“Is it possible to transform a role in customer support into a data science career?” This question, which once seemed like a distant dream, became my career blueprint at Automattic. My journey from a Happiness Engineer in September 2014 to a data wrangler today is a tale of continuous evolution, learning, and adaptation.
Starting in the dynamic world of customer support with team “Hermes” (an internal team name that does not mean much except for being fun), I not only adapted to the challenges of working remotely but also embraced the complexities of supporting WordPress.com users and websites. I embraced various challenges, from a mobile support rotation with Helpshift for our mobile apps, to a stint with the Terms of Service team, to forming the first team to provide Live Chat support along with tickets on WordPress.com.
The biggest hurdle for each of these rotations was not just understanding technical issues but also mastering the art of empathetic, effective communication. Each support ticket was not just a problem to be solved; it was an opportunity to connect with a human being and improve their online experience (and maybe their life and business, as well).
I’m thankful that Automattic provides opportunities to rotate into new divisions, roles, and product lines to expand one’s skill set and familiarize oneself with more of our products. Over the last decade, I was fortunate to go through multiple rotations that helped me gain new skills while contributing to Automattic in new ways.
As I ventured through rotations in Jetpack and WooCommerce, my curiosity about data analytics began to sprout. I was fascinated by how data could influence decisions and drive improvements. The transition to a career in data was not smooth; I often found myself overwhelmed by the technicalities of data science. But my determination to grow led me to overcome these challenges through continuous learning and practical application.
Embracing Leadership and Project Management
Progressing in my career, I assumed more leadership roles. In my leadership role on Team Artemis, I faced one of my most significant challenges: managing a diverse, global team across time zones. I was the lead of the first UTC++ team (a mix of European and Asia time zones). The complexity of coordinating and leading such a diverse group taught me invaluable lessons in cross-cultural communication and team dynamics. It was during this time that the importance of data in making informed decisions became clear to me.
A primary goal during this time was to expand our company’s coverage to 24/7 in live chat and tickets, which highlighted a clear need: more people in Europe and Asia to ensure round-the-clock coverage. This led me to join the hiring team to support them in this mission for almost three years. My time with hiring solidified my project management skills, such as providing critical feedback and making impactful decisions.
I continued to lead Artemis, and as the team grew, we split into dedicated teams: one covering Europe, which I continued to lead, and another focusing on APAC time zones, which one of my team members from Asia took over as a lead, and in which they placed me as a leadership coach.
Venturing into Data: A Natural Progression
Interestingly, my shift toward data began subtly. Being involved in guilds like the Ticket Guild, which analyzes ticket availability and reports monthly stats, sparked my interest in data analytics. This interest deepened with the Testing Guild (which aimed to test new features and report bugs by priority); it deepened even further when I became a team lead and started seeing the power of data in decision-making.
At work, our responsibilities continued to expand, requiring us to start doing proactive sales, tracking more numbers across various support mediums, and using tools like Looker and Superset to oversee teams’ and divisions’ performance. We had a lot of spreadsheets, too. Performance conversations, decisions, and prioritization of product bugs were all driven by data. Over time, it became evident that for my impact to grow, my ability to perform data analysis had to grow as well.
Throughout my tenure as a team lead, I had managed various projects, with the most recent ones being Customer Education, which includes all of our public documentation, webinars, creating courses, and even online live events like WP Growth Summit; and the Scope of Support Project, focusing on evaluating support time per product domain and medium to make process and product improvements. None of them would be doable without a strong reliance on data.
Realizing my growing passion for data, I took the initiative to upskill myself. I completed over 30 classes in DataCamp, covering topics from SQL to Python, and dabbled in visualization, shell, git, statistics, and analytical thinking. This formal education was crucial in gaining practical experience and transitioning to more data-centric roles.
The Big Leap: Data Scientist at Tumblr and Automattic’s Data Team
In 2023, I made a significant career shift by joining the Tumblr Data Science and Analytics team for a rotation. The application process was challenging, requiring knowledge of Python, using Jupyter Notebooks, and deriving insights from sample data. Fortunately, my experience with WordPress publishing and engagement metrics was beneficial. A couple of weeks into the trial, I secured a spot! 🎉
Since then, I’ve been tackling tasks and projects aiming to improve our organization, documentation, and efficiency, while continuing to be part of a service team to all my colleagues across various divisions, answering data requests.
Being immersed in Tumblr’s world of data has been a humbling experience. Since getting the role, I have continued to expand my SQL and Python knowledge. My prior experience as a front-end user of tools like Looker and Superset paid off and has since expanded. I began creating my own dashboards and charts to help answer various questions and positively influence product decisions.
Just when things seemed to be settling, another change came: by January 2024, I transitioned to Automattic’s Central Data Team, a role that combines servicing Tumblr teams short-term and expanding to the full set of products offered by Automattic, including WordPress.com, Woo.com, Jetpack.com, and many more! This feels like a culmination of all my experiences and learnings, and it continues to challenge me to grow in my data science career.
My journey of transitioning from customer support to data science has been special, but not unique. It’s a story of continuous learning, adapting, and growing. Each role and project contributed to my understanding of data and its pivotal role in decision-making.
As I look forward to more challenges and opportunities in a career in data analytics and learning data science, I’m reminded of the importance of adaptability, continuous learning, and the willingness to dive into uncharted territories. I’m excited about what the future holds and am eager to contribute more significantly to Automattic’s growth through data-driven insights. I’m grateful to Automattic’s culture of continuous learning for supporting my education, growth, and career evolution.
I invite you to share your own experiences of career evolution and growth. How have you navigated changes in your career path? What lessons have you learned along the way? Let’s continue to learn and grow together in this ever-changing professional landscape.
Thank you for joining me on this journey through my career. Here’s to many more years of learning, growth, and data!
Data for Breakfast 