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Meet Julija Čeponienė, an enthusiastic former sales project manager who decided it was time for a change after nearly 16 years in the same company. Driven by her love for numbers and a keen analytical mind, Julija embarked on a new career path in data analytics. In this interview, she shares her inspiring mentee journey, from her first steps to her ongoing mentorship with Women Go Tech.

Introduce yourself!

I worked for almost 16 years at the same company as a sales project manager. I’m a very positive, communicative, and enthusiastic person, which made sales a good fit for me. But it was time for a change, and I decided to switch to a field where I could use more of my mathematical and analytical skills.

Take us back to the beginning. What sparked your passion for this field, and what keeps you energized about it?

I’ve always liked numbers and enjoyed analyzing things down to the smallest details. I love making everything look aesthetic and complete. These qualities led me to try data analytics, so I joined Vilnius Coding School. It was successful, and I decided to pursue a career change.

What was the ‘aha!’ moment that made you jump into the Acceleration Program?

After finishing my data analytics course and completing all my projects at my previous job, I quit just before Christmas. I found and finished the Discovery Program, and then I saw that applications were open for the Acceleration Program. It felt like a sign that this should be my next step.

How do you track your progress as you climb this career mountain? Are there milestones you celebrate?

A month after joining the Acceleration Program, I started looking for a junior role. Right before jumping into active search, I saw an opportunity to get funding for a data analytics course at Turing College. I got in, and now I’m learning there, improving my hard skills to be fully prepared for my first job.

Can you tell us a story about a time your mentor helped you crack a tough problem or achieve a major win?

I really vibe with my mentor. He understands my struggles, which helps a lot. He inspired me to be more active on LinkedIn. Since then, I’ve been posting about my career change, and I’ve seen a big increase in views, likes, messages, and new connections. I didn’t think that this could be such a game-changer, so I am really thankful.

This mentorship is more than just professional advice, right? What are some unexpected perks you’ve enjoyed from this relationship?

My mentor and I share a love for nature and gardening. This year is the first when I’m growing my own garden, and he wants to have his own, too. It’s funny that we have this in common, which is the opposite of sitting at a computer all day.

Beyond the technical skills, what other gems of wisdom have you picked up from your mentor?

I’ve learned technical skills at Vilnius Coding School and now at Turing College, so my mentor and I mainly talk about how I’m feeling, how things are going, and what my next steps could be. I need more emotional support and just chit-chat about how everything is going on for me and get tips on how I could do it differently. He also suggests that people follow me for updates in the data field and guides me in getting the best results for my tasks. It helps a lot mentally to cope, go further, and not lose positivity. 

Imagine you’re telling your future self about your career goals. What exciting things do you see on the horizon, and how do you think this mentorship will be your secret weapon?

I feel that this autumn will be the start of my real job journey in data analytics. I aim for a junior position and hope to move up within a year. I also want to mentor others someday. For me, this mentorship showed that it can be like friendship; it helps you through hard days and celebrates the good ones. I hope that in the future I can be of support to other people.