Mastering 1:1s as a Data Scientist: From Status Updates to Career Growth

Use your 1:1s to gain visibility, solve challenges, and advance your career

I have been a data team manager for six months now, and my team has grown from three to five.

I wrote about my initial manager experiences back in November. In this article, I want to talk about something that is more essential to the relationship between a DS or DA individual contributor (IC) and their manager — the 1:1 meetings. I remember when I first started my career, I felt nervous and awkward in my 1:1s, as I didn’t know what to expect or what was useful. Now, having been on both sides during 1:1s, I understand better how to have an effective 1:1 meeting.

If you have ever struggled with how to make the best out of your 1:1s, here are my essential tips.

I. Set up A Regular 1:1 Cadence

First and foremost, 1:1 meetings with your manager should happen regularly. It could be weekly or biweekly, depending on the pace of your projects. For example, if you are more analytics-focused and have lots of fast-moving reporting and analysis tasks, a weekly 1:1 might be better to provide timely updates and align on project prioritization. However, if you are focusing on a long-term…