How to Start a Career in Tech: A Step-by Step Guide

It is no news that tech is dominating the employment sector. As a matter of fact, everyone else is awakening to the amazing opportunities for people in tech. So, why not you too?

Conspiracy theorists in the early 2000’s predicted a decline in employment due to over dependence on technology- however, the reverse is the case as tech has created more jobs than any traditional business model could ever have within such a short time.

With the increase in business dependence on IT, more people began to cry;

“The robots will have your jobs!” “The economy is headed for doom!”

Yet, for every manual job that has declined over the past few years, 5 more tech related jobs were created.

Over the years, we have had to do away with secretarial roles and instead filled the gap with Database managers, Cybersecurity experts, Data Analysts, Ads managers, CRM experts, etc.

Millions of jobs declined, and millions more were created.

The problem we have in terms of unemployment would be the nonchalance of the population to catch up with the moving train, and learn new skills in tech.

More and more companies are beginning to see how technology and automation can bring about dramatic change in revenue. Thus- the increase in demand for tech related skills.

Top 10 In-demand Tech Jobs

An analysis from Analytics insight shows the top 10 in-demand tech jobs of 2021, with average salary range between $100,000- $200,000.

Security Professional
Product Manager
DevOps Engineer
Cloud Architect
Programmer Analyst
Blockchain Engineer
AI Architect
System Analyst
Mobile App Developer
Network Administrator

Might I add, that the roles listed above are only rated top 10 for 2021 based on available statistics, demand and availability of these skills. There are way too many jobs in tech for you to limit yourself to top 10 from any list.

Launch Your Tech Career

With the way social platforms are built today, almost everyone has an opinion on how you should launch your career in tech. I do too.

However, information overload could be as dangerous as information drought. You need to sieve through the chaff [all the social media posts, comments, blogposts, etc] to get to what you really desire.

Research

Since you are reading this, then you must either be in the awareness stage or consideration stage in your buyer’s journey [marketing lingo]. The point is, to launch a career in tech, you must first research the roles available, wage range and possibilities for you in each role.

Do this on Google or any other search engine, seek the opinions of techies you already know [they have been there, done that].

This will help you figure out the skill set required for every tech role and how you can handle them.

List

Next, create a short list of the roles that interest you. Note that, you cannot do everything at once. Make a list of roles that interest you at this very moment, and single out the ones you can learn on your budget.

This will enable you direct your efforts in one place instead of trying your hands at everything all at once.

Learn

Learn. Learn. Learn.

If you are going to launch a tech career and get ahead while at it, you must be willing to learn. Thankfully, there are lots of resources online for you to get basic and advanced knowledge in your chosen career path. There are thousands of free and paid courses that will help you kickstart your tech career.

Free Learning Sources

Paid Learning Sources

You can start off with any of these sources and implement as you go. Most of them offer certifications upon completion of both course and assessment. Remember not to overwhelm yourself by taking too many courses, or learning from too many sources at once.

For a start, pick one from the free and paid sources each, double down and give it 6 months. You would be surprised at how good you’ve become by then.

Implement

No matter how much time you spend taking courses online and offline, you learn the most while you work. At this time, it’s important that you take low risk jobs that allow for mistakes and further learning.

Do this by volunteering to work for a friend, family member, local business, etc. Then you can go on to display your skills on freelancing platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, etc.

Keep learning and implementing because even in tech, out of sight may be out of mind.

Network

As you have learned and are still learning, do not underestimate the power of your network in helping you grow. On social media, blogs and wherever yo can find them reach out to industry experts. Contribute to their projects and learn from them. This way, you can find out what you need to improve on and act accordingly.

To establish yourself as an authority in your field, it’s important to keep talking about what you do- you can build a website or email list for this. Address your mistakes, share hacks that worked for you and answer questions from newbies in your field.

Kickstarting a career in any field is not simple, neither is it as difficult as people make it out to be. Willingness to learn should be your priority if you must go into tech. Even at a point where you believe you are experienced, the trends keep changing.

You either go hard or go home- and I know what you chose.

Goodluck!

