Data Strategy Consultant Explains the Internship Approach

ashleymo5779
May 2
2 min read

Name: Alfredo Cumerma (he/him)

PhD: Modern Languages & Cultures, Johns Hopkins University, 2020

What was your main area of research?

I studied disinformation and nation-branding during the Cold War.

What is your current job?

I am a Senior Data Strategy Consultant for Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence in Baltimore, Maryland.

I assess city operations and provide recommendations to senior city leadership on ways to incorporate data into their problem solving approaches and decision making. I also help city leaders develop and scale a data strategy to optimize processes across a variety of problem areas.

What is your favorite thing about your job?

I love that I am always learning about different parts of a city's operations. Our projects refresh every 9 months.

What is the most important skill you developed or experience you had during your PhD that now helps you in your current position?

Relationship management
Synthesizing large volumes of information to develop case studies
Convincing and intelligent presentation skills
Becoming an expert in a short period of time

How did you build the skills necessary for your current role?

I completed four internships during my PhD in the public sector and NGO space.

How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?

Connections, some LinkedIn

PhD graduate ➡️ 5 years as policy analyst ➡️ city government consultant

Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?

It was not financially viable and required significant family wealth to live well. Leaving was an easy decision as I actually started a PhD, then took a break, then returned to it with a completely new approach (the internship approach).

What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?

Complete as many professional internships as possible DURING the PhD.

Neglect your research a bit and focus on internships, as they will get you the job AT graduation instead of floundering in postdoc/visiting professor land for a few years (more $$$).

Are there any components of your identity you would like to share, including how they have impacted your journey?

I have no family with higher education, so I didn't have the guidance that many have in this process. Took me a bit longer to land on my feet, but I managed it.