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Vicky Torres sent over 1,000 job applications in 12 months. She got four interviews—every one through referrals. Zero came from job boards.

This wasn’t about weak credentials. Torres holds a B.S. in IT and an M.S. in Data Analytics, founded a women-in-tech org, and built real projects. What changed everything: she stopped playing by the old rules.

Here's what actually got her hired: She stopped playing by the old rules entirely.

Traditional job hunting advice tells you to polish your resume, tailor applications, and apply consistently. Torres did all of this religiously.

The result? A 0.4% callback rate.

Her applications disappeared into what she calls "the void." No feedback. No rejections. Just silence.

This isn't unique to Torres. Her entire graduate cohort experienced the same pattern. The job market had fundamentally shifted, but the advice hadn't caught up.

Torres pivoted completely. Instead of fighting the broken system, she built around it through three strategic moves:

First, she joined structured communities. COOP, a four-month fellowship program, provided career coaching, networking events, and direct connections to hiring companies.

Second, she approached networking authentically. Rather than transactional "please review my resume" messages, she led with genuine curiosity about people's career journeys. This created real relationships instead of superficial connections.

Third, she filled the employment gap strategically. While job hunting, she worked as a substitute teacher through Swing Education and completed the Co-op program. Her resume showed continuous growth and skill development rather than empty months.

The breakthrough came when a recruiter found her through Co-op's network. Not through an application she submitted, but through a referral system that bypassed traditional filters entirely.

Torres landed her current role as Associate Media Planner. The title doesn't include "analyst," but the work absolutely does.

She uses data analytics daily: analyzing campaign performance, building client recommendations with statistical backing, and storytelling through data visualization.

This reveals a critical insight about modern job searching. The work you want to do exists across many role titles. Torres was initially tunnel-visioned on positions with "analyst" in the name, missing opportunities where analytical skills were essential but not explicitly labeled.

What separated Torres from others in her situation wasn't superior credentials or better luck. It was her response to failure.

When traditional applications stopped working after two months, she immediately sought alternatives. She joined communities, attended virtual networking events, and built genuine professional relationships.

This mindset came from her background as a first-generation college student. She actively sought mentors, career coaches, and peer networks that could fill knowledge gaps.

The result was a systematic approach to professional development that continued even during unemployment.

Torres now helps others navigate similar journeys through LinkedIn mentoring and mock interviews. Her advice centers on three immediate actions:

Join structured networking programs

Approach networking as relationship building

Fill employment gaps with strategic activities

The job market has changed permanently. The strategies that worked five years ago no longer apply. But new pathways exist for those willing to abandon outdated approaches

Your next interview likely won't come from your next application. It will come from yo

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Matt Brattin, former CFO and 20-year corporate veteran, shares insider perspectives on data analytics hiring from the decision-maker's side. He reveals what truly sets candidates apart, common misconceptions about the interview process, and actionable strategies for standing out in today's competitive job market.

Key Insights

The interview isn't adversarial - Hiring managers want you to succeed. They wouldn't bring you in to waste time; they're genuinely considering offering you the position and want to find the right fit.

One solid answer can change everything - Even if you stumble early, interviews aren't over in the first 20 seconds. Discussions happen after you leave, and a memorable insight can completely shift the conversation in your favor.

Curiosity trumps credentials - The most important trait is genuine curiosity, demonstrated by engaging in real conversation rather than just answering preset questions.

[05:45] The Power Dynamic Shift

Matt emphasizes approaching interviews with confidence: "I don't need this job. Tell me why I should come work here... it totally flips the power dynamic."

[12:30] Taking Interviewers Off Script

Key tactic: Follow your answers with questions or insights that lead the conversation beyond standard scripts. This forces interviewers to pay attention and remember you.

[18:15] The Curiosity Factor

"Curiosity is the easiest one to point to... somebody who actually wants to talk to me and not just answer questions." Show interest in the business, not just the role.

[25:40] LinkedIn as Interview Prep

Critical insight: "I'm more likely to have your LinkedIn up than your resume in front of me." Hiring managers research candidates and look for conversation starters beyond basic qualifications.

Red Flags/Green Flags

[20:10] What Kills Your Chances

• Victim mentality or "us vs. them" attitude
• One-word answers showing disinterest
• Coming unprepared with zero questions

[28:50] What Makes You Memorable

You need to be "the chocolate guy" or "the horse girl" - something that makes you stand out in post-interview discussions. Without a memorable element, you won't be part of the final conversation.

[35:20] Go Beyond Surface Level

Matt's advice: Enter with a mission to learn something specific about the business - their BI tools, database systems, or revenue model. This demonstrates forethought and genuine business interest.

The golden rule: "Go in with an objective that's beyond the interview... make it your mission to get answers to those questions because it demonstrates that this person had a little bit of forethought."

[38:45] Questions That Actually Matter

Don't ask generic culture questions. Instead, focus on understanding how the company makes money, what they sell, and how they operate. Approach it like your first day orientation, not an interrogation.

[08:30] AI Job Market Truth

While the current market feels tough due to AI fears and corporate efficiency pressures, Matt believes this is cyclical: "We will find more ways to be useful and to need resources... anybody with technical skills, particularly analytical skills, will be in demand."

Action Items for Job Seekers

• Research beyond the job description - Understand the business model and revenue streams
• Prepare conversation starters - Have insights that take the interview off script
• Develop your memorable element - What makes you "the [something] person"?

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Episode 08: From Math Classroom to Healthcare Analytics with Megan McKay

What happens when a math instructor asks, “Where can I take the math?” For Megan McKay, the answer was analytics, intentional networking, and a referral that led to Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina. In this episode, Megan unpacks her pivot from teaching undergrad math to landing a newly minted analyst role, including the exact steps, surprises, and lessons that moved her from “spray and pray” to strategic.

Megan holds a master’s in applied mathematics from the University of South Carolina, taught 100-level courses for three years, and built a new class called Mathematical Concepts for Data and Analytics to support USC’s data analysis degree. That work pulled her into the analytics world, where she completed the Google Professional Data Analytics Certificate, joined Avery Smith’s Data Analytics Accelerator, built projects, and rebuilt her resume and portfolio.

The job that stuck started with a referral. Megan applied during a short posting window, confirmed salary with the recruiter, and completed two interviews that leaned behavioral with light scenario thinking. No live coding, but lots of communication, problem framing, and clarifying definitions in a regulated domain. She also shares a clean follow-up move that preceded her offer call by a couple of hours and a look at week-one onboarding in healthcare, from HIPAA to business language and acronyms.

You’ll learn:

• How a teacher translated math skills into business outcomes and analytics stories
• Why pausing applications to level up projects and portfolio can raise your hit rate
• A simple “open calendar” coffee-chat experiment that produced 15 calls in two weeks and a stronger network across multiple countries
• How referrals cut the line without guaranteeing the job, and why vibe and clarity still win the room
• Smart follow-up timing after “you’ll hear soon”
• What early onboarding looks like in a healthcare analytics role

Tactics to steal:

• Clarify terms, baselines, and success criteria before proposing solutions
• Post with intent on LinkedIn and send personal connection messages
• Make it easy for people to talk with you using a limited Calendly window
• Shift time blocks as you progress: upskill early, then lean into applications and networking
• Pick a lane when you can, and let strong referrals open doors you can grow into

Connect with Megan on LinkedIn. Her portfolio and Tableau Public are accessible through her profile and resume. She keeps messages open and welcomes thoughtful conversations if you want to try the open calendar idea yourself.

For more on closing the gap between job seekers and hiring authorities, visit themajordata.com or join the Data Career Academy community on LinkedIn.

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