Watch Our Virtual Event with Leaders in the Microsoft Azure Data Organization
On April 30th, PowerToFly closed out the month by hosting a virtual event featuring some of the inspiring female leaders and male allies being the Microsoft Azure Data organization.
Hosted by PowerToFly's Lauren Hagerty, speakers from Microsoft included:
- Sonali Gururaja, Partner Group Engineering Manager
- Elnata Degefa, Principal Software Engineering Manager
- Yadi Reyes, Software Engineer II
- Amy Yuan, Principal Group Engineering Manager
- Kati Iceva, Principal Group Software Engineering Manager
- Zella Henderson, Senior Software Engineer
- Ashwin Shrinivas, Partner Director Engineering
Data, AI, and Thinking Like a Consultant: How You Can Prepare for the Careers of the Future
Advice & Reflections from a Senior Director at Avanade
Shikshya Khatiwada studied finance. Now, some 12 years later, she's the Senior Director and Market Unit Lead of Data and AI at Avanade, the leading provider of innovative digital and cloud services, business solutions, and design-led experiences.
Her own non-linear career path and her work at Avanade, which centers largely on helping clients use automation and AI to solve business problems, have shown her firsthand how the workplace is continually evolving, in large part due to technology.
So when she hears consultants on her team bemoan being placed on certain projects, saying, "that's not what I went to school for," she gives them a word of advice: the job you want doesn't even exist yet.
"You need to pursue the most diverse set of experiences that you can get," she says, "and eventually try to parlay that into something that excites you." As Shikshya sees it, pursuing only those experiences which are aligned with your degree limits your career potential because it's impossible to study for a role that hasn't yet been created. Instead, she's embraced a non-linear approach that emphasizes problem-solving and continuous learning.
I recently sat down with Shikshya to learn more about her own career journey, her tips for analytics professionals who are hoping to advance their careers, and her experience at Avanade. Read on for her answers!
From Finance to Consulting to Data & AI Solutions
Before you joined Avanade last year, you were working for IBM as a Business Development Executive. What inspired you to join the Avanade team?
I wanted to run my own profit and loss. But most of all, I wanted a closer connection with the people that I was working with. I wanted to work for a smaller company with minimal span of control and maximum impact.
Avanade is about 38,000 people worldwide, so it's still quite large, but it has a regional structure. Each region is responsible for their own P&L and owns and manages their client relationships. I love this model because you have the resources of a large organization, but the intimacy of a much smaller one. You can get to know the 400 or so people that you work closely with on a more intimate level. As a result, we have a much clearer idea of each other's strengths and weaknesses, and we play to that.
At Avanade, I really get the community feel I was looking for, even though it's still a very large company.
What was the toughest learning curve you faced?
Being a translator in an organization that is centered around two of the biggest players in the tech industry. We're owned by two very different organizations — Accenture and Microsoft. They're both in tech, but Accenture is one of the largest technology consulting organizations in the world and is more solutions and people driven, while Microsoft is the largest technology company in the world, and is more product focused. So being able to translate and determine what is important is absolutely crucial for us. That was probably one of the most challenging part about my first year at Avanade. I am still continually learning and relearning the language.
Has having a background in consulting helped you do that?
Absolutely. Working in data and AI, having a problem-oriented approach is essential.
You can't look at a business problem as a nail and AI as a hammer. A whole set of different types of technologies fall under the AI umbrella. You don't go to a client and say, "let me tell you how this particular AI technology is going to fix all your problems." You go to them and ask them about the challenges they're facing. With a fairly wide industry lens, we see the major themes a particular industry is trying to solve for, but as a consultant, it is imperative to understand firsthand what type of business outcome this particular client wants to achieve. Then, we work backwards from that outcome and determine how the Micsosoft platform with AI, automation, and data analytics can help solve the specific and unique problem that the client is facing.