How I made my first $1000 on Upwork

The goal of every freelancer is to do what they love, and get paid while at it. At least, that is what the gig economy sells to us. As freelancing is winning over the traditional mode of employment, thousands of people get on the bandwagon every year- especially young people looking for other streams of income, stay home parents and students.

If you want to kickstart your freelancing journey on a platform that is set up to help you succeed, I highly recommend Upwork. Now, this is not a sponsored post- I am doing this because I actually work on the platform. You can view my profile [ or even hire me] here.

I began my copywriting / content writing journey on Upwork in July of 2020, and got my first gig in about 4 days. Do not get me wrong, I did burn through my connects and simply hoped that I would get a job. Luckily for me, I did. It might not be the same for you.

Knowing the job posting to apply to, and your ideal client is something you need to determine before you start spending your connects in the wrong places.

Before I discuss the steps I took to hit the $1k mark on Upwork, I believe that you do have a skill you intend to sell on there.

If you do not, now is the time to quickly learn one. There is no wealth without exchange of value.

Set Up Your Profile

Setting up a profile on Upwork is one of the easiest things to do. You can do that here. The requirements you need to bring your profile to a 100% are;

A marketable skill
A clear, and friendly profile picture
Your official name
Set up payment method
Identity verification
Portfolio

The identity verification is relevant to the entire process as it helps Upwork provide a safe place for booth clients and freelancers. It may not be required of you immediately, however once you are qualified for the verification, you may not begin new contracts or withdraw funds without doing it.

Documents accepted for the Identity verification are: International passport/ National ID card/ Drivers’ License.

Your Upwork profile should be eye catching, customer oriented and credible. It is the first impression a client gets about your skill set and expertise on the platform, before you even have a chance to prove yourself.

Land a Gig

Let’s face it. The competition on Upwork doesn’t exactly favour newbie freelancers. Why is that? Simply because most clients need experienced people to take on their projects. Still, do not lose heart.

Thousands of clients are willing to work with new freelancers, provided said freelancer can establish credibility in that area of expertise.

Before you land a gig, you have to submit a proposal to a job posting. It’s important that whichever job you apply for is something you can do well, and fast.

People say that landing the first gig is the toughest part of it. For me, it was landing the second. Whatever situation applies to you, focus on getting the job done in the best way you can.

5 Star Review

Upwork clients normally leave reviews after the completion of a project. The reviews they leave on your profile contributes to the willingness of another client to work with you.

There will be times when a client doesn’t agree with your results- simply make amends while putting in a 100%.

If a client is satisfied with your work, they will surely leave you a great review, and even recommend you to others.

Preparing Your Mind for the Upwork Journey

There will always be naysayers. People who do not believe you can make something great out of freelancing. The question is, “would you let them get to you?”

Embarking on a journey of this nature without the right mindset will have you giving up before you have even made headway. Prior to setting up my Upwork account, I made some promises to myself. I haven’t kept all of them so far, but I have done a great deal.

How should you prepare your mind for success on Upwork?

Decide you’re in it long term

Building your profile for success on Upwork doesn’t just happen overnight. You have to let yourself understand that you are building a brand that will stand the test of time. Adopting this mindset will help you deal better on the days the jobs aren’t coming or when the pay is low.

Selective Bidding

Clients get reviews on their profiles the same way freelancers do. The only difference is that you can’t randomly see client reviews till you are about to bid on a job they posted.

Before you submit a proposal, scroll down to see the client’s history. This will help you better understand the sort of client you want to work with. I skipped this a lot in the past, and it had an impact on my Job Success Score- not nice at all.

A track record of bad feedback from freelancers should be a red flag.

Competition

The Upwork platform boasts of about 12 million active freelancers and about 5 million clients. Brings us to a ratio of 2:1 approximately. In other words, the competition is fierce, even tougher on newbies. On a job posting, a client can get up to 30 proposals.

What does this mean for you? You have to devise ways to stand out from the crowd. Show, not tell your client how you can help them achieve results, perform outstandingly on every project and keep upgrading your skills.

This way, you can be seen in the midst of a million.

