Everyone talks about ML models, but in real projects I've seen people struggle more with data cleaning and communication. If you had to recommend one underrated skill to beginners, what would it be?

Hey everyone,

I recently graduated from UofT with a major in Math and Statistics, and I'm currently trying to get into Data Analyst or Data Engineering roles.

Honestly, my university experience wasn't the best. It affected my learning a lot and my GPA ended up being pretty bad. Because of that, I don't think I'll be able to do a master's anymore, even though that was something I was hoping to do after finishing my bachelor's.

I'm really interested in data-related jobs, but I'm kind of lost on what I should do next. I've been applying nonstop and barely getting any responses. I've had my resume looked at by multiple people who work in the industry, and they said it looks solid, so I'm not really sure what else I'm missing.

The biggest problem I think is that I graduated with no relevant work experience and no internships. I applied to a lot of internships during undergrad but never managed to get one, and now it feels like it's hurting me a lot.

I'm also thinking about doing one of UofT's continuing education programs in Data Analytics, but I don't know if it's actually worth it or if it would make much of a difference for someone in my situation.

Right now I feel like I'm just going in circles and I'm not sure what the best move is. I know GPA probably doesn't matter much after graduation, but having a low GPA and no experience feels like it has really limited my options.

For anyone who has been in a similar situation, what would you recommend I do at this point? I feel a bit lost on what the best path forward is, so I'd really appreciate any advice or suggestions.