Oleg Novikov is a data science leader and the creator of Next Round, a free mock interview service that gives data professionals personalized feedback and learning materials. His career runs from data and software engineering roles in startups through building recommendation systems to managing data science at Uber, giving him a view of the field from both the practitioner’s desk and the hiring manager’s chair.

Through Next Round, Oleg has conducted hundreds of mock interviews with data scientists, seeing first hand where candidates shine and where they stumble. That experience shaped a practical playbook for landing data roles: treating a CV like a landing page, choosing take-home projects that showcase real skills, preparing for SQL and machine learning assessments, and negotiating offers without leaving money on the table. He shares this guidance through mock interview tools, community events, and podcast conversations on data science careers.

Oleg is particularly known for making interview preparation accessible to everyone. Whether he is coaching a first-time applicant or an experienced engineer changing specialties, his focus stays the same: helping people identify their strengths, close their gaps, and move their careers to the next level.