If You’re New to Data, Read This Before You Build Anything

Plus 7 Articles I Think Everyone in Data Should Read

Hi, fellow future and current Data Leaders; Ben here 👋

Today, we’re going to discuss how you can improve communication with the business to gain buy-in for a project or deliver better results and insights.

Before doing that, I wanted to let you know that in July, I’ll be hosting several webinars and discussions with data leaders about problems that extend beyond just technology (although we’ll likely touch on some infrastructure topics). So, if you’re interested in growing as a data leader, you can sign up here.

Now, let’s jump into the article!

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When you’re just getting started in data, everything feels exciting, and everything sounds like a good idea.

"Oh, this process takes ten minutes? I’ll automate it with VBA!"

Fast-forward four weeks, and you’re trying to meet the finance team's expectations, reconciling numbers, and banging your head against a table, wondering why you ever volunteered.

New paradigms show up with shiny names and polished diagrams. They sound smart. You’ve got nothing to compare them to, so you try them. After all, everyone else seems to be.

That’s what this article is about: the things I wish I understood earlier in my data career. It started because there were so many buzzwords and new products popping up in the past few weeks, it might not be clear what’s actually going on if you’re new to the data space.

Whether you’re early in your data career or just want a sanity check, here’s a breakdown of the stuff that actually matters (and the fluff that doesn’t).

Let’s dive in.

1) Avoid Being The Only Engineer On A Team Early On In Your Career

My very first role out of college was working for a finance team as their tech person. That work ranged from creating Tableau reports and building ETLs in SSIS to taking over a C# MVC site, one no one mentioned until about two months in.

I learned a lot in that role, but not much about how to actually develop. Sure, I built dashboards and picked up the quirks of SSIS. But being the only developer early in your career isn’t just isolating, it limits your growth.

You miss out on design reviews. You don’t get to hear other people’s experiences or perspectives. You’re stuck with what you already know.

If you can, look for roles where you’ll work alongside other engineers, especially ones with more experience. They’ll share why they made certain decisions, review your code, and offer feedback that helps you level up.

That will grow you far more than a job that hands you shiny tech or gives you free reign with no guidance.

Seek out a strong engineering culture.