In this episode of our Placed Learners Podcast, we talk to Sufiyan Ahmad, a Jobaaj Learnings student who transitioned from a non-technical background into a data analytics role. Sufiyan shares how he went from a BBA graduate to a Junior Data Analyst, the tools and skills he learned, his job interview experience, and advice for future analytics aspirants.

Podcaster:
Hello Everyone, today we’re joined by Sufiyan, a member of the Jobaaj Learnings community who recently made a successful career switch into analytics. We'll learn about his background, current role, skillset, and suggestions for others looking to enter the field. Welcome, Sufiyan! Could you start by telling us about yourself and your education?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
Thanks, Rakshit. I’m Sufiyan Ahmad from Lucknow. I completed my Bachelor’s in Business Administration (BBA). I don’t come from a technical background. Initially, I had planned to start my own business.

But one day, I saw a Jobaaj ad on YouTube. I attended a free workshop and watched your lectures about the growing future of data analytics and data science. That got me really interested. I enrolled in the Data Analytics course, which covered SQL, Python, and Power BI — the core tools used in this field.

I stayed focused, completed the course, and started applying on LinkedIn and other platforms. I got a job fairly quickly. The learning journey was smooth, especially with the help I received on the Discord community — my doubts were always resolved quickly.

Podcaster:
That’s great to hear! So where are you currently working and what’s your role?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
I’m working at Invergence Analytics Pvt. Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Convergence. My current role is Junior Data Analyst, and I work in the finance domain.

Podcaster:
So you didn’t work after your BBA — you directly upskilled and got into this role?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
Yes, exactly. I was planning to start a business, but this field really excited me. After your workshop, I decided to switch and pursue this seriously. It was a turning point for me.

Podcaster:
Okay, So Tell us about your interview. How many rounds were there, and what kind of questions did they ask?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
There were three rounds:

  • Round 1: General/basic questions.

  • Round 2: A technical round by someone from New York — mostly SQL-based.
    They asked about stored procedures, differences between views and indexes, SELECT statements, ORDER BY, and how to handle and filter large datasets.

  • Round 3: Some questions from Python and Power BI — how to clean and visualize data.

Almost all questions were related to the basics I learned in the Jobaaj course. The way it was taught helped me answer confidently.

Podcaster:
What tools are you using in your daily work?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
Right now, about 90% of my work is on SQL — writing stored procedures and running queries. I’ve just joined, so I’m focusing on strengthening my SQL. But I plan to get more into Python soon.

Podcaster:
What would you advise someone from a non-technical background who wants to get into analytics?

Sufiyan Ahmad:
Here are a few important things I’d say:

  • Be consistent. Just watching course videos won’t get you a job. You need to practice regularly and stay focused.

  • Master the basics. If your fundamentals aren’t strong, advanced concepts won’t make sense.

  • Give 100%. If you're learning something, go all in. Don't just aim for 50%.

  • Stay focused. If you’re learning joins today, be confident enough to explain or apply them tomorrow.

Also, I loved how the course was structured — "Zero to Hero" is not just a title, it truly delivers on that promise.

Podcaster:
Thank you, Sufiyan, for sharing your inspiring story. I’m sure it’ll motivate many students from non-tech backgrounds. Looking forward to continuing your mentorship on Discord.

Sufiyan Ahmad:
Thank you so much, Rakshit. I’m grateful for everything Jobaaj has offered.

........

Don’t miss the full conversation—watch the podcast now and get inspired by Sufiyan's journey!

 

General Interview Questions Asked to Sufiyan during his selection process

 

Can you explain what a JOIN is in SQL and give an example?

Sample Answer:

A JOIN is used to combine rows from two or more tables based on a related column.
For example, if you have a Customers table and an Orders table, you can use an INNER JOIN to find customers who have placed orders:

SELECT Customers.name, Orders.order_id
FROM Customers
INNER JOIN Orders ON Customers.customer_id = Orders.customer_id;

How would you clean a dataset in Python?

Sample Answer:

First, I would import the dataset using Pandas. Then I’d:

  • Check for null values using df.isnull().sum()

  • Fill or drop missing values depending on context

  • Remove duplicates using df.drop_duplicates()

  • Convert data types if needed (e.g., using astype())

  • Standardize column names and remove extra spaces

Explain the difference between WHERE and ORDER BY in SQL.

Sample Answer:

  • WHERE is used to filter records based on a condition.

  • ORDER BY is used to sort the result set in ascending or descending order.

SELECT * FROM Employees
WHERE Department = 'Sales'
ORDER BY Salary DESC;

Explain how you visualize data after cleaning.

Sample Answer:
I use Power BI to visualize data. After cleaning in SQL or Python, I import the dataset into Power BI and create dashboards using bar charts, line graphs, and slicers to make the report interactive.

How would you join two or more tables?

Sample Answer:
Using JOINs in SQL. For example, to join Customers and Orders:

SELECT Customers.Name, Orders.OrderID
FROM Customers
INNER JOIN Orders ON Customers.CustomerID = Orders.CustomerID;