Well, maybe. That’s what Sarah Braden did at MLconf in New York, in 2014. Now a busy data scientist at HireIQ, Braden credits the event for providing the forum needed to connect with startups hiring in machine learning.
“It’s harder to make contacts than it is to learn new skills and develop new areas of expertise,” Braden says. “I used MLconf to meet new people.”
Braden counts the smaller size of MLconf as a big plus. “You get to have better interaction, and people remember you better. I’ve been to quite a few larger events. There’s so much going on—people are rushing to the next talk and don’t get to stop and have good conversation.”
A PhD in geological sciences with a specialty in planetary sciences, Braden cut her research teeth using a lunar reconnaissance orbiter camera to study young lunar volcanism. After earning her degree, she taught herself Python programming as an entry into data science. “I was very motivated to learn these skills, and there’s a great demand in the industry right now,” she says.
At MLconf, she approached HireIQ during a networking break. “I found out we had some common background; for instance, the CTO had experience with satellite engineering. Through talking with them, I found a connection.”
After the event, Braden followed up to see if they might be interested in hiring her, and the professional link was born. “I think it’s really about the culture fit,” she explains, “If I hadn’t seen them at MLconf, I wouldn’t have known about them.”
Now Braden fills her days working on HireIQ’s automated interview technology, collecting data for predicting whether candidates will stay at a job. She also communicates the value of machine learning to clients as “something that can help them in their business models and help the efficiency of their recruiters.”
Braden plans to return to MLconf in New York this month—and to a future event as a speaker. “I’m hoping to speak on feature extraction and modeling from data collected from speech-to-text algorithms.”
Tips for aspiring data scientists:
If you’re a student or an aspiring data scientist attending MLconf, Braden advises:
- Have a strong understanding of programming, statistics, and basic data science concepts before you go.
- Bring business cards so people can stay in touch.
- Research the speakers beforehand to get the most out of the talks and to keep up, since a lot of the info is new.
- Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to companies and attendees.
- Follow up with new contacts after the conference.
—Natasha Petroff
Natasha Petroff is a senior writer at Kitterman Marketing. Kitterman is a marketing and advertising agency that blends strategic messaging and creative with the latest technology and analytics to create campaigns that deliver measureable results.
