In this episode, Michelle Dunivan, a data analytics expert, shares her journey from academia to leading the data analytics team at Best Friends Animal Society and offers advice for young professionals entering the data engineering field.
Michelle emphasizes the importance of communication skills for data professionals, which will help them provide value to an organization. She also highlights the significance of understanding the hiring process. Michelle encourages young professionals not to self-select out of potential job opportunities while being aware of their worth.
Michelle and Matt discuss the challenges of leading change and transformation in data-driven organizations, stressing the importance of understanding stakeholders, addressing people’s concerns, and creating a safe environment for experimenting with change. They emphasize the need for effective communication and listening skills in technical fields, as these are crucial for success in any organization or role. Michelle advises young professionals to be introspective about their motivations for using jargon and urges them to focus on conveying information in a way that is actionable, understandable, and respectful of the audience’s time and effort.