The above steps are what I implemented to hit the $1k mark on Upwork, and you can do better than that! Consistency and value will see you raking in the big bucks in no time.

Disclaimer

The author of this post does not guarantee any earnings from using the Upwork platform as a freelancer. You have to implement various strategies in order to achieve your financial goal on Upwork.

I am rooting for you. Go get it!

Another Blog Year!

First off, Happy New Year friends! I’m writing this blogpost at exactly 7:02 p.m (WAT).

We welcomed the new year about 19 hours ago, and it’s been great so far. I’m most grateful to you, who has walked with me since I began this journey only 2 months ago.

It’s been wonderful having you in my space, sharing, learning and growing with you.

I hope we grow more this year. I haven’t much to say, except that I made some mistakes when I was starting out with this blog. Mistakes that indirectly led to my inconsistency on here.

I have recognised them, addressed them, and hope to stay consistent this year.

I wish you the best of everything. More money especially. Go get that bag!

Why Should a Freelancer Get a Website?

When starting out as a freelancer, you should be ready to tie up all loose ends, before landing your first client.

Now, it’s okay if you haven’t.

This is why I’m writing this blogpost.

I need you to understand that, you can get all the gigs you want, but you’ll never understand how far you can go till you get a website.

You might think, “But oh. I pitch prospects by mail”.

That’s fine. It won’t be enough.

“Is that so? I work on a freelancer platform“

Great too. But not good enough.

I mean, if you have thought and decided that you wanted to give freelancing a shot, you have to go all the way.

Go big or go home. That’s right.

It was from reading Jennifer Goforth’s book: The Freelance Content Marketing Writer that I really understood the need for a website.

Why Should a Freelancer Get a Website?

It presents you as a professional

The big shots in the industry do things in a big way. So why shouldn’t you?

Getting a website just shows your prospect that you’re indeed an expert in your field.

In fact, your website is supposed to crush every doubt they have about you as a professional.

Why?

We’ll discuss that in the next point.

Your Website is your portfolio

In my experience,I have noticed that when pitching to a potential client, pointing them in direction of your website is so much better.

Better than sending dozens of clips for credibility.

On your website, you can show off your best work. And even if you haven’t got any, keep publishing content focused on your niche.

You never know what the client will love.

Read how to build a freelance portfolio.

It is YOUR BIGGEST marketing tool

Thousands of clients are online everyday (think search engines), looking for a freelancer best suited to their project.

Who says it can’t be you?

Even if you were on vacation,or busy at work. Once your website can be located by search engines, that’s it.

Once your website can be located by search engines, that’s it.

You’re somewhere living your life, while a prospect is going through your best work.

Probably scheduling a meeting already.

Talk about levels!

If this doesn’t convince you to get a website, and actively market your services…

I don’t know what will.

Let me know in the comments how a website has helped you grow your business!

Building a Portfolio as A Freelance Writer

I once said a portfolio is the backbone of any rookie freelancer.

It’s the one thing that gives you credibility before potential clients. Assures them of your expertise.

Clients want freelancers who will be an asset to their company, not a liability.

How then Can You Build a Portfolio?

Write for your friends

Having friends in business is great- because this can be a starting point for you as a freelance writer.

You could offer to write pro bono, or they can pay you if they can afford it.

If they can’t pay, please do it for free.

It’s not for them- you’re looking to build a portfolio.

Volunteer for Non-profit

Non-profit organizations are constantly in need of writers. They need your services to write a publication, press release, seek donations, etc.

They need your services to write a publication, press release, seek donations, etc.

Before I began on Upwork, I volunteered with H V Naija- a non-governmental organization in my country looking to promote public health.

I wrote some pieces for Oral Health Day.

You’re needed. The pay from non-profit organizations is usually low, because duh.

They don’t make profit.

So, you can volunteer to do a few pieces for the organization till they decide to take you on- or not.

What matters is that it goes on your portfolio.

Write for Yourself

I did this a lot, starting out as a freelance copywriter.

I would think of a product I had used, how I felt when I used it, then quickly craft a copy based off of that product.

Write on things that interest you- within your niche.

