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Day 41: Mentorship Story - Structure Turns Ambition Into Momentum

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#MentorshipStory 1/2

I'm currently mentoring a brilliant master's student who will graduate in December and is now looking for her first data job in the U.S.

In her words: "The job market is brutal."

And it's true — breaking into data as a new graduate takes more than just skills. It takes structure, focus, and emotional resilience.

Together, we started by defining her one-year goal — not just "get a job", but "get a role that builds her technical and storytelling skills in data."

Then, we broke it down into smaller, measurable steps:

Update CV with quantifiable impact

Tailor 3–5 quality applications per day

Add keywords from each job description

Share one insight weekly on LinkedIn

We meet once a month — I provide feedback, perspective, and motivation when the search feels long.

💡 What I've learned as a mentor:

Ambition is not enough — structure turns ambition into momentum.

If you're mentoring someone entering tech, remember: small, clear goals create the confidence to move forward.


This is part of my "100 Days as Head of Data and Cloud" series. Follow along as I share insights, challenges, and learnings from this new leadership role.

#WomenInData #CareerGrowth #Mentoring #DataAnalytics #Leadership #AI #LearningJourney