Career Development Category Archives - General Assembly Blog | Page 5

Top 3 Transferable Skills For Your Next Career Move

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woman and man pointing at screen to talk about transferable skills.

Estimated reading time: 8 minutes

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Preparing to add that #OpentoWork label on LinkedIn? Perhaps you’ve been laid off or simply feel stuck and want to embark on something new.

Career transitions can be stressful, but they can also be overwhelmingly positive — offering a new beginning and a chance to evaluate, reset, and pivot to a more fulfilling career. 

At GA, we’re all about helping you reimagine your career in design, coding, data analytics, user experience, and more. But no matter what your next career move might be, as you inventory your priorities and assess your options, don’t forget to take stock of another critical element — your transferable skills. 

Regardless of career path, transferable skills are invaluable because you already have them. In this guide, we’ll walk you through what counts as a transferable skill, and how to uncover and articulate them to match the top skills employers look for today.

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A Breakdown Of Data Science Vs. Computer Science: History, Applications, and Career Paths

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Article reviewed by: Shilpa Sindhe

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Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

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Trying to wrap your head around the difference between data science and computer science? 

Many of the luxuries that we have today — a favorite streaming service that recommends new movies, the ability to unlock our phones with facial recognition technology, or virtual home assistants that let us play our favorite music just by speaking — are made possible by computer science and made better by data science.

Today, these two fields complement each other to further applications of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and business forecasting. Read on to learn a definition of each, their histories and applications, and career paths in computer science and data science. 

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SQL for Beginners

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Article reviewed by: Shilpa Sindhe

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Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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Today, we’re constantly bombarded with information about new apps, hot technologies, and the latest, most incredible artificial intelligence systems. While these technologies may serve very different purposes in our lives, many have one essential thing in common: They rely on data. They use databases to capture, store, retrieve, and aggregate data.

All of this begs the question: How do we interact with databases to accomplish this? The answer: We use Structured Query Language, or SQL (pronounced “sequel” or “ess-que-el”).

Put simply, SQL is the language of data — it’s a programming language that allows us to efficiently create, alter, request, and aggregate data from databases. It gives us the ability to make connections between different pieces of information, even when dealing with massive data sets.

Modern applications can use SQL to deliver valuable information that would otherwise be difficult for humans to keep track of independently. In fact, pretty much every app that stores any sort of information uses a database. This ubiquity means that developers use SQL to log, record, alter, and present data within the application, while analysts use SQL to interrogate that same data set to find deeper insights.

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Data And AI: Best Friends Or Foes Of The Future?

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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

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If you work in data, chances are you’re hearing a lot of buzz about AI and how it’s going to automate everything. While the headlines spell doom and gloom for knowledge worker roles like yours, the reality isn’t quite so dark. In fact, there won’t be any future of AI without people like you, who have the skills required to prepare and use data. 

Right now, AI adoption is in a strange phase. The media is telling you that you could be replaced by it, but your day-to-day probably hasn’t changed all that much. You might be thinking that this all seems like a bunch of hype… and you wouldn’t be wrong. That’s because most companies’ use of AI is still in its infancy. 

While 94% of companies say they are using AI today, most aren’t using it to its full potential. They’re struggling with data quality and infrastructure issues that make layering on AI nearly impossible. In the same study, almost three quarters of execs said that data issues would be the most likely reason they fail to achieve their AI goals. As it turns out, even a robot can’t make lemonade out of bad data. 

This is where you, and your skills, step in to save the day. And you’re in higher demand than ever before. There’s been a 2,000% surge in roles requiring AI skills, such as data science and data analytics. 

Before you breathe a sigh of relief, it’s important to recognize that your skills will need to evolve for an AI-led future. Let’s dig into exactly how. 

