Her Story
About Pooja
I'm currently a part-time online AI and machine learning instructor teaching on weekends for Full Stack Academy, which is also known as Simply Learn. It's an online education platform where professionals register for 6-month certification courses, and I teach learners who are somewhere around mid to high years of experience, career professionals who are looking for some transition in their careers. I recently started exploring the tech education area after motherhood, wanting more flexible options, and began teaching in October of last year. Before that, I was mostly into tech for about 8 to 9 years. My main areas of expertise are data science, data analytics, and AI, but not just the technical part - I really work on bridging the gap between the tech side and the business side, trying to translate complex concepts and make them simpler to understand. My most notable professional achievement was when I was working at my last full-time role at Northern Trust as a Senior Data Scientist, where I helped the business identify $3.5 billion of opportunity in held-away assets and helped them identify $8 billion in high-value potential clients through data analysis and data science techniques.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Pooja
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would attribute my success to two things. First is self-reliance - never stop believing in myself, even when things get hard. I know there is family and friends who keep pushing for you, who are there for you, but it won't matter and it doesn't matter unless you believe in yourself, believe in your skills, and are confident enough. Because even the external forces and factors won't matter that much until you have that internal force inside you to believe in your skills and self. I think I have always had that inside me, and it has always given me that push. Even when things got harder and I was feeling down, I needed to believe it's okay. Another thing is my life motto of never say never. I love trying things. I don't hesitate or don't fear trying things on. These two things, I would say, I attribute my success to.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The very first thing I would say is never say never. It's not just for any woman entering my industry, but any other industry they are entering. If you are fearing about something, or if you have been thinking to apply to a job for so long and you think you are not a good fit, just don't think too much. Just give it a try. Give it a try to new opportunities. Be open to everything. Rather than regretting not trying out things, just be open, try, and fail faster and effectively. It's okay to fail. That's the big one I would give to anybody who's entering into my industry or any other industry.
Keep Exploring
More Influential Women · Illinois
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.