Global Courant 2023-05-03 15:51:31
My Pivot Journal is a weekly series from Ventures Africa that documents people’s career transitions from one sector to another, especially to technology.
Success Egbekhuwa Bello, a first-class industrial chemistry graduate, had a promising future in science. However, her brief experience as a quality control analyst was not satisfactory. In her spare time, she discovered a passion for creating content that could drive traffic while scrolling through social media platforms. This eventually led to a successful career in digital marketing. Here’s her script.
How it started
During my formative years, I harbored numerous career aspirations. Initially, I had the ambition to become a nurse, but my interest shifted to pharmacist. I became interested in the sciences because of my natural ability in math, which guided my career choices.
Finally, after going through several challenges that came with getting admission into a Nigerian university, I pursued a degree in industrial chemistry, which still matched my interests in my career. In 2018, I graduated first class in Industrial Chemistry from Crawford University in Ogun State.
After graduating, I hoped to secure a job in a pharmaceutical company, perhaps as a lab analyst, with a long-term vision of establishing my own company. However, my entrepreneurial ambitions did not come true.
Revelation
After working as a Quality Control Analyst at MaryBell Nigerian Limited for a year, I was dissatisfied with what I was doing. The repetitive nature of the work and rigid processes left me longing for something more dynamic but challenging. So during my free time I found myself touring various social media platforms. During this period, I discovered my innate passion for creating engaging content that could generate high traffic.
Good luck Egbekhuwa Bello
Transition
After reaching a turning point in my professional journey in February 2021, I decided to focus on the tech industry. While the tech field offered broad opportunities, I was particularly attracted to the digital marketing industry because of the potential for constant learning and exploring new concepts.
To ease my transition into the tech industry, I took several learning opportunities. I have taken several courses, including Google data skills for Africa. I’ve learned a lot from platforms like Coursera and Udemy. My most valuable sources of information and learning came from browsing and watching videos on YouTube.
It was not a seamless transition and I faced some challenges. But through perseverance and hard work, I gradually became more comfortable with the new work environment and acquired the knowledge needed to excel in my field. I took free and paid courses because I realized that investing in my education and professional development was crucial to learning quickly and achieving my goals.
Initially, I offered my services to friends and family for free to help them increase their online business visibility. Finally, I was compensated for my services in handling the marketing for a jewelry brand. So what started as a mere pastime quickly turned into a full-fledged interest, and I realized I could use my skills to pursue a career in digital marketing.
How are you
I currently work as a digital analyst/brand strategist at Omnioption Creative Agency. I have worked for several brands and I enjoy the experience.
My role as a digital analyst is crucial in helping companies make informed decisions about their digital marketing strategies and improve their overall digital performance. I help them create a powerful brand that resonates with a target audience, builds a strong market position and drives business growth.
I find my work very interesting and time consuming, but as an introvert it keeps me busy. I find job opportunities by using any means to advertise myself, and I have the best support system. What I like about my job is that it allows me to be creative, pushes me to continuously develop myself and helps brands achieve their goals.
Career Hack
Stay on top of trends.
Keeping up with trends is crucial, and it’s just as important to develop yourself as you keep up with these trends. In addition, it is essential to be good at what you do, so when an opportunity arises, you are the first to come to mind. You shouldn’t feel comfortable at whatever level you are. Personally, I still turn to YouTube as a valuable source of information and resources to further develop my digital skills and knowledge.
