Significant Career Lesson From A Data Quality Data Steward At An International Bank
Tarsha, a Data Quality Data Steward, reveals a crucial lesson learned: the role heavily relies on "people skills and communication skills," far exceeding initial expectations of purely technical work. Successfully navigating this requires skillful communication with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including "business people" unfamiliar with technical details, demanding patience and respect for varying expertise.
Communication Skills, People Skills, Interpersonal Communication, Cross-functional Collaboration, Problem-solving
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Tarsha Subramaniam
Data Quality Data Steward
International Bank
University of California, Los Angeles
Arizona State University (ASU) - W. P. Carey M.S. Business Analytics
Economics, Mathematics, Data Science, Statistics
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Data and Analytics
International Student, Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. The role relies heavily on people skills and communication, more so than solely technical skills.
2. Professionals in this field interact with people from diverse backgrounds, requiring effective communication to bridge technical and business perspectives.
3. Patience and respect for others' experiences and expertise are crucial for navigating disagreements and fostering collaboration.
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone had told you before you entered the industry?
"That's a really good one. The thing I wish someone told me is how much of your job really relies on your people skills and communication skills. This is especially true when you're coming from a technical background, like data, computer science, or programming.
We tend to think our job will just be behind a computer, working on problems alone. But it doesn't work that way in real life. It might be like that when you first start, but as you grow in your role or move to different functions, there's a lot of people interaction.
A big part of that is dealing with difficult people or those who don't share your background. We often work with business people who aren't familiar with technical concepts. At the same time, we aren't the business subject matter experts.
So, finding that balance of how to communicate with people from different backgrounds, skills, and knowledge is key. Most importantly, don't get frustrated and learn to respect that everyone has their own experiences and specialties. If someone had warned me about this, I probably would have handled a lot of things in my early career much better."