Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Here is how I would approach becoming a data analyst in 2026 if I were starting over. Focusing on the right fundamentals early changes everything.

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🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – How I’d Become a Data Analyst in 2026

02:00 – Learning the Right Skills Through Projects

04:30 – Why Certificates Don’t Matter

06:30 – How to Stand Out and Build Trust With Hiring Managers

07:32 – Creating a Portfolio and Networking to Land the Job

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Join the February Cohort

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Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Over the past few years, I’ve interviewed some of the smartest people in data. You’ll hear three real stories of people with no experience landing their first data job, and exactly how they did it.

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🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Three real stories of breaking into data with no experience

00:38 – Thomas: From high school teacher to data role in 61 days

13:52 – Kadesha Bryant: From warehouse work to senior data roles through networking

24:35 – Rachel Finch: Escaping the night shift and landing a BI role in 95 days

39:45 – The shared pattern behind all three data career pivots

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Breaking into data feels harder than ever right now. I break down the real trends shaping the data job market in 2026 and what they mean for your career.

💌 Join 30k+ aspiring data analysts & get my tips in your inbox weekly 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/newsletter

🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

Special thanks to Live Data Technologies for the data.Learn more about them: https://www.livedatatechnologies.com

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – The real state of the data job market in 2026

02:18 – Why data engineering keeps growing while other roles slow down

05:41 – Who is actually hiring data analysts right now

07:56 – Why big tech layoffs don’t tell the full story

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Unsure if data analytics is still worth it in 2026? These 3 predictions explain what’s actually happening.

💌 Join 30k+ aspiring data analysts & get my tips in your inbox weekly 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/newsletter

🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – 3 predictions for data analysts

00:25 – Prediction #1

02:48 – Prediction #2

07:00 – The truth about AI replacing analysts

09:24 – Prediction #3

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Most aspiring data analysts struggle with knowing what projects to build. This list of 5 projects spans beginner to advanced levels and is designed to impress recruiters and hiring managers.

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🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – From construction to Senior Financial Analyst (no applications)

03:06 – Why his non-data background actually helped

08:24 – The projects + portfolio that made recruiters reach out

10:27– How LinkedIn led to a job offer

23:03 – Biggest lessons for breaking into data

🔗 CONNECT WITH JORDAN

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtemplemba/

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

I went from ignored to hired by changing my strategy. These are the 3 steps that did it.

💌 Join 30k+ aspiring data analysts & get my tips in your inbox weekly 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/newsletter

🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Rejected & Ignored: My Breaking Point

01:10 – Mentor Advice That Changed Everything

01:45 – Fix #1: Use Your Domain Experience

05:55 – Fix #2: Stop “Spray & Pray” & Start Networking

10:05 – Fix #3: Build a Portfolio That Proves Your Skills

🔗 CONNECT WITH [GUEST]

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

Andrei Kurtuy is the cofounder of Novorésumé and has reviewed thousands of resumes from data professionals, from Amazon analysts to complete beginners, and he keeps seeing the same avoidable mistake. In this episode, he explains how to turn weak task lists into impact bullets, pass ATS checks without tricks, and use projects plus clear storytelling to make your resume truly stand out.

💌 Join 30k+ aspiring data analysts & get my tips in your inbox weekly 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/newsletter

🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:48 – The #1 Resume Mistake Data Professionals Make

02:10 – How to Turn Task-Based Bullets into Impact Bullets

03:08 – Making Your Resume ATS-Friendly Without Fancy Templates

10:39 – Why Keyword Stuffing and Hidden Text Backfires

23:30 – How Skill-Based Resumes Help Career Changers Stand Out

🔗 CONNECT WITH ANDREI

Novo Resume: https://novoresume.com/

LinkedIn: https://dk.linkedin.com/in/andrei-kurtuy

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

Help us become the #1 Data Podcast by leaving a rating & review! We are 67 reviews away!

I unpacked the 7 biggest myths circulating in the data career space and reveal what actually matters when trying to land your first role.

💌 Join 30k+ aspiring data analysts & get my tips in your inbox weekly 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/newsletter

🆘 Feeling stuck in your data journey? Come to my next free "How to Land Your First Data Job" training 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/training

👩‍💻 Want to land a data job in less than 90 days? 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa

👔 Ace The Interview with Confidence 👉 https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com//interviewsimulator

⌚ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 – Myth #1: “Data Analyst is the only title”

02:00 – Myth #2: “You have zero data experience”

04:23– Myth #3: “You need to learn ALL the data skills”

06:03 – Myth #4: “You need a degree or certificate”

07:40 – Myth #5: “Data jobs are easy to land”

09:14– Myth #6: “Most data jobs are remote”

11:08 – Myth #7: “AI is going to take your data job”

🔗 CONNECT WITH AVERY

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Mentioned in this episode:

Join the February Cohort

Join the bootcamp that lands people data jobs! February Cohort starts on February 9th with a live kickoff call. Join today and save big and get my mock interview software as a bonus!

https://www.datacareerjumpstart.com/daa