If you’re into software writing, think of products, applications within your niche.

Do reviews. These would surely give you a boost.

In building your portfolio,it’s important to take your time and deliver top quality content.

Yes.

That should always be your focus, because anything worth doing, is worth doing well.

Do share in the comments, the steps you took to build your freelance portfolio.

See you!

Start Freelance Writing in 4 SIMPLE Steps!

Starting out at anything is difficult.

I daresay the major reason a lot of people choose to remain in their comfort zones, is that any journey is toughest at the beginning.

Whether it’s a new career path, a diet, fitness routine- whatever it is.

The beginning is usually messy.

If you are interested in starting out as a freelance writer, but haven’t the slightest idea to begin, then this is for you!

How do you begin this interesting journey?

Decide

Yes. You’re going to make some decisions.

You’ll have to decide what type of writing you want to do [literary or commercial], the niche you’ll specialize in, what type of clients you want to take on, what platforms you’re going to work on.

The decision making process makes the rest so much easier.

Because you can’t even progress if you have no idea what you want.

Invest

Making a living is not cheap. Especially when you’re doing it all on your own.

See it this way, you’re the boss of yourself and every risk of the business dwells on you.

If you have no prior knowledge of the writing style you want to take on, you have to learn.

Free tutorials abound on YouTube.

Courses from online education platforms like Udemy, Coursera, Amazon, etc.

Get books.

Next, you have to invest in the gadgets you need to run your new freelancing business effectively. Your Personal Computer, constant access to the internet, telephone, Mailing softwares,etc.

Portfolio

The portfolio, is like the backbone of every new freelance writer.

It goes to establish credibility in the mind of your target client that you do good work.

In building a portfolio, you don’t necessarily have to had worked with xxx before you have something.

Easy ways to build portfolio:

Volunteer to write for a non-profit.
Write for a friend who owns a business
Make entries on whatever interests you

Just by doing these 3, you have built something great for a portfolio.

Then you can link all these works together, in your Google Library.

Better still, set up a website or blog to show off your best work.

There you are!

Act

I’d like to tell you that you must be perfect at writing before you begin pitching to potential clients.

But, no I won’t.

I strongly believe that you will get better with practice.

However, this is not to say you should go pitch to clients with sub-par work.

Sorry, you won’t get hired.

If you are reallyyyy confident in your skill, go for it!

Rookie Freelance Writer?

I’m wishing you the best as you embark on this journey.

Adios!

You Are Not Lost…

Early last week, I was taking the usual cruise on the bird app. You know the bird app don’t you?

Twitter.

Then, I stumbled on a random profile. Her bio (at least, part of it) said:

“You’re not lost. You are here.”

I kid you not, I felt this deep squeeze in my chest area- the good kind.

I was not lost. I am not lost. I am right here.

I’ll tell you what I did after that.

As soon as I got off Twitter, I wrote a short note to my friends, having that line as the pillar of my message.

For most of us, the year has been tough.
You know the wild hope that 2020 would be a light, bring the much needed relief.

It was broken to many tiny pieces- for some of us.

I mean, some others have had a great year right?

The pandemic, closely followed by economic meltdown, hunger, death, sickness.

So much pain in the world.

Place the police brutality in African countries as the icing on the cake.

I do not mention what you have struggled with in your private places [because I have no idea].

Yet, someone comes to say I am not lost?

As much as I tried to fight it, I saw the truth in those words.

And if you look closely enough, you’ll see it too.

Where you are right now, is just where you need to be for you to keep moving forward.

And I completely acknowledge that it might not be where you really want to be.

I understand that you want it easier. You want the load lighter. You want to sink into oblivion or come out of it.

But, you are here.

I’d like to say that’s all that matters, but I will be honest with you. The other stuff are important too.

Then again, this is the most important of them all.

You are not lost.

Remember that everytime you feel you’re wandering in a deep, dark tunnel all by yourself.

Think about it when you’re overwhelmed.

Focus on it when you’re on the verge of breaking down.

Then what will you do?

Let the rage out.

Whatever emotions are clogging your throat, let all out.

