Your career is a journey, not a destination. My current journey is one filled with, “I wish I started earlier, but I am glad I chose this path.”
I used to have a disconnected career path. You know that local saying that goes “anywhere belle face?”, that was my mindset. The mindset was to survive.
As confusing as building a career path was, the certainty of not having anything to do with marketing was something I held onto. As far as being desperate could go, marketing was a no.
I mean, who wants harassment from not meeting ridiculous targets? Dancing in the hot sun, engaging busy and angry Nigerians to get their attention. That was my understanding of marketing. I was so ignorant.
When I could be a lawyer, a doctor, an engineer, or work at a job that wouldn’t have me directly at the mercy of any customer. It wasn’t about my passion for me growing up, it wasn’t about what I had an interest in because I was clueless. It was that I needed to just survive.
Little did I know that marketing was more interesting than this mindset, it was beyond this. It is broad but simple as long as you understand its fundamentals.
The need to get a real job and set a career path surfaced. So I got into the retail banking sector and immersed myself in the routine process. Counting money and engaging walk-in customers just to hit targets being set. I sort of enjoyed it because it was a repeated process, and every perfectionist will easily drift toward it.
Although it didn’t last long. That feeling couldn’t cover up the stress that came with the job.
I had to wake up early to beat the Lagos traffic chaos. Plus, you won’t be able to leave the banking hall until the vault says so, which could happen at any time.
I woke up one morning with depleted morale. I gawked at the mirror and looked at how work had sapped the happy, chatty child in me.
It was then I knew I couldn’t live this way forever. Then the light bulb in my head came on. No offense to bankers and Lagosians who enjoy a love-hate relationship with the city. There are people who enjoy the banking job and are great at it. People who enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city. I wasn’t one of them.
The Journey
As days went by and technology advanced, some jobs that were already in existence started to look dreamy and sumptuous like well-wrapped-up shawarma. I knew I needed skills to keep up.
I did my research on skills I could get, and boom, I heard about digital marketing. The latest sensation on the internet. Essentially, marketing, but done online — God bless technology! I got more information, and I knew this particular skill could open any industry’s door for me. Because what business doesn’t need marketing? I know, none! Every business does.
Everyone wants to use digital marketing to either help their business or become an expert, and anyone can be a digital marketing professional, which is why it’s in high demand.
So if I can build on this, then I can conquer this career confusion. Little did I know that it was one thing to learn the skill and another to implement it. I thought it was going to be a breeze, like being on a speed boat with the wind against your face while listening to Nicki Minaj’s “Moment 4 Life.”
Oh my, I struggled. I watched digital marketing classes on Udemy and Youtube, but it felt like watching the AIT channel as a kid. I was lost. This is to say that we all learn in different ways, and mine meant I was slow to learn. I needed someone to hold my hands and walk me through it, like when you are teaching a four-year-old the letter sounds.
It was time to find a physical class, and yes, I went on Instagram. You would think people don’t go there to search for things like you would on Google, but we actually do.
I went in search of a digital marketing class. Found a couple of Instagram profiles, but one stood out for me (talk about search engine optimization – SEO). I went through the agency’s profile and had the option to attend a virtual or physical class. I chose to take a 45-minute trip on specific dates for a physical class. I do not regret it.
Everything came to me like the letters of the alphabet. The reassuring part came from the facilitators, I could ask anything. Anything that sounded like a silly question and they didn’t shame me for it.
Digital marketing is an umbrella term, and there are different types. You can decide to focus on one, but imagine having a wealth of knowledge about every type. You’d go far with that skill and certificate.
Now with all I’ve acquired, marketing isn’t surface-level and boring. It isn’t trying to force your product or service on just anybody. It’s exciting because you’re evolving every day and finding new ways to get people’s attention.
All you have to do is connect with, find, and understand your target audience, then assist them in solving a problem and distributing the solutions on appropriate platforms. Easy right?
Years ago, I never thought I could earn money from writing. I never knew I would understand how the internet could read my mind and show me what I was thinking via my mobile phone. Holy cow, I didn’t know I could make things better. Help sell products and services through content marketing and sending out emails. Now I know. Virals and Signals made my transition into digital marketing easier.
If you need reasons to join the Virals and Signals Digital Marketing Associate Program then I hope this helps;
- You get access to a team of instructors that make up the teaching faculty. People who have explored the industry for decades.
- The training curriculum is well-structured and industry-appropriate.
- You have lifetime access to the course materials and free digital marketing tools.
- Explore hands-on tasks and projects.
- Acquire certifications in the industry (Google, Facebook, etc.)
- Flexible payment options.
Your career isn’t limited by your past experience or course of study. We all have the ability to adapt, learn, and grow. I’ve never had a clearer career path with more options to play with than I did when I stumbled on digital marketing.
The summary is that I came from a banking background to be in the digital marketing space. I currently work as a digital marketing specialist. And there are so many branching options to explore in digital marketing that once you have experience and find a potential route you’d like to take, it’s easier to transition into that role.
So go and get certified, network with people, and seek good mentorship. Share your knowledge in any way you feel works best for you. Pick a niche if you must, and be consistent.