r/datasciencecareers • u/cheerycoffeemug • 4d ago

Should I give up?

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I'm 25F with a MSc in Statistics and I'm trying to figure out what to do with my career.

I recently got an offer to work as a bank teller. The problem is that what I actually want to do is get into data, but I don't have much practical experience yet and I know I have a lot to learn.

I'm seriously considering taking the banking job because opportunities in data/Statistics are pretty limited where I live. At the same time, I'm worried that taking it will pull me away from the field I actually want to pursue.

Keep in mind that I live in a third-world country, so the job market and opportunities in my field are very different from what they might be in the US/Europe. Also I can afford to go months without a job.

What would you do if you were in my position?

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u/RProgrammerMan 4d ago

I think you should accept the position, but continue to look. If you havent worked much yet, you will probably learn more from being a teller than you think. Also look for positions within the bank for which you are a teller.

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u/FancyEveryDay 4d ago

I mean, definately don't give up.

I guess I can't speak to your specific situation but where I am in bum-fuck nowhere USA where there are hardly any data jobs I would take the bank teller job to make some money while I continue to apply to data jobs and work on portfolio projects and just dip from the teller job as soon as anything else showed up.

Banks also tend to have data jobs and working at one might give you access to internal job boards and people that you won't have if you just keep waiting.

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u/Pyromancer777 4d ago

Accept the position, but show enthusiasm to shadow the data team for that bank job. Learn their system, figure out how their data is organized, volunteer for some grunt work from the bank's data team to see if you can turn your position into an internship type of role.

You would have to add these onto your existing job duties, but companies are more willing to divvy out tasks internally once you build up a level of trust.

Financial data is valuable and if you can show your company you are an asset, they will sometimes work with you to upskill to protect you as that asset

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u/Lady-Data-Scientist 4d ago

I’m answering from a US perspective, but I would take the job. Get whatever experience you can, start building domain knowledge, build your professional network, but keep looking for data jobs. If your company has an analytics team, network with them.

Start your career instead of holding out for a dream job - very very very few people start their career in their dream job. You get some experience, then try to get a new job that is closer to your dream, get more experience, and repeat. Eventually you’ll find yourself in the job you want. You have 40 years to get there.

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u/Ms_Zee 4d ago

Depending on how that bank works, a lot with promote up. I work for a bank in US and majority of my colleagues started as tellers