In this episode, we hear from April Wilson, Head of Career Services at the Institute for Advanced Analytics. April’s ten years of career expertise inform the insights she provides on hiring in the analytics world. She shares the most desirable skills companies look for when hiring, the importance of having equal expectations, and the benefits of having an open mind when evaluating candidates – the skills they have may be beneficial in unexpected ways. Evan and April wrap up by discussing three tips for teams looking to hire.  

Key Takeaways  

• The primary skills that employers are looking for when hiring  
• How companies and prospective hires can manage their expectations 
• The surprising truth about industry experience 
• The importance of an open mind when hiring 

Quotes  

“I want you to know the technology, I want you to understand it, but I need for you to be able to talk about it and explain it as well.” - April Wilson 

“[The skills employers are looking for are] like a three-prong: it’s that technology, that communication, and that ability to present to stakeholders. And be able to present the right information to your stakeholders.” - April Wilson  

“Remember, there's no such thing as unicorns. It takes a team, a data science team to do well.” - April Wilson 

“[Employers] don't care if you're straight outta undergraduate or if you've been a college professor for 15 years, as long as you have the skills that they need, you fit the organization, and you feel like you have something to contribute.” - April Wilson 

Featured in this episode  

Evan Wimpey  

Director of Analytics Strategy at Elder Research.  

Company website: www.elderresearch.com  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-wimpey-40469b47  

April Wilson 

Head of Career Services at Institute for Advanced Analytics

If you are a company interested in learning more about recruiting analytical talent you can email April at [email protected]

If you are an individual that wants to hone the skills you need to get the job you want, email April at [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-wilson-8125a55/  

Chapters  

01:09 April’s background and the work she does in career services 

02:27 The skills sets individuals need when entering and exiting a master’s program 

05:10 How the demand for certain skills has changed over time 

09:46 Commonly overlooked skills and company expectations when hiring 

15:12 Importance of accurate job descriptions and equal expectations  

16:44 Prospective hires with much vs. little experience – should they take different approaches? 

21:09 Does industry experience make a difference?  

26:13 Three tips for teams looking for candidates 

Find more show notes, transcripts, & more episodes at:
https://www.elderresearch.com/resource/podcasts/