July 14, 2021 was the day my never-ending smiley face started after receiving an email titled, “Offer Letter and Upcoming Start! Woohoo!”
I only made the decision to become an analytics consultant last year—which considering where I am now in my career after 10 months—feels pretty crazy.
The urge to change my career started after I attended a closed-group seminar that was focused on the importance of challenging oneself and leaving one’s comfort zone. As the only attendee who isn’t well-versed in one of the top IT skills in demand, my little contributions to the discussion were focused on what I had learned during my past years as a performance marketer.
Two questions I asked myself after the seminar were, “How can I get out of my comfort zone?” and “How can I be multi-skilled in IT?” At the time, I was incredibly comfortable with my role and never thought of changing my career or challenging myself. Despite being an online marketer for many years, I decided that I no longer wanted to do that for the rest of my life. Now I know that’s completely normal (to change your mind about your career)—even though I didn’t feel that way at the time.
Well, I successfully did change my career and I’m here today to share my story.
Finding the Right Skill
The first thing I did was research the top IT skills in demand, and the timeframe to acquire each of these skills. After spending hours researching, I picked UX/UI design and digital analytics. I chose UX/UI design which was entirely unrelated to my then-role because it’s one IT skill I admire, due to its large community that is always ready to review your designs and share feedback, numerous online courses, and free resources.
Commit to Making the Change
I made the leap. I first started upskilling in digital analytics because I know the basics as a performance marketer. I watched YouTube videos and read blog posts from Simo Ahava. I was thrilled beyond all measures to push pause on my social life; I spent my weekends and holidays upskilling on these two skills. I started going to the office as early as 7am so that I could cover some topics before 9am.
So, yes, it may mean studying at night to improve your skill set, and watching video tutorials when you’d rather be watching Netflix. But, if you’re serious about making a change and fighting for your future, you have to be willing to take that leap and commit to making a change even if it means starting from scratch as an intern or associate.
Job Application and Interview Process
The moment I felt that I had the perfect role (digital analytics) in mind and was convinced that I was a little above the minimum bar set for candidates after looking at the profiles of people who are actually digital analysts, I quickly revamped my resume and LinkedIn profile and started applying for jobs. I got a response from a recruiter at InfoTrust exactly one week after I applied.
I quickly browsed through their website, did a little research online, and made inquiries from past and present employees just to validate the information I saw on their website. It was after this that I knew it was the right place for me and I need to give my best during the interview process.
The interview wasn’t an easy process for me as I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I was constantly nervous—but not during any of the interview stages. It was my first time not being tense during an interview. Kudos to my fellow InfoTrusters who interviewed me; they all made me feel relaxed during the interview stages. One funny thing I started doing during the interview process was keeping a blank sheet of paper and a pen beside me whenever I went to bed at night. You may be wondering why—the reason was so I could quickly note down any topic or idea that comes to my mind while asleep.
The entire process from the day I applied for the job to the day I received the email titled, “Offer Letter and Upcoming Start! Woohoo!” took exactly two months.
The Journey So Far …
Since starting this role as an analytics consultant, I have not questioned my career change—ever. It’s not been an easy journey for someone coming from a role where the majority of work hours are spent on backend tasks to becoming a consultant where you are responsible for client management and delivery. This has been a huge growth not just in my career, but also in my personal life.
A lot has positively changed in my life over the past 10 months. Being at a company with astounding work culture and values; working with amazing, loving, supportive, and talented InfoTrusters; enjoying fantastic work flexibility; and most especially not having that night feeling where you’re scared of waking up to a hectic workday. I wake up every day smiling knowing too well that I’m in the best place and I’m making progress daily.
I have a lot to say, but I will stop here and let you find out for yourself by becoming an InfoTruster.