We ask questions like: What is the key business metrics this technology will help you solve for? How do you build an operating model around a new tool or a process? How do you actually get this tool to be adopted across different parts of your business? A consulting mindset is key to solving problems, because data and AI aren't fixed entities the same way most products are.
Her Experience at Avanade
Avanade is committed to being a leader in growing women's presence in tech. Which initiatives at the company have been most impactful to you personally?
We have a group called Women Supporting Women in the Northeast. We actually bring in consultants from outside of Avanade to talk about workplace challenges women are facing and reframe some of the discussions. Being able to hear women at all levels of their careers and from all facets of the company speak candidly about their experiences has been really helpful for me to understand how other people respond to some of the microaggressions in the workplace. I have also been able to get a firsthand view of how other women they have thought about their careers and tracked their journeys. Being able to bring so many women to have a dialogue about the challenges we face and the battles we have won has absolutely been phenomenal.
Avanade also has a significant amount of women in leadership roles, right? (Not to mention your CEO, Pam Maynard.)
Yes, in the Northeast, which is the team I report into, a number of senior roles are actually women-led. The Northeast leadership team is run by Suzanne Dann. She is a powerhouse and under her leadership we've seen the number of senior women in these roles increase and she continues to push the momentum forward. Suzanne always says, "You cannot be what you cannot see," and is very passionate about driving this change within our organization.
You work in Avanade's Analytics talent community. What would you tell analytics professionals considering joining Avanade to encourage them to apply?
First off, I'd say that working in consulting is a great way to broaden your skill set, especially when you're starting out. At Avanade, we always think about our consultants as T-shaped. experts. In the case of my team, someone might have very deep knowledge in analytics, but we also want them to develop broader knowledge: we want them to be skilled in consultative selling, to have executive presence, understand how to manage teams etc.
At Avanade, you can become a well-rounded individual by becoming a well-rounded consultant. Eventually, you can choose what you really want to "major" in. In the Northeast, we work through the AI Evangelist community to build an internal community of practitioners across all types of skill sets that are interested in AI. On the flip side, if you are an experienced professional, there are ways we can help you deepen your skillset in a particular area. We start from the individual's aptitude and map a career progression based on their competencies. Avanade is a great place to work!
Last but not least, any tips you'd like to share with prospective applicants?
I would absolutely recommend that you take advantage of online learning resources, whether it's Azure certification, AI 101, or Data Analytics 101, getting that certification before you apply for a job at Avanade is going to help.
I would also say that having a strong portfolio will really help you stand out, especially if you're earlier on in your career. If you enter a data analytics competition and win, or do a cool project for a course you're taking, that's all experiences you can include. We are hiring a lot of Data and analytics professionals all over the country.
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If you're interested in joining Shikshya's team and developing skills that will prepare you for any number of careers that don't yet exist (but might one day soon!), be sure to check out Avanade's open roles here.
Meet Christine Hurtubise, VP of Data Science at Stash
Christine will be a featured speaker at our event for data scientists in NYC on 6/19
Christine Hurtubise, VP of Data Science at Stash, the innovative company dedicated to simplifying investing, is spearheading how Stash uses data to drive value. We spoke to Christine about her career journey, what products Stash has in their pipeline and how she's found her own leadership style.
On June 19th, Christine will be a featured speaker at an invite-only event PowerToFly is presenting for women data scientists, engineers and analysts. If you are interested in attending, you can learn more about the event here or email hi@powertofly.com for an invitation.
How did you first become involved in data science?
I studied Mathematics and French in college, so I was always interested in an interdiscipline practice, and Data Science is a great mix of communication and quantitative work. After graduation, I became a consultant at the software company SunGard, where my team worked on developing and implementing banking risk models. At that time (2011), data science was blossoming as a field, so I moved to the FinTech company, OnDeck, as a data scientist. It was an opportunity to leverage my financial modeling skills while better understanding machine learning and the start-up business.
