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Are You Picking the Right Data or Engineering Career for You?
Breaking down the pros, cons, and differences between Data Science, Analytics, ML, Data Engineering, and SWE
Marina Wyss
January 23, 2025
Welcome to Gratitude Driven, a weekly newsletter where I share practical ideas and insights across personal growth, professional development, and the world of AI and data science.
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Are You Picking the Right Data or Engineering Career for You?
Are you considering a career in tech but feeling overwhelmed by all the options? Data analytics, data engineering, data science, machine learning engineering, software engineering—the job titles sound similar, the roles overlap, and realistically the job descriptions don't really tell you what you'll actually be doing day-to-day.
Making the wrong choice might mean wasting time learning skills you'll never use, or worse, getting stuck in a role that doesn’t make you happy. After years of working across these roles myself and mentoring newcomers to tech, I've seen too many people realize six months into their new job that they picked the wrong path.
My new video breaks down everything you need to know about each of these careers to make the right choice for you. What kinds of problems will you actually solve? What skills do you really need? And most importantly, which role fits YOUR strengths and personality?
We’ll go over:
The differences between data science, analytics, and engineering roles (and what kind of person will enjoy each one)
The pros and cons you won't find in job descriptions
How much money you can really expect to make
And a framework for choosing the path that's right for you
Whether you're hoping to break into tech or considering a career pivot, I’m hoping this guide will help you avoid the common pitfalls and make the right choice for your future.
Bonus: I made a (free) little quiz to help you get started! Check it out for some ideas about which role best matches working style and strengths.
I withdrew from my Master’s in CS program this week.
I started this program for fun, curiosity, and to develop my SWE skills. I already have a Master's degree in another field, so I don't really need the credential itself.
I was doing a low-cost online program (Georgia Tech OMSCS), and I have to say for what you pay, the quality is quite good (at least in the three classes I took).
But, I was finding the material too theoretical, and I felt like I wasn't learning things that were really aligned with what I need for my career. Given the time requirement, I couldn't swing this program + work + YouTube + side hustles AND self-study/personal projects.
Plus, there's no better way to learn than by building real stuff.
So, here's my plan:
1. I will read 10 technical books this year. I'll make videos on the content of at least most of them, to help keep me accountable and make sure I really learn. The first video on AI Engineering will be out within a month or so.
2. I'm going to build an app I've had in mind for a few months. I may document that process/learnings here as well.
I'd love suggestions for technical books to put on my list! Just reply to this email and let me know if there are any you really recommend, or those you’ve been curious about but haven’t found the time to read yet.
How Your Brain Chooses What to Remember
I really enjoyed this video that explains how the brain selects and stores important memories. TL;DR is that it uses a process called “sharp wave ripples,” where significant experiences are initially "bookmarked" during waking hours and then repeatedly replayed and consolidated during sleep. Definitely worth checking out!
Want to chat 1:1? Book time with me here.
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