Tiffany Teasley

I didn’t start my career in tech.

I spent twenty years teaching and transitioned into data science in my forties. I failed my first data science interview, fixed what I missed, turned it around, and got the job I originally interviewed for.

Today, I’m a working Data Scientist and AI Developer who’s been through the challenges of this path and now mentors and guides aspiring data scientists and career changers.

Credibility and recognition:
- LinkedIn Top Voice (2024-2025)
- Named one of the Amazing People at LexisNexis 
- "How I Got My First Job as a Data Scientist" Featured on Udemy and KDnuggets 

Through Data Sistah, I mentor aspiring data scientists through:
- Career coaching and clarity
- AmplifAI: guided, AI-enhanced portfolio development
- Resume, LinkedIn, and job search support

Learn more at: https://www.data-sistah.com/

Data Scientist

You should not be applying to data science jobs without a referral in 2026.
Let me explain.

I did not get hired through a referral.
But over the years, I’ve helped with recruitment where I work.

I’ve also spoken with recruiters, including some at FAANG companies.

They are overwhelmed.
Hundreds. 
Sometimes thousands of applications.

And with AI tools, the volume is even higher.

Most resumes look similar.
So how do you stand out?

Referrals.
A referral does not guarantee a job.

But it increases the chances your resume actually gets reviewed.
And that matters.

Here’s what most people get wrong:
They apply first.
Then try to network.
Do it the other way around.

Before you apply:
- Reach out to someone on the team
- Ask thoughtful questions
- Show real interest
- Have a conversation

Then if it makes sense, ask:
“Would you feel comfortable referring me?”

Now when you apply, your name is not random.
It is connected to someone inside.

That changes how your application is viewed.

This is not begging.
It is strategy.

When recruiters are flooded, you need leverage.
Referrals are leverage.

P.S. If you are mass applying without conversations, you are making it harder than it needs to be.
#DataSistah

📌 Save this if you are serious about landing interviews.
 ♻ Repost for someone applying blindly.

👋🏾 Hi, I’m Data Sistah.
I left a 20-year teaching career in my 40s to become a data scientist.
I share what I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

Data Scientist | AI Developer | Founder, Data Sistah | Helping Aspiring Data Scientists Turn Skills Into Interviews

When I was trying to break into data science,
I thought finishing more courses would make me “ready.”

So I kept learning.
Building projects.
Working in private.

But being ready is not the same as being visible.
One thing I did not understand back then was this:

✨Open source projects count as experience.

And it is not just for experts.
You do not have to build something advanced.

You can:
↳ improve documentation
↳ add clearer examples
↳ clean up a README
↳ test features and report issues
↳ fix small bugs

That is contribution.

And contribution shows:
↳ you can read other people’s code
↳ you can communicate clearly
↳ you can collaborate
↳ you can work in a shared environment

That is real-world experience.

Because in a real job, you will not work alone.
You will review code.
You will explain your changes.
You will work on something that already exists.

Open source lets you practice that in public.

✨ If I had understood this earlier, I would have focused less on private notebooks and more on visible contribution.

Courses help you learn.
Contribution helps you grow.

P.S. Stop waiting to feel ready. Start contributing.
#DataSistah

📌 Save this if you are serious about building real experience.
 ♻ Repost for someone who thinks open source is only for experts.

👋🏾 Hi, I’m Data Sistah.
I left a 20-year teaching career in my 40s to become a data scientist.
I share what I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

Open Source Counts as Data Science Experience

You don’t need more data science projects.


You need to understand the ones you already built.

After I failed my first data science interview because I didn’t know BERT, I didn’t go enroll in another big program.

I did 1 course. 2 guided projects.

But here’s what changed everything:

I made sure I could explain
↳ why I chose that approach
↳ what other options I considered
↳ what I would improve
↳ how it connects to business impact

That follow-up got me the job.

A notebook is not experience.
Being able to defend your decisions is.

Hiring managers don’t care if you followed steps.
They care if you can think.

Next time you finish a project, ask yourself:
Could I explain this clearly without looking at my code?

That’s the difference.

P.S. Are you building projects or building understanding?
#DataSistah

📌 Save this if you’re serious about getting hired.
 ♻ Repost for someone collecting projects but not reflecting on them.

👋🏾 Hi, I’m Data Sistah.
I left a 20-year teaching career in my 40s to become a data scientist.
I share what I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

You don’t need a data science title
to start building data science experience.
You need direction.

If I had to start over today with zero experience, here’s exactly what I’d do over the next 30 days.

Week 1: Choose a lane.

Not five lanes.
Not “anything in data.”
One.
Analytics. Dashboards. NLP. LLM workflows.

Then I’d read 5 job descriptions in that space and look for patterns.

What skills keep showing up?
What tools are repeated?

That becomes the focus.

Week 2: Build one serious project.

Not three rushed ones.
One thoughtful one.
Use data that reflects a real problem.

And I’d document:
• What problem I’m solving
• Where the data came from
• Why I made certain decisions
• What didn’t work
• What I’d improve next time

That’s how you show thinking.

Week 3: Make it visible.

