I am a Data Consultant at Beeminds. This means that I help organizations set up their data in such a way that they can really manage it. From building data models to translating business questions into concrete solutions.
The alarm clock rings
My alarm clock rings around 7:30. Or actually I wake up just a little earlier, because my cats Finduk and Sütlaç think it’s time to get up. That’s a good start to the day. While they get their food, I make coffee and start up quietly. I often skip breakfast. I am simply not hungry yet. My wife is often gone by then. She works as a radiologist and has irregular shifts, so sometimes I see her in the morning, but often not. We live in Utrecht, in an old school building where I used to go to school, which has been converted into apartments.
Starting the day together
At 9 a.m. I start the daily stand-up. This is really a fixed part of my day that I look forward to. You hear what colleagues are doing and stay involved, even with colleagues you don’t see physically as often. It creates a sense of togetherness, something I find important. After that, I dive into my work. I currently work for two clients, which makes my days nice and varied.
“After that, I dive into my work. I currently work for two clients, which makes my days nice and varied.”
Building and improving data
For one client, I’m mostly working with Power BI. I manage existing dashboards and work on new requirements. Because this organization consists of multiple parts, that also means a lot of customization and maintenance. No two days are the same.
For the other client, I’m right on the data engineering side. There I transform raw data into usable data sets. We work with different layers, from “raw” to increasingly sophisticated, until it’s ready for end users. I do this with notebooks, which is relatively new to me. That’s exactly what makes it fun: I learn every day.
DataOps project
I’m also working internally on a DataOps project. We’re building a dashboard that gives customers insight into their dataloads: what succeeded, what didn’t, and how long it took. My role in that is to visualize that data in Power BI.
Continue to develop
I recently passed my DP-600 certification. That course especially showed me how broad the data ecosystem is. From data engineering to governance and setup. You really learn a lot from this course. Not everything you use every day, but it does help you understand the bigger picture.
Lunch and relaxation
Around lunchtime, I usually eat something I brought from home. Sometimes I get something tasty, like a Turkish snack like börek. And when I’m in the office, we occasionally grab a game of ping pong. Always fun, although I still need some practice to win from everyone.
“If a notebook does what I want. When a data stream runs well. Or when I notice that something I’m working on really delivers value. That moment when you think, ‘Yes, it’s working,’ that makes my day.”
Cooking and gaming
At the end of the day, I close my laptop and go home. Since I often finish a little earlier than my wife, I usually start cooking. I really enjoy doing that, too. My favorite dish? A creamy salmon a little like butter chicken, simple, but always good.
After dinner we relax together. Sometimes we play a game. Lately we have been playing Overwatch a lot. Me on the PC, her on the PlayStation. Just an hour of gaming together is a really nice way for us to end the day.
Rounding out the day
Around eleven o’clock we are usually in bed. Especially since my wife has irregular shifts, we try to keep a good rhythm.
What makes my workday successful?
For me, it’s in the small victories. When a notebook does what I want. When a data stream runs well. Or when I notice that something I’m working on really delivers value. That moment when you think, “Yes, it’s working,” that makes my day.
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