In November, you transitioned from being a data scientists to the VP level. How were you able to make sure that this transition was a successful one?
I was at OnDeck for three years, where I had started and ultimately led three other teams of growing size. The biggest difference between an individual contributor role and a leadership one is that your focus has to be on elevating the work of those around you. Growing the skills of my team is crucial, but I am also tasked with making sure Stash uses data in a way that drives value. I spend a lot of time with my colleagues understanding our roadmap and what we can deliver to the market.
During your time at Stash and beyond, what have you seen as the biggest change in the fin tech landscape?
FinTech companies need to develop a strong brand around client trust, as they are new entrants in a market that is tasked with a sensitive and important role of customer's financial well-being. Customer privacy and protection are central to our values at Sash. We do not share data. Our focus is using data to offer financial access at scale, and being able to customize clients' experiences across our various products.
What current or upcoming products at Stash have you particularly excited?
I'm very excited to see the evolution of our Coach feature, which guides your journey on the app by presenting dynamic and personalized challenges. This gamification is one of several places where we can use models and user-specific rule sets to make finance fun and engaging.
What advice would you have for other women who are looking to enter leadership roles?
There's no "one size fits all" in leadership; you have to find your own style and voice. I'm not loud or particularly outgoing, so I focus on developing genuine relationships and producing quality work consistently in order to give the times I do speak up the most impact. If you have a clear vision for your practice, then you should take opportunities to step up and share your ideas.
Working at a startup can be a fast paced environment. How do you maintain a strong work-life balance and how does Stash help you achieve that?
I try to approach each project with high quality focus, as opposed to grinding through arbitrary hours. Stash gives me flexibility in my hours along with a lot of creative control over my work. The work here is so interesting, that I get excited to continue. My commute is quite long, so I can never stay late in the office, but I am happy to work at home later.
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Follow Stash on PowerToFly for updates on events and open roles.
Disclosure: The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of Stash. Stash is not providing any financial, economic, legal, accounting, or tax advice, or recommendations in this article
![Data Pipelines & Verticals Masterclass [On Demand Webinar]](https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xNzMyNjEyOS9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTcwOTU4NzYyNn0.60JTdK-Ko-hg_6FrxCBXh6tIqXyNNVu9l5Ci093AXKA/img.png?width=1200&height=600)
Data Pipelines & Verticals Masterclass [On Demand Webinar]
Data pipelines are an innovative tool that acts as an embedded data processing engine, running inside your applications to filter, transform and migrate data on-the-fly. In PowerToFly's new masterclass, we will present an introductory but in depth look at this powerful tool.
(Register now and watch the training session anytime - Availability Runs through December 31, 2018! You will receive a separate email in your inbox with a link to the seminar after you have completed your purchase. If you would like to access all of our on-demand webinars for free, sign-up for a PowerToFly VIP membership.)
Data Czar Priya Joseph discusses data pipelines, the latest tools for making the most out of your data, innovations on the horizon and how to launch a career in data. Priya will also share detailed examples from her own career.
The seminar covers:
- Simplifying your pipeline
- Mastering big data
- Establishing consistency in data
- How data pipelines can positively effect your timelines
- How to convert incoming data to a common format
- Preparing data for analysis and visualization
FAQs:
1. This webinar is on-demand. What happens after I purchase?
After completing the Eventbrite registration process, you'll receive an email with a link to the on-demand presentation. This link is unique to you, and shouldn't be shared with others.
2. What is your refund policy?
Because this webinar is on-demand, no refunds will be given.
3. Is there a charge for each lesson, even if it's in a series?
Yes, there is an additional charge for each lesson whether it is stand alone or in a series.
4. I haven't received my confirmation email with the link to the presentation, what should I do?
Sometimes our confirmation emails can be blocked by email providers or get buried in a junk folder. If you haven't received your confirmation email within 24 hours, email us at hi@powertofly.com so we can resend your link.
