Chalkboard to Dashboard: Claudia Amador

In this episode, Albert Bellamy interviews Claudia Amador, a former software engineer and educator who is now transitioning into a full-time data and reporting analyst role. Claudia shares her unique journey from building SQL features for a database company, to teaching high school math and computer science, and finally to educational data analysis—where she improved data quality through SQL scripts, root cause analysis, and smart documentation.

Claudia reflects on how her teaching experience enhanced her communication and empathy skills—critical assets for translating complex data into actionable insights. She discusses her job search strategy, including ramping up applications, leveraging LinkedIn networking, and exploring roles outside of education in industries like healthcare and mortgage finance.

The episode also dives into her toughest lessons in today’s job market—how it’s changed, why ghosting happens, and how she’s adapting by layering in feedback from mentors and tools like Alex the Analyst's courses. Albert and Claudia also explore the importance of storytelling in interviews and why marketing may be the most accessible industry for career changers.

Claudia closes with her “superpower”: making hard concepts easy to understand, a skill she honed in the classroom and now brings into data storytelling.

Key Takeaways:

• Claudia’s data superpower is translating complex ideas for different audiences—critical for communication in analytics roles.
• She's now applying to 3–5 jobs per day and diversifying beyond education into industries like healthcare and mortgage.
• The job market is more competitive, and ghosting is common—but maintaining optimism, networking, and skill-building keeps her motivated.
• Albert recommends marketing and manufacturing as more accessible domains for career changers.
• Claudia encourages job seekers to stay connected, stay visible, and keep adapting.

Find Claudia on LinkedIn and let her know you heard her on the show!