Latest / The Comeback Career Podcast with Fexingo: Returning After a Gap, Stay-at-Home Re-Entry / Returning to Work as a Data Analyst After a Gap
Transcript
- Lucas: So, we've talked a lot on this show about returning to work after a gap, but one thing we haven't really drilled into is the data world. And I think that's a miss, because data analytics is one of those fields where a well-structured comeback story can actually work in your favor. Luna: Yeah, I mean, data is everywhere now. But I also imagine the technical skills can feel rusty after a few years off. How do people actually bridge that? Lucas: That's exactly the question I wanted to dig into. So I've been following the story of Priya, a former marketing coordinator who stepped away for eight years to raise her two kids. She just landed a junior data analyst role at a regional bank in Ohio. And her path is really instructive. Luna: Eight years is a long time. What was her first move? Lucas: She didn't start with a bootcamp or a degree. She started by auditing a free course on SQL from a well-known university platform. Just to see if she even liked it. And she loved it. That gave her the confidence to keep going. Luna: So, self-paced learning, but with a real structure. Did she do a full certification? Lucas: Not at first. She did a Google Data Analytics certificate, which took her about five months part-time. But the key wasn't the certificate itself. It was the hands-on projects she did alongside it. She used public datasets from her city's open data portal to analyze library foot traffic and park usage. Luna: That's clever. It's real data, not some made-up exercise. And she could talk about it in interviews. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the thing — when she went into interviews, she wasn't just saying 'I took a course.' She was showing a dashboard she built in Tableau that visualized which parks got the most use on weekends. She could walk them through her process, the cleaning steps, the pivot tables, the story the data told. Luna: I love that. But let's be honest, the gap question is still going to come up. How did she handle that? Lucas: She had a really good frame for it. She said her time at home forced her to become a master of prioritization and resource management. She compared running a household to managing a small operations budget. And she didn't apologize for the gap. She owned it and connected it to skills. Luna: That's a strong pivot. It turns a potential negative into a leadership story. But did she face any pushback from recruiters? Lucas: Some. The first few applications she sent out got crickets. She told me her resume initially had a big blank spot from 2018 to 2026. So she reworked it around a skills summary and a 'relevant projects' section that didn't hide the gap but also didn't lead with it. Luna: So, not hiding it, but structuring the resume so the skills come first. That makes a lot of sense. Lucas: Right. And she also leaned on her network in a smart way. She reached out to former colleagues, not to ask for a job, but to ask for informational interviews. One of those conversations led to a referral to the bank's hiring manager. That's how she got the interview. Luna: That's the 'hidden job market' thing we hear so much about. It's not what you know, it's who you know — but in her case, it's also what you know now. Lucas: Yeah, she had both. And I think that's the formula. You refresh your skills, you build a portfolio, you network intentionally, and you reframe your gap. But there's a deeper psychological piece too, and I think that's worth talking about. Luna: Definitely. I imagine after eight years, you doubt yourself. Did she talk about that? Lucas: She did. She said the hardest part wasn't the SQL. It was the impostor syndrome. She'd be in a study group with people ten years younger and think, 'I shouldn't be here.' But she pushed through by focusing on incremental progress. She set a goal to finish one project a month, and she celebrated each one. Luna: That's a good discipline. And it builds a track record you can point to. Lucas: Exactly. And by the time she got to the final round at the bank, she had three solid projects to talk about. She was genuinely qualified. The gap became almost irrelevant because she had proof of what she could do. Luna: So, for anyone listening who's in a similar spot — what's the one takeaway you'd want them to grab from Priya's story? Lucas: I think it's this: start small, but start with real data. Don't wait until you feel 'ready.' Download a dataset on something you care about — local traffic, housing prices, whatever — and just start poking at it. That's the foundation of everything else. Luna: And that's a concrete action you can take this week. I love that. Lucas: Yeah. And I want to say something about the broader environment, because it's August 2026, and the job market is still tight in a lot of sectors, but data roles are holding up. The Bureau of Labor Statistics still projects strong growth in data science and analytics through the decade. So the timing is actually decent. Luna: That's reassuring. But also, you have to be realistic — it's competitive. What else did Priya do that made her stand out? Lucas: She attended a local data meetup once a month. She didn't just go to network—she asked questions after every talk. She introduced herself as 'a returning professional' and people were genuinely helpful. One of those conversations led to a mock interview with a data scientist who gave her feedback on her presentation style. Luna: That's a smart way to use a meetup. It's not just about handing out resumes; it's about getting feedback and building confidence. Lucas: Right. And she also did a few practice interviews with a career coach who specialized in returners. That helped her refine her 'gap answer' until it felt natural, not rehearsed. Luna: So, if someone's listening and they're about to start this journey, what would you tell them to do first? Like, literally this week. Lucas: This week, I'd say pick one data skill you want to learn—SQL, Excel, Python, whatever—and find a free resource. Set aside thirty minutes a day. And by the end of the month, find a dataset and make one visualization. Just one. That's the seed. Luna: That's actionable. And it's not overwhelming. It's a single step. Lucas: Exactly. And that's something we try to do on this show — give you a concrete piece you can use. And honestly, if this episode has helped you think through your own career move, that's exactly the kind of moment we hope for. This podcast runs entirely on listener support, so if you ever want to help us keep making these episodes, you can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small gesture, but it genuinely keeps us going. No pressure, ever. Luna: And I'd add — if you've found value in any of our career episodes, sharing them with a friend who's in the same boat is just as helpful. Word of mouth is huge for us. Lucas: Anyway, back to Priya. She also told me that one of the best things she did was to update her LinkedIn headline to something like 'Data Analyst in Training | SQL, Tableau, Python' and she started posting about her projects. That got recruiters reaching out to her, not the other way around. Luna: Oh, that's a classic shift. Once you signal you're learning and doing, people see you as active, not passive. Lucas: Yeah. And she landed the job at the bank, which is a great outcome. But even if that hadn't happened, she told me she felt more confident and more 'herself' than she had in years. The process itself was restorative. Luna: That's a beautiful way to put it. It's not just about the job title; it's about reclaiming a part of your identity. Lucas: And I think that's the real comeback. So if you're listening and you've been out for a while, maybe take Priya's story as a sign that it's possible. Start with one dataset. See where it goes. Luna: And if you do, let us know. We'd love to hear your comeback story. Lucas: We would. That's it for this episode. Talk soon.