Blog

During the Spring and Summer of 2021, I interviewed at four FAANGMULA companies for L5 or L6 data science positions. In addition to interviewing dozens of candidates at my previous firm, I learned a lot during the ~2 month process of interviewing, connecting with recruiters, completing take home tests, and networking to learn more about the positions. Informally, this information has been useful to folks that I’ve chatted with; I’m informally mentoring some aspiring data scientists, and work with undergrads in DS or Stats or CS programs to help them get an understanding of the industry, and so far the interview process especially at top companies has been very mysterious to them. Read more

I graduated this year with a masters of statistics. In this article, I will explain the process that ultimately led to my offer for a Senior Data Scientist - Team Lead position for a company in the SF Bay Area. The components of the process that led to my success, in no particular order, were: crafting my resume and LinkedIn, building skills and projects, staying motivated (during the pandemic), decoding the data science interview process, and determining my professional goals. Read more

Overview The Stats MA at Berkeley is a two or three semester program, with about 1/3rd of students electing to do a third semester. In order to complete the program, you must complete a capstone project and the comprehensive exams. There is a “thesis option” but only a couple students per year will choose this option. The program has an industry focus, with no option to transition into the PhD program upon completion. Read more

I built an olympic weightlifting platform in my garage with zero construction skills; I think my experience may be useful for others who are hoping to do the same, but are worried about having no experience. Process Research online to find every DIY video, tutorial, website, or vlog where someone talks about building platforms. Find out what is different in each case and try to understand if you can mix and match and what will suit your needs best. Read more

What is EQ, or Emotional Intelligence? “Your EQ is the level of your ability to understand other people, what motivates them and how to work cooperatively with them,” says Howard Gardner, the influential Harvard theorist. Five major categories of emotional intelligence skills are recognized by researchers in this area: Self-Awareness, Self-Regulation, Motivation, Empathy, and Social Skills. Communication Resources Competitive vs. Cooperative Conversation: Conversational Narcisism - “Sociologist Charles Derber shares the fascinating results of a study done on face-to-face interactions, in which researchers watched 1,500 conversations unfold and recorded how people traded and vied for attention. Read more