Exclusive Data Science Interview, Back to School Tips, and a Tech Experience of a Lifetime - Knockout Newsletter 🥊1/17
by The Final Round
Welcome back to the Knockout Newsletter, brought to you by The Final Round. Every other Tuesday, we send you insight to help you knock out the competition, advance past the final round interview, and grow in your career.
Thank you for joining us in the ring. Let’s go.
What’s New?
Exclusive Video: “High Pay and Long Hours in Data Science, an Insider Perspective”
Full exclusive interview with one of the most famous Data Scientists in the world. We traveled across the country to ask all of your burning questions from the original video (high salary, long hours, how to break in, and more).
Our Team is Growing
Before we get into this edition, let’s give a very warm welcome to two new members of The Final Round team: Joshua Moore and Biying Wang!
Joshua serves as a Digital Media Strategist at The Final Round. Currently in his fourth year at the University of Cincinnati, Joshua majors in Entrepreneurship with minors in Economics and Marketing. His favorite episode on TFR is Episode #12 with Recruiting Ninja and Talent Advisor Megan O’Meara from LinkedIn.
Biying is a Sophomore at Syracuse University majoring in Information Management Technology and Public Relations. Her passion and experience with tech make her a perfect fit for her role as a Business Development Intern. Her favorite episode on TFR is Episode 8 with Ex-Meta Recruiter, Niki Woodall.
Experience at the Largest Tech Conference in the world (Vegas CES)
Recently, AJ had the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the largest tech showcase in the world. Bringing 20 co-workers with him, he had the opportunity to explore some of tech’s biggest new creations, helped put on a session about "The Creator Economy in the Metaverse", and networked extensively with other creators around the world.
AJ had the chance to interview Colin and Samir, along with leaders of massive firms including Cameo CEO Steven Galanis, Founding Partner at 776 Katelin Holloway, Tube Buddy CEO Ricky Ray Butler, and CEO of Halodi Robotics Bernt Øivind Børnich.
Even leaders of some of the biggest firms globally are willing and even want to speak with you. It’s just up to you to prepare and have the confidence to approach them.
See the full post here.
Getting Back on Track 📚
With many students getting back to school this week or next after a long holiday, here are some ways you can start the semester off on the right foot:
1. Prepare the Right Way
To be ready for the start of the school year, there are plenty of little things you must check off your list. First, make sure you have your schedule in order. I recommend putting it into Google Calendar, reminding yourself of the course name, professor, and location. Google Calendar gives you the option of reminding yourself prior to class to give you enough time to get there with plenty of time to spare. Furthermore, make sure you have all the course materials and any pre-semester work taken care of. Glance over the syllabus of the course prior to the first class to ensure you’re prepared ahead of time.
2. Adjust Your Sleep Schedule
To many college students, winter break means late nights. Putting a proper sleep schedule in place may take a few days, but it’s something essential to feeling 100% throughout the school day. Don’t wait until the day before class to get to bed early, but rather, try and ease your way into a better sleep schedule. Make sure you have plenty of alarms set that first day, as you don’t want to leave a bad first impression.
3. Be Present
… and not just literally. Don’t just show up, but try and make an impact on the class. Participate, ask questions, and collaborate. This starts with introducing yourself to your classmates and your professor. Professors want to see engagement, be it with themselves or other classmates. Let your professor and other students know you’re looking forward to getting started and starting the year off right.
4. Build and Keep Good Habits
Don’t just execute good habits the first week—keep them going for the long run. A sustainable routine is key to killing it all throughout the school year. Whether it’s reducing screen time, meeting for office hours with professors, or exercising more, look to keep these habits for longer than a few weeks—no matter how hard it may seem at first. Just like New Year’s resolutions, we often lose good habits sooner rather than later. Keep yourself on track, and if you ever feel yourself losing motivation, think about why you started the habits in the first place.
5. Take Risks
School is so much more than what you learn in the classroom. It’s the professors and people you meet, the social experiences you make, and the challenges you learn to deal with. In order to gain the true value of college, you have to learn to step out of your comfort zone. Take that challenging class, join that new club, or start that new business. Whether you succeed or not, your future self will thank you for the journey, as it’s within the journey (not the result) where we truly grow.
Business Buzz 🐝
With 2023 in full swing, many predictions of layoffs to start the new year have proven right. Let’s dive into some of the companies that have already led downsizing efforts.
💸 BlackRock Cuts Back
Following rapid hiring over the last few years, the investment management firm recently announced plans to let go of 500 members of its workforce. Although just 3% of the company’s total employee base, the move opposes the company’s recent period of fast growth. The company hasn’t laid off a substantial number of employees since 2019 and has grown nearly 22% since that time. .
🏦 Goldman’s Big Move
Goldman Sachs recently cut 3,200 employees or about 6.5% of the company’s total headcount. Those responsible for delivering the news described the task as “brutal,” and morale as “horrendous” as those who were cut were not truly aware of this outcome. Some were given as little as 30 minutes to gather their belongings and leave, and some were even dismissed without receiving their yearly bonuses. This comes as the firm grew by nearly 30% since 2019.
📦 Amazon Underestimates
Amazon had plans to cut jobs since November, according to CEO Andy Jassy. However, this number doesn’t tell the full tale. As consumers shifted to online orders just as warehouses were over-hired, the firm anticipated a cut of 10,000; however, given current economic circumstances, that number is 18,000—or 80% more than anticipated. Jassy had planned on waiting to share the news with those directly impacted, however, an external leak forced him to accelerate the process.
☁️ Salesforce Slows Down
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff showed up 15 minutes late to an all-staff meeting in which layoffs of 8,000 employees would take place. Adding fuel to the fire, Benioff added “did I miss something?” as he arrived late, upsetting both those subject to the bad news and those not. Benioff also reprimanded employees for sharing information with the press, sharing a link to a Meet The Fockers clip that discussed having a circle of trust. It’s clear Benioff is not taking the layoffs as seriously as many believe he should.
What It Means
2019 to 2022, despite the Covid-Pandemic, saw many firms grow rapidly… and some, too rapidly. With projections clearly misjudged, many firms (especially tech firms) are now forced to cut back, leaving many saddened, angry, and confused. The future of the economy is not clear, and likely never will be. They’ll be political decisions, bankruptcies, legal changes, and other events that shape how businesses develop. What’s important is that you focus on the present: taking steps to improve your health, knowledge, and skills. The future may be unclear, but what is clear is how you prepare for it.
The Final Question
What steps are you taking to be ready for whatever the world throws at you? Let us know by leaving a comment below!
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Written by Bryan Hanley; Edited by AJ Eckstein