously worked at technology companies like Bird and Zenefits. Sam lives in Los Angeles, CA.

                        Filed Under: Career Aspirations

                        Career Aspirations: Journey to becoming Head of Product

                        September 28, 2021 by Joyce Li 1 Comment

                        From Lloyd:

                        Lloyd is committed to analyzing and documenting the many individual paths that lead to specific career destinations. If you are a young professional, Lloyd’s blog is the place for you. We analyze the career journeys of individuals who have gone on to become anything ranging from Creative Director to VP of Finance to Head of Product. Our goal is to take the mystery out of what it means to navigate your career. Whether your journey involves a linear path or several career switches along the way, Lloyd is here to help you develop a clear direction and specific goals.

                        In this piece, the team at Lloyd collected data from the paths of a number of individuals who worked their way to becoming Head of Product. This data, as well as a number of figures and patterns (which will be released periodically on our Instagram and LinkedIn!), have been given to Andrew Loh. Andrew is a young professional interested in becoming Head of Product. Read on to see our summarized data points, hear Andrew’s perspective, and see quotes from a dedicated leader who is already Head of Product.

                        As always, we’d love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment and subscribe to our newsletter!

                        From Lloyd’s Data About Becoming Head of Product:

                        1. 26% individuals held an MBA degrees, and generally those were from traditionally “prestigious” universities.

                        2. There was a large dichotomy in what the individuals studied for their bachelors degrees. Some of them studied psychology, or economics. Several studied fine art or literature. It appears work experience matters more than a specific degree when striving for a head of product role. 

                        3. Generally, those who stayed at the same company for longer than five years were the ones who worked their way up the ranks and achieved a head of product role after an average of 5-6 years. Those companies were mainly big tech. 

                        4. Overall, the majority (around 70%) had their start in consulting. It seems like a jumping point into the larger tech companies where people could work their way up into a product manager role. 

                        5. Generally, the older product managers stayed in companies for longer than the younger managers did. Younger managers completed more internships and switched companies more often. 


                        From Andrew Loh (young professional who wants to become Head of Product):

                        “Growing up, I was obsessed with the latest gadgets on infomercials, TV advertisements, and YouTube videos. I would frequently pester my parents to take me to Best Buy or Wal-Mart so that we could experience the joy and convenience of those products. The answer was often no – coming from a background of having immigrant parents with a family business, my parents were reluctant. But when my parents did grant my wishes, I spent my time obsessing over the features and capabilities; bells and whistles. Through high school and college, I continued to follow product innovations, and took some programming and entrepreneurship classes to explore how I might be able to make those gadgets myself — and to develop a product that would fulfil a specific purpose.

                        When I reflect on the past few years working in various capacities — sales, accounting, data analytics, education, and operations — I have noticed that the work I have enjoyed the most involved two things. The first is connecting with individuals and learning about their experiences, and the second is designing products and creating solutions for users. While this may take different forms in different roles, especially in an industry like education, I realized that I had a fixation on figuring out the most user-friendly way to build out the idea or concept. I have a good number of friends employed at tech companies in product or product-adjacent roles. Through hearing about their roles, I have learned from their experiences in overseeing the development and implementation of creating innovative products is the space where I hope to lead in.

                        The data that Lloyd sought out, filtered, and presented to me outlines the career paths of 23 individuals holding the position of Head of Product in roles that range from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups. Unsurprisingly, a good amount of people began their careers in Software Development or Product Manager roles, but the role isn’t limited to those tenured within Product at the start of their careers. In fact, 78% of the sample began their careers elsewhere. For me, this presents an optimistic viewpoint that, while I did not begin pursuing product roles right out of college, I still have a chance to attain a Senior Product Manager role or Head of Product role. Within this data, I also discovered that 26% of the individuals included in the sample went back to school for their MBA, a decision that I continue to contemplate — perhaps these findings are another reason to sway me to apply. 

                        Shaping the strategy for impactful products and ideas has grown as an aspiration for me, and I find it imperative to keep myself informed about what has worked for the others who came before me and to explore how I might do it differently.