Write about what you built.
Explain your tradeoffs.
Share what confused you and how you worked through it.

Add it to LinkedIn.
Put it on your profile.
Turn it into a short case study.

Quiet work doesn’t get seen.

Week 4: Start conversations.

Reach out to a few professionals in that lane.
Not asking for a job.
Asking for perspective.

Share your project.
Ask what you could strengthen.
Ask what skills matter most where they work.

By the end of 30 days, you won’t just have watched tutorials.

You’ll have:
↳ A focused direction
↳ A real project
↳ Something public
↳ A few new connections

That’s experience.

When I was transitioning out of teaching in my 40s, I tried to learn everything at once.

It slowed me down.
Focus moves you forward.

P.S. Thirty focused days can shift your confidence more than six scattered months.
#DataSistah

📌 Save this if you need a clear plan.
♻ Repost for someone who feels stuck and needs structure.

👋🏾 Hi, I’m Data Sistah.
I left a 20-year teaching career in my 40s to become a data scientist.
I share what I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

30 day plan to build real data science experience 

If you want data science experience, stop learning randomly.


In my first data science interview, they asked me about BERT.

I didn’t know it.
That moment showed me exactly what I was missing.

So I closed the gap.
After that interview, I completed the Udemy course:

“Learn BERT – the most powerful NLP algorithm by Google.”

Then I completed 2 Coursera guided projects:
→ Fine-Tune BERT for Text Classification with TensorFlow
→ Sentiment Analysis with Deep Learning using BERT

But finishing them was not the win.
The win was this:

I made sure I could explain
- Why BERT mattered.
- When to use it.
- How it compares to other models.
- What the tradeoffs were.

Then I followed up with the same hiring manager.
That follow-up changed everything.

Most people try to build experience by learning “everything.”

The faster way?
Find the gap.
Learn.
Close it.
Show your growth.

That’s how you build experience that actually counts.

P.S. If you just got rejected, don’t get discouraged. Study the gap.
#DataSistah

📌 Save this if you need direction.
 ♻ Repost for someone who thinks rejection is the end.

👋🏾 Hi, I’m Data Sistah.
I left a 20-year teaching career in my 40s to become a data scientist.
I share what I learned the hard way so you don’t have to.

Living life to the fullest, continually challenging myself and helping others is what fuels my soul.

Being a Re/max realtor for over 30 years and now with Royal LePage Key Realty - Canadian Owned🇨🇦     
Creating a successful business while using my EQ skills for communicating I learned how to create that competitive edge😏
I share with aspiring realtors and sales professionals the competitive edge of having a EQ mindset in your career. I teach all the habits, behaviors, techniques, and secrets behind my EQ success. 

 I teach how valuable it is to continually learn and improve our Emotional Intelligence skills to live our best life!

Coaching sessions are developed around what your goals are and tailored around this. Recognizing we are all uniquely different.
 

1. What a EQ mindset is and how it is rocket fuel for your current sales process.
2. Why building genuine connection is more potent than rapport.
3. The seven habits that will rapidly build a vast referral network.
4. Three principles that will allow you to drop the hard sell and start helping.
5. What is missing from the like, know, trust formula, and why does employing it improve sales results?
6. How empathy and EQ skills can improve your conversion rate by 50%
7. Why being authentic matters and how to hack you best persona.



In memory of my sister who suffered with her mental health most of her life I am donating 50% of my books proceeds to the Canadian Mental Health Association. 
Website to purchase my book: www.nothanksimfull.ca 
Reviews can be found on Goodreads.com as well as Amazon 

My Email:dpayne6@cogeco.ca or I can be reached 1-519-330-0442

Debbie Payne🇨🇦

😸 Where There's A Will ...
There's A Way😏

🐾 Cats Possess A High Level Of Intelligence - Compared To A 2-year-old Human Child 

🐾 They have Sharp problem Solving skills, Excellent long-term Memory and the Ability to learn Through observation 👀

🐾 Having a Cerebrat Cortex Containing around 300 million Neutrons - nearly double that of Dogs😯

🐾 Cats are adept at Manipulating Their environment, Understanding Object Permanence, and Reading Human Emotions

🐾 They may not Always Display Their Smarts through Obedience, But there's no Denying their Ability To Navigate Complex Situations And Adapt to their Environment Indicating High Cognitive Function 

🐾 So next time you see your Cat Observing What you're Doing 
Don't be surprised - If Able,
They Duplicate your Action😉

         Animals Entertain Us
                Comfort Us 
        Love Us Unconditionally
           And Without Knowing    
                    Teach Us
 How To Be Better Human Beings
                       🙏❤️🐾



📽️ Video Credit -Original Owner 

#therealdealwithdeb
#personaldevelopment
#emotionalintelligence
#gratitude
#unconditionallove
#connectionmatters
#allinthistogether
#livingourbestlife

Podcast host🎙️The Real Deal With Deb/ Helping development of EQ Skills for more fulfilling connections in sales and in life/Inspirational/ Motivational Speaker/Re/max Hall Of Fame/Author "No Thanks I'm Full"

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