In the inaugural session of Women in Big Data Global Mentoring Initiation’s “Mentoring Connections: Where Conversations Spark Growth”, Fatemeh Mosleh shared an honest and inspiring story about navigating a career in data. The conversation focused not only on technical skills, but also on direction, mindset, and understanding how to create real business value through data.

Fatemeh’s journey started after graduating in software engineering in 2013 in Iran. At the beginning of her career, she joined a group of students working as freelancers, where she gained experience in software engineering, database design, and customer-focused solutions. Over time, the team decided to start a company and become involved in bigger projects. During those years, she developed strong technical experience while also learning how to work closely with customers and understand business needs.

In 2023, with the rise of AI and growing interest in data-driven systems, Fatemeh moved to London to study Artificial Intelligence at the University of East London. Although she already had around seven years of professional experience, she described the experience as “starting from zero again.” Entering a new country, new environment, and new industry expectations made her realize that the challenge was not only learning technical skills like Python, SQL, or machine learning. The real challenge was understanding direction and learning how to connect technical knowledge to real business value.

One of the key messages of the conversation was that many people struggle not because they lack effort, but because they work without clarity. Fatemeh explained that at some point she changed her mindset. Instead of asking, “What should I learn next?” she started asking, “What problem can I solve with what I already know?” That small shift changed everything. Through attending tech events and meetups, she started learning more about industry challenges and discovered that sustainability was becoming one of the most important areas in technology and data. This helped her align her previous experience with meaningful industry problems and allowed her to speak more thoughtfully during interviews and professional conversations.

The discussion also explored what employers actually expect from people entering the data industry. According to Fatemeh, companies are not simply looking for someone who knows tools. They are looking for people with problem-solving ability, communication skills, and ownership. Employers need individuals who understand the problem behind the data, can explain their thinking clearly, and take responsibility beyond assigned tasks. She emphasized that organizations hire people to support strategic and financial goals, not just to write SQL queries or code.

Another important part of the conversation focused on different career paths such as Data Analyst, Data Engineer, and Machine Learning Engineer. While these roles have different responsibilities, they are all connected by one common purpose: creating value for the business through data. Fatemeh encouraged people to stop focusing only on job titles and tools and instead think deeply about what kind of problems they want to solve and what unique perspective they can bring from their own background and experience.

The session concluded with practical advice for people trying to enter or grow in the industry. Fatemeh highlighted the importance of building strong fundamentals in SQL and Python, gaining practical experience through projects, contributing to open-source communities, and developing communication and networking skills. She also stressed that mindset is critical in this journey. Consistency, adaptability, and resilience are necessary because rejection and uncertainty are normal parts of the process.

Her final message was simple but powerful: “Don’t focus only on learning more. Focus on becoming someone who can create more value. And if you stay consistent with that… you will find your place.”

 

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