                        When it comes to data, it is easy to default to the conclusion that correlation means causation. In this case, I can see the positions that these individuals have held and whether they attended business school. While I want to give credence to their work and educational experiences, what the data does not include is their determination and grit. Both their resumes and their internal dialogues contribute to their career trajectories, so it’s important to converse with yourself to understand how to use data wisely to drive yourself towards your own goals.”

                        ~ Andrew Loh

                        Andrew Loh

                        Andrew is a first-generation college graduate from Dallas, Texas. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Southern California and a M. Ed. from Southern Methodist University. Having spent two years in the classroom as a middle school educator through Teach For America, Andrew has returned to the corporate world as an Analyst at a cryptocurrency firm, interested in the applications of decentralized finance for the improved financial health of all people.

                          From Josh Herzig-Marx, Head of Product:

                          “There’s no degree, certification, or other credential for product managers which can be tricky for someone who wants to pursue a career in product management! While it’s true that FAANG companies (Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google) have been favoring candidates with computer science or other technical backgrounds, that’s far from universal. Product managers are equally likely to come from other backgrounds like consulting, engineering, customer service, marketing, design, or even sales. Many companies and hiring managers (myself included) love internal candidates from other departments and many industries strongly prefer candidates with deep domain expertise.”

                          Josh Herzig-Marx

                          Josh Herzig-Marx is currently Head of Product at Brigit, a Fintech startup helping everyday Americans build a brighter financial future. Prior to this role Josh has had a variety of product leadership roles in addition to founding his own company. He lives in the Greater Boston area with his family.

                            From Alex Mitchell, Head of Product:

                            “Take every opportunity to learn new and different parts of the products you work on.  Don’t just focus on what comes easy to you, challenge yourself to learn about the backend, platform teams (if they exist), marketing product teams, and more.  Building a diverse product skillset early in your career will help you unlock Head of Product opportunities faster (and make you more effective at it when you do!)”

                            Alex Mitchell

                            Alex is passionate about creating and scaling powerful web and mobile products that make a significant impact in millions of people’s lives around the world. Alex deeply enjoys building and managing the product and development teams that help achieve that goal. He has held various product leadership roles in addition to building product courses and resources at The Modern PM.

                              From Alex Kramer, Head of Product:

                              “For me personally, the role of Head of Product at Origin as the culmination of all of my experiences to date: academically, experientially, and extracurricularly. I feel so privileged to be in this role within a company whose mission I connect with so personally. While I have long strived for a role such as Head of Product, my previous company did not have a clear path to that role so I had to pave it myself. I realized early on that I must advocate for the experiences I wanted to gain / skills I wanted to build even when they weren’t inherently part of my job description. These stretches often led to expanded responsibility and leadership opportunities.”

                              Advice for young professionals:

                              1) “For one, I think there is something to be learned in every experience. It may not be initially obvious, but varied experiences along the product development lifecycle will tee you up for great success. I have found that asking “why” is a great first step.”

                              2) “Build process: Research and experiment with different (existing) frameworks that work for you and your environment. There is often no need to re-invent the wheel, but experiment with and tweak them. This will give you confidence and structure when working with various stakeholders.”

                              3) “Building people skills early on will set you up for success. Even if you’re not quite at the managerial level, I would try to get involved with internship programs at your company to seek out mentorship or co-management opportunities.”

                              4) “For first product hires, or Heads of Product at small or high-growth companies, the ability to comfortably wear many hats will especially be an asset!”

                              5) “Finally, find mentors and managers that will support you in your goals, even if they don’t immediately align with theirs.”

                              Alex Kramer

                              Alex Kramer is currently Head of Product at Origin, a progressive women’s health company that provides scientifically-proven pelvic floor and full-body physical therapy both online and in-person, covered by insurance. She is passionate about creating solutions that change lives and fostering motivation and organization within a group of individuals. 

                                1. Landing Your First Product Management Role | The Modern Product Manager on Career Aspirations: Journey to becoming Head of ProductDecember 11, 2021

                                  […] like to read some quotes and advice from established PMs, you can check out Lloyd’s blog post (link here)…

                                Filed Under: Career Aspirations

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