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Career Tarotscopes for October 2023

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Student laying upside down in bed on an Ipad.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

FIND YOUR SIGN

Rebecca Szymczak, aka Cardsy B, author of The Saturn Diaries and tarot reader to the stars, consulted her cards and has tips for which signs are going to use the hard-working energy of this earth element ruled season to escalate their careers and which should watch out for Virgo’s notorious perfectionism. She also has insight regarding expansive good news that can indicate raises and new job offers as we approach the full moon in Aries at the month’s end.

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Should Recruiters Learn to Code? How Technical Skills Can Transform Your Recruiting Career

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Learning to code

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

Ask a recruiter how their year’s going, and you’re likely to see a head shake. According to Gem’s 2023 Recruiting Trends report, nearly one quarter of recruiting teams saw reductions in the second half of 2022. Many are dealing with layoffs, hiring freezes, or limited resources despite headcount growth, but that isn’t the full story.

Talent recruitment is experiencing a strange moment, induced by economic swings and labor market changes. Every industry is feeling the effects of the great skills shake-up where talent on the market doesn’t match the jobs that need to be filled.

If you’re a recruiter who’s been laid off or simply want to advance and future-proof your career, now’s the time to lean in instead of get out. What makes a good recruiter even better? Let’s dig into ways to upskill, advance, and land a lucrative technical recruiting position.

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How to Figure Out What Career You Want With Human Design

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Estimated reading time: 0 minutes

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The secret to a successful career is simple. Find a job that suits your natural abilities and working style.

But this is easier said than done. To identify what environments and types of work are best suited for you, you need to have a solid understanding of who you are—a deep sense of self-awareness.

Enter human design.

In this article, we’ll review:

  • The basics of human design
  • How to leverage human design for a career in tech
  • Career paths to consider based on your energy type
  • How General Assembly can help
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Software Engineering and AI: Best Friends or Foes of the Future?

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In recent years, software engineers have been like the work world’s equivalent to the most popular kids in school. With all the ongoing and rapid advancements in tech and focus on all things digital, their skills and talents have been some of the most sought after across all industries. But now, with AI on the rise, some worry it might steal the “cool kid” crown and that the popularity of and demand for software engineers may soon dwindle. And the AI boom’s impact on software engineering is especially of interest to potential career changers. Many who’ve considered making the leap into a software engineering role may now be having second thoughts. 

If you’re one of those people, keep reading. It’s no secret that AI is so hot right now, and all signs are pointing to it remaining hot well into the future. But the idea that AI is going to steal your job and render you irrelevant is a myth. AI alone can’t fully take on the role of a software engineer — but it will help you become a more efficient coder if you have the right skills to harness it. 

The AI-powered future is here, and it’s time to make the most of it. Keep reading to find out the best ways to leverage AI in your current or future coding role. 

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Back To Skills: Free Workshops To Prep For Your Tech Future

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GA student smiling and walking into a coffee shop with their bike

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Hot lunch or cold lunch. First day outfit. Which background for your yearbook photo. Those back-to-school choices may be behind you, but you have a new choice right in front of you when it comes to getting Back to Skills. 

We’re taking you Back to Skills with our popular free workshops from September 19 – October 26. Whether you’re looking to kickstart a career change, prepare for one of our bootcamps, or simply add new skills to your repertoire, our free workshop series will help you make it happen.

Just like our bootcamps, these workshops are led by our team of dedicated instructors, who have real-world experience in today’s most in-demand tech fields like data, coding, and UX design. 

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CAREER TAROTSCOPES FOR SEPTEMBER 2023

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Two professionals having a snack and exchanging information

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

fIND YOUR SIGN

Rebecca Szymczak, aka Cardsy B, author of The Saturn Diaries and tarot reader to the stars, consulted her cards and has tips for which signs are going to use the hard-working energy of this earth element ruled season to escalate their careers and which should watch out for Virgo’s notorious perfectionism. She also has insight regarding expansive good news that can indicate raises and new job offers as we approach the full moon in Aries at the month’s end.

Continue reading →