When Jim Carnegie's company announced impending COVID layoffs, he decided to retrain and make the career pivot from HR generalist to business intelligence specialist.
He rolled up his sleeves, learned the skills needed for a data career, and used his employer as practice. He just started digging into their data to find opportunities. When Jim found a way to save his employer LOTS of money and streamline a messy process, they offered him a new role. Jim turned it down, because he knew it was time to go off on his own and launch a niche Human Resources analytics consultancy, Mosaic People Analytics.
These days, he's crushing it for his clients, like the one he recently saved over $1M USD for! And the best part is, he's loving every minute of it.
Jim offers some great advice for aspiring data people...
If I had to give one piece of advice to people starting out on this journey, take the initiative and start your journey now...Just start using these skills now. Use your current employer as practice like I did...learning Power BI, Power Query, SQL, Tableau, whatever, will significantly increase your profile, employability, and ultimately your earning potential.
If you want more like this, check out this quick video from Jim below:
For folks who are interested in learning more about what Jim and Mosaic People Analytics can do for your company, here are the best ways to connect with him:
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John Pauler
Partner & CRO
John brings over 15 years of business intelligence experience to the Maven team, having worked with companies ranging from Fortune 500 to early-stage startups. As a MySQL expert, he has played leadership roles across analytics, marketing, SaaS and product teams.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Maven Analytics?
Maven Analytics is an online learning platform that helps professionals and organizations build practical data and AI skills in analytics, business intelligence, and data science. Our hands-on courses are designed to help learners stay competitive and future-proof their careers in the age of AI.
Are data analysis and data science still good career paths?
Absolutely. As long as companies collect and use data, they need people who know how to turn that data into results. Roles are changing, and so are the skills needed to succeed, but the career paths remain strong. Focus on data literacy fundamentals, business thinking, communication skills, and learning how to use modern data and AI tools, and you can build a strong career.
Will AI replace data jobs?
AI is changing how data professionals work, but it is not replacing the need for skilled analysts and data scientists. Instead, AI is becoming another tool in the data workflow. Organizations still need people who can ask the right questions, interpret results, communicate insights, and apply data to real business decisions. The most successful professionals will be those who learn how to combine core data skills with modern AI tools.
How can I future-proof my career in analytics?
Future-proofing your analytics career means building strong core data skills, understanding business context, and learning how to work effectively with AI rather than compete with it. The goal is to become a better analyst, problem solver, and decision-maker.
How long does it take to build job-ready data skills?
That depends on your starting point and goals, but many learners can build meaningful skills over a few months with consistent practice, even when studying part-time. The most important factor is applying what you learn through hands-on projects and real business problems.
