How can Data Governance professionals transfer their skills to a new industry?

I believe data governance skills can be applied to any INDUSTRY but not necessarily any role. The roles that data governance do match well with are Project Managers, Data Analysts, Database Managers, Innovation roles, Business Analyst, and Consultants. Thankfully that's a wide range of roles!

In my experience, data governance is a need across industries. When entering a new industry, it is always good to start by understanding the basics of the new industry and broader issues which are ongoing related to data governance. Having worked in multiple industries, the base skills are always transferable with time spent on some industry specific domain knowledge and nuances.

Skills related to data governance itself depend little on the industry. Everyone wants to put chaos in order. Just every organization will have its own focus and its own priorities. For example, financial organizations are under state supervision. Therefore, this often becomes the starting point in the data governance initiative. Companies with a developed data culture are more focused on data reliability to support the continuous decision-making process. Therefore, there the issue of data quality will be paramount. Choose the emphasis that is personally interesting to you.

While each industry's value chain may be very different, I believe that any data governance professional can quickly adapt to these new value chains, as the skills and processes required are very similar. Working for different industries, I have learnt that the focus of DG can be different, but the processes and frameworks always overlap. Bringing in expertise from highly regulated industries such as FSI can also help when moving into retail or manufacturing.

Experts in Data governance professionals possess various adaptable skills that can seamlessly transition to any industries. Their expertise in establishing data quality standards, ensuring compliance, and implementing effective data management strategies can be applied universally. Adapting to a new industry involves understanding its specific data needs, leveraging transferable skills, and tailoring governance approaches to align with the unique challenges and requirements of intended industry business model.

For any new industry, it may be useful to have a stakeholders lens on while doing research. For instance, If you were a customer, what products or services are sold and how? That helps form a reasonable view of how the industry operates. Even getting a view of the different types of stakeholders would help because they would come up with different goals which needs to be serviced via data governance.

For data governance professionals entering a new industry, thorough research is key. Dive into industry-specific data landscapes, challenges, and opportunities using resources like industry reports, blogs, podcasts, and webinars. Engage in online courses for deeper understanding. Networking with industry peers, both online and offline, is invaluable for gaining insights and building connections. This research helps pinpoint the unique data governance needs and objectives of the industry, enabling you to tailor your approach and solutions effectively.

Gain a thorough understanding of the new industry you're interested in. This includes familiarizing yourself with industry-specific data regulations, common data usage and management practices, key challenges, and emerging trends. Understanding the unique data governance needs of the industry can help you position your skills as relevant and valuable.

Industry perspective is an essential and differentiating add-on for a data governance professional. In my view research (both primary and secondary) to understand the following aspects in the context of industry are key to successfully opertionalize DG within the industry relevant organizations: -REGULATORY - Thorough understanding of Regulatory requirements and keeping abreast with regulations changes and its impact on data governance policies -INDUSTRY TRENDS - Staying up to date with industry trust and building a nimble DG framework to accommodate new changes to gain competitive advantage - DG TOOLS & SKILLS - Benchmark against similar organisations to ensure DG best practices are adopted from tools and in-house skills perspective

If this is relevant to your company, start your dive into a new subject area with an initiative to prepare a data glossary. Indeed, every company has its own specific terminology that is explored only in the course of interviews with users. But there are companies that widely use general market terms. For example, one of my past projects was related to energetics. I was searching for books and studying how this not-so-simple market is organized, how electricity travels through wires in Europe. Don't underestimate the capabilities of artificial intelligence. If there is nothing confidential in your queries, a few sessions with Chat GPT will help you quickly form an understanding of the new subject area and its terminology.

Revise your resume and portfolio to highlight the data governance skills and experiences most relevant to the new industry. Focus on achievements and projects that demonstrate your ability to manage and protect data, ensure compliance, and drive data-driven decision-making. Tailor your resume to reflect the language and priorities of the industry, showcasing how your background can add value. Including case studies or examples of how you've tackled data governance challenges can further strengthen your application.

When transitioning to a new industry in data governance, updating your resume and portfolio is crucial. Tailor them to reflect relevant skills and experiences, using industry-specific keywords and terminology. Highlight achievements in data governance projects that resonate with the new industry’s needs. For example, if moving to education, emphasize your contributions to improving data quality and security in student-related data. Include any relevant certifications, courses, or awards to underscore your expertise and commitment to data governance. A well-crafted resume and portfolio can significantly enhance your appeal to potential employers in the new industry.

Tailor your resume and portfolio to reflect the relevant skills and experiences for the new industry. Highlight projects and roles where you've applied data governance principles that are universally applicable or particularly relevant to the new industry. If you have undertaken any industry-specific training or certifications, make sure these are prominently featured.

When moving to a new industry, carefully select and apply for roles that align with your skills and career goals. Utilize online job boards, social media, and professional networks to find data governance opportunities. Leverage both existing and newly established industry contacts for referrals. Customize your cover letter and resume for each application, aligning them with the specific job description and requirements. Prepare thoroughly for interviews by researching the company, role, and industry specifics, and rehearse how to effectively communicate your data governance expertise and experiences.

Look for roles that match your skill set but also offer room for growth and learning in the new industry. Focus on roles where the core requirements align with your expertise in data governance, but also consider positions that might require stretching your skills in new directions.

On a chance to move to new industry to play the role of Data Governance, it would be wise to learn about the industry and business concepts. The systems and data can be learnt on the job, as the Data Governance practitioners are expected to learn on quicker path. Regulatory compliances that are needed for the new industry can be of more focus.

Once you secure a position, focus on continuous learning and adaptation. Be proactive in seeking knowledge about your new industry. This can involve on-the-job training, attending industry conferences, networking with industry experts, or even pursuing further education if necessary. Be open to feedback and be willing to adjust your approach to data governance based on the specific needs and nuances of the industry.

Data Governance roles focus on these transferable skills: 1) Project Management 2) Data Processing 3) Visualization & Analytics These are three broad skills that can be transferred to roles like Project Managers, Data Analysts, Database Managers, Innovation roles, Business Analyst, and Consultants.

One of things that can be done is, technically, to reverse engineer the key systems. This would help understand the systems, or at the least, would help prepare to ask meaning questions. Reverse engineering would get the physical data models (of database tables, columns, etc..), that would lead us to know logical models (of entities, attributes and relationships), that, in turn would lead us to conceptual model and the purpose of the system. An understanding of systems would help successful transfer for Data Governance practitioners.

Data Governance professionals can transfer their skills to a new industry by emphasizing their expertise in data management, compliance, and risk mitigation. Tailoring their experience to highlight industry-agnostic principles and showcasing adaptability will demonstrate their value in ensuring data quality, security, and regulatory compliance across diverse sectors.

Many of the data governance principles are domain agnostic and transferable. Such as data stewardship, data classification and protection. Applicable regulations may vary but there will be some common thread across. For example protection of pii data is a requirement in finance, education or healthcare with some variation and rigor.

As advice from a person who has 5+ subject areas in 10 years of work. Don't be afraid to change the subject area. Of course, studying a new context is stressful. But it very much supports and develops the flexibility of your thinking. Changing subject areas allows you to quickly build up diverse expertise, and reuse gained knowledge and previously studied best practices in a new industry. Moreover, a resume with different subject areas shows your adaptability to an HR and hiring manager, which is important for integration in a new workplace.