My Career in Analytics: A Brief Memoir

I recently turned 38. As is typical of milestones, I found myself reflecting on my life. During this reflection, I had a deep and profound realization that my partner and I had achieved a level of financial freedom. A level that allows us to live comfortably without the requirement of income from traditional 9 to 5 jobs. A goal we were always aiming for, just not always actively. So what better way to cement that touching reflective moment than recounting a play-by-play of how I got there — salaries and all.

Let’s rewind. Did anyone ever say to you “9 out of the 10 jobs you’ll have as an adult haven’t been invented yet?” It’s a sentence I heard plenty when in school and a statement I now completely believe in. The jobs I’ve taken on since beginning my career in 2008 have been exactly that.

navigating a career

To start, I graduated in 2008 — this was at the height of the recession and housing collapse. I had a degree in Mathematics and absolutely no legitimate job prospects. And to be fair — I had no idea what I wanted to do with the degree. Nobody spoke about what happens after graduation, all the hype was the lead-up to graduation. The few interviews that I had were for a national government research laboratory, a large aerospace firm, and a major airline; none of which turned into offers. I was left feeling overwhelmed by the lack of career guidance I had received. At…