Meet Rahil Hashim, a zoology graduate with no prior experience in programming who enrolled in Dataquest’s SQL path after winning one of our scholarships.
Keep reading to find out how Rahila took advantage of Dataquest’s courses to land a job as a technical data scientist.
1. First, what are your preferred pronouns?
She/her
2. All right, Rahila! What’s your current job title? At which company?
Technical Data scientist (Clinical data management) at Clinfocus.
3. Can you also tell us a little about the work you do at your current job?
As a data scientist at Clinfocus, I make use of SAS programming language to create SAS outputs, bring out insights from our output, and present to the clients so they can make their decisions.
4. can you tell us a little about your background?
As a graduate of zoology, I had zero knowledge of programming. My past working experience and volunteering made it clear that having skills in data is important. I started my journey to transition into tech by learning Excel, SQL, and python in November 2020. During my research to learn the best ways to sharpen my skills and knowledge in tech, I came across Dataquest.
5. What made you get into the data industry?
While being a volunteer (and with my past working experience), I saw the importance of using data to make impactful decisions, I noticed the importance of using data to make strategic decisions. I immediately started learning important skills like Excel, SQL, and Python.
6. How did Dataquest’s teaching methodology (no-video, in-browser coding) work for you?
Dataquest definitely won my heart with the in-browser coding experience. I had come across so many platforms, and tried the free coding experience with others, but I noticed Dataquest made it easier to understand, so it was a better way to learn.
7. Which path(/s) did you do at Dataquest and why?
I got a scholarship with Dataquest and enrolled in the SQL path. I enrolled for the SQL path because I had only concluded my SQL learning with a different organization, which used video-based lessons, but I needed a more practical approach to sharpen my skills.
8. What was your favorite Guided Project, and how did it help you?
The guided projects where I needed to work on datasets from both Android and Apple — where insights can determine the next company decisions regarding which app to create to generate the most income. This project helped in my interview for my current job, where I was asked to explain a project I had carried out, and I explained this guided project.
9. Now can you tell us the story of how you went about the job search process?
I came across an advert for a job that needed no experience to little experience in data science, as long as one is a life-long learner willing to learn on the job — with other soft skills and an advantage. Questions regarding what programming languages I had learnt and If I was willing to learn on the job were asked. My experience with Dataquest was an added advantage for me landing the job.
10. What are some of the skills you learned at Dataquest that help you at your job?
Learning SQL at Dataquest helped a lot. At my current job, we use SAS, but SAS has SQL language embedded in it as well, and this made it easier to understand and work with.
11. What’s your favourite thing about Dataquest and why?
Dataquest is my favorite learning platform because you are not just given answers immediately when you’re working on the code — instead, you’re cracking the brain to understand the code. The reading notes and in-browser coding made it super practical and easy to understand
12. What advice would you give to Dataquest learners who are just starting out?
My advice is that taking a few minutes to an hour out of the day makes it easier to learn — and not overwhelming. Sometimes when I get hooked on a code then take a rest and get back, I find the errors easier and get on with the work.
13. Finally, where can people find you on the Internet?
www.linkedin.com/in/rahilahashim
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