On solving problems the market can't repair

We all know chronic problems (like mass education, homelessness, pollution, preventive health) that market forces won't fix.

Then there are problems that, if we're patient enough, will end up being solved at scale by something like an AI algorithm.

But sometimes patience isn't as useful as doing something about it.

 Irony alert !!        

After working on AI & big data projects and developing predictive models for 7+ years, then accidentally pioneering the use of LLMs in talent management in my previous job, my latest project is totally non-scalable and human-dependent.

What problem are we trying to solve?

As anyone who had to hire and/or manage data scientists knows,

Finding qualified data scientists is hard; finding the very best talent who can take large quantities of formless data all the way to value-adding insights and business optimization is harder.

To make things even more frustrating, the typical hiring process is highly dismissive of nontraditional candidates. This despite all the concrete evidence that teams with diverse backgrounds create better products, presumably because of all the different viewpoints they can draw from. [1]

Since neither of these problems is being solved by AI/ML (yet), with the help of a small team and a few direct and indirect contributors to be duly recognized at a future date, I'm working on an alternative, "by humans, for humans" solution.

As important good data is, even more important is smart people who can manage it and find insights in it.

What's in it for you?

We're still in soft launch mode and currently unable to take on new customers, but I thought I'd share this information here for a few reasons:

• If you're a job seeker with a nontraditional background interested in a data science, machine learning, or data engineering career, we're starting to experiment with pre-vetting people like you using our proprietary 30-minute take-home assignment + knowledge of what employers in a variety of industries are looking for. If you'd like to join our first cohort, or want to learn more about how it could benefit your job search, let me know.
• If you're hiring for data scientists and intrigued by the idea of a "human-powered" approach to finding the people with the highest ability to drive success in a business-oriented data science position, I'm available for some "venting sessions"—and hopefully sharing some effective tips.
• If you're tired of waiting for the free market to solve a problem you really care about (and have the resources to at least contribute to solving it), perhaps this post will help convince you to start the hard work required to make a difference.

Impatience can be a virtue if it causes us to leap through the fear that holds us back. ~ Seth Godin

To learn more

Our sales page still leaves much to be desired, but at least it's live! We're still in soft-launch mode but if you want to learn more you can visit it here: https://bealprojects.com/TechnicalAssessment/

[1] More here: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/advice-job-seekers-recruiters-concerned-cognitive-tests-adriana-beal-y0lkf/