Unlocking the Hidden Potential of AI Industry Visibility
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Chapter 1: Understanding Industry Visibility
How often do you consider the non-technical aspects of your career? In a domain that prioritizes technical skills, focusing on personal branding and industry visibility might not seem crucial at first. However, by the end of this article, you will grasp what industry visibility entails, its advantages, and how to cultivate it as an AI professional.
Industry visibility and personal branding often go hand in hand, with many using these terms interchangeably. Whether you are a mid-level, senior, or seasoned AI expert, you've likely gained extensive technical knowledge. Having collaborated with various roles such as Data Engineers, Scientists, and Product Managers, you possess a solid grasp of machine learning pipelines and the intricacies of operationalizing AI models.
At this juncture in your career, you may feel confident in your familiarity with libraries, tools, frameworks, and your overall tech stack. You might even consider yourself an AI expert in certain circles.
What Comes Next?
What lies beyond technical proficiency? Seeking answers to this question will unveil several avenues, one of which is industry visibility.
To define it simply: industry visibility refers to how recognized and valued an individual is within their specific sector, often stemming from knowledge-sharing activities. Viewing industry visibility as a form of reputational currency can be beneficial.
Why Is This Important?
In a primarily technical field, it is indeed possible to thrive without focusing on industry visibility. But why should you care about it? Allow me to share a personal story.
Consider your career a grand social experiment. I began mine as a web developer, immersing myself in front-end frameworks and expanding my tech stack. During this time, I overlooked the concept of industry visibility, unaware that individuals could promote themselves across an organization or an entire field simply through their work and knowledge.
Reflecting on my journey, I transitioned from earning £28,000 per year to about £90,000 as a contractor over 2.5 years while working for four different companies. Eventually, I was drawn to AI and returned to university to gain foundational knowledge in the field. Upon completing my degree, I opted for a different approach to my career trajectory.
In 2018, I recognized that simply possessing technical knowledge in AI would not suffice for long-term success. Therefore, I decided to experiment: could I surpass my previous income as a web developer within the AI sector? The answer lay in sharing my expertise and learning journey publicly.
While I wish I could say I meticulously planned to write articles and teach courses, the truth is, it was a spontaneous experiment. Medium became my platform for amplifying my skills and insights.
Results of My Experiment
Fast forward two years and three months post-graduation, my experiment proved successful. I achieved a higher income as an AI professional in a shorter time frame than my web development days, with fewer job changes.
How did I accomplish this? The answer is straightforward: through industry visibility. By sharing my expertise in Computer Vision and Machine Learning on Medium, I garnered visibility beyond my 9-to-5 job, which led to numerous opportunities:
- Shorter interview processes for AI roles
- Technical Reviewer for a Computer Vision book
- O'Reilly Instructor on topics of Computer Vision and MLOps
- Blog Contributor (Nvidia, Built-In, NeptuneAI)
- Podcast invitations (KNN and SuperDataScience)
The effort you invest in showcasing your skills creates a form of professional currency that unlocks access to unadvertised AI roles, external projects, speaking engagements, and career benefits that would otherwise remain out of reach.
Practical Steps to Enhance Your Visibility in AI
Learn Continuously: Stay updated with new tools, techniques, and concepts in the AI/ML/Data field. Industry visibility thrives on knowledge sharing and unique insights, especially as the landscape evolves rapidly.
Build Something: While not every AI professional can develop entire products, the barriers between various software development segments are diminishing. Engage with the #buildinpublic movement by sharing your product development journey on social media platforms like LinkedIn or Twitter.
Teach Others: Your knowledge and perspective can significantly enhance your industry visibility. Consider creating online courses, articles, or tutorials that reflect your unique viewpoint.
Amplify Your Voice: Utilize platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, and YouTube to share your journey and insights. This not only showcases your expertise but also fosters connections within the industry.
Conclusion
As we look towards the future, the AI industry's attention may ebb and flow, but opportunities for practitioners like us remain. Building a foundation for your career and contributing meaningfully to the field is essential. While the journey toward industry visibility is not without challenges, the rewards are substantial if you remain consistent and dedicated.
If you have thoughts or insights on this topic, I encourage you to share them in the comments. Thank you for reading!
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