Before immigrating to the U.S. in 2014, Sagar worked as an analyst at one of the most respected data consultancy services in India. Despite his experience, however, he found it difficult to land data-related jobs in his new country. “I didn’t have a degree or a professional certificate from the US, so it was difficult to show companies why I was the best fit for a role,” he says.
Sagar had to build his career all over again. He took a job in the automotive industry, but knew that he wanted to return to data analytics one day.
When the COVID-19 pandemic slowed business in the automotive industry, Sagar had more time to think about his long-term career goals. He enrolled in the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate and spent evenings studying the course material while juggling family responsibilities.
Sagar took several breaks in his studies for caregiving duties, and ultimately completed the certificate in about a year. He started applying to data-related roles as he was finishing the program and feels the certificate on his resume helped him land more interviews. During the interviews, employers would acknowledge his certificate, which made Sagar finally feel his skills were appreciated. In the end, he landed a data analytics role at his dream company.
Sagar has these 3 tips to others who may feel discouraged while learning new skills and who may be considering giving up:
- When things get tough, keep going. “You might find the first few courses easier to understand and complete them quickly, especially when you are all pumped to learn something new. As the certificate program progresses, it might take longer to understand things. Don’t let this demotivate you. Consider it time well-utilized in understanding the course offering at its best.”
- Manage your time. “Allocate the time of the day or week when you can best learn something new. Then stay committed to it. Block your calendar for that time so that nothing else can distract you.”
- Don’t pressure yourself. “Instead of thinking about finishing the course ASAP, set a goal of spending a certain amount of time each day, week, or month to learn. This will help you stay motivated and on the right track.”
Just like Sagar did, you can begin laying the foundation for your next career move. If you are interested in building in-demand job skills, consider enrolling in a Google Professional Certificate program.