Brood. Cry. Grieve. Pace. Yell. If you want to.

Then pick yourself back up, because you’re the shit.

Go into the new week with this consciousness. Smash goals and Kick ass!

And, you’re not lost. You are here.

❤️

Generalist VS Specialist (2): Why Being a Jack Of Some Trades Gives You An Edge

Dear Friend,

Our last conversation here was on Generalists VS Specialists- which one would work better for a freelancer.

I am going to state it here again that “I am not really pulling for any side”.
You can just pitch your tent anywhere, all I’m doing for you is to outline how either of these can be great for you as a freelancer.

Okay, let’s get into it.

• Why Is It Great to be a Generalist?

As a freelancer, you have tons of reasons to go the generalist way. And why ever you decide to do so, is valid.
Do not forget that.

It is possible to be a generalist writer, graphic designer, content marketer, – and still kick ass.

Why do I say so?
A lot of people are doing it, and it’s going great for them.
Why not you( if you want it) ?

Image: https://medium.com/@jijimajiriugboma/expert-generalist-why-a-diverse-skill-set-is-good-for-your-career-and-personal-growth-8311cbb49954

1. Build a Solid Portfolio
This is a great recommendation for would-be freelancers, the newbies,and those who haven’t got any gig yet.

You can try your hands at various niches just so you can build a strong portfolio.
I know, I know.

As a freelancer, the portfolio is everydamnthing.
No, this is not saying you should take on jobs you don’t like. I do not recommend that.

The point is this: taking the generalist approach gives you a solid background for when you’re bidding jobs in the future.

You get a feel of projects you would really like to work on in the future, and those you absolutely hate.
This is a great way to find your niche, if you ask me.

2. Varied Experience
In the last post, I said that clients are attracted to specialists.
That is true.
It is also true that potential clients also love someone who knows a bit of everything.

I have met a lot of them in my time. I think you might have too. As a freelance writer, that’s our reality.
There’s no escaping it.

These guys who need a website copywriter, who can do some scripts for a marketing campaign, and has a background in email marketing.

*rolls eyes to the back of head*

Tough life fam. Tuff.

Well at this point, when you find this kind of job posting, and you have what it takes- by all means go for it.

It’s all about adding value to the client, and getting paid for it.
Clients -sometimes– do not want this guy who’s obviously very knowledgeable in his niche but knows zilch in the others.
That’s why the varied experience can be great for you.

3. Get More Clients
Like it or not, being a generalist can build your credibility on the freelancing streets.

After a job is done, and you have delivered good work- word gets around.
This client says to a friend [who is also a business owner] over a friendly email,

” Yes J, the freelancer I hired for xxx was so good. Can you imagine she could also do yyy?
That’s so sick. I never thought.”

Annndddd, just like that.
A recommendation is made.
You get more clients, repeat jobs simply because you have more experience in various niches than your specialist friend.

I always say this, if you decide to pitch tents with the specialists or generalists, you must always deliver.

Stellar jobs. Over the board. Amazing.
You have to be trusted to always deliver high quality work.
If not, none of these extremes are going to work for you.

That’s how it is.
Oftentimes, clients don’t really care whether you are a specialist or generalist.
What they want is summarized in this one question.

“Can you solve the fucking problem?”

This brings us to the end of the Generalist VS Specialist series.

I hope you pitch camp wherever you want, and do a great job of it!
I wish you the best in your freelancing journey.

XX.

Generalist VS Specialist (1): How a Laser Focused Approach Can Skyrocket Your Income

The debate among freelancers on which pays more -being a generalist or specialist- doesn’t seem to be ending soon.

And no, I’m not here to speak against one party. Because obviously, the people who swear by these polarities have had it work for them.

I’m only here to fuel the debate.

Not between you and another freelancer this time, just you and yourself.

Who is a Generalist?

This is someone who has knowledge on different aspects of a system.

The generalist can work almost anything- has an idea of how every job should go, the process, the outcome, etc.

For example, the generalist copywriter can write a landing page for a course, a white paper for a PR company,

a B2C copy for an agency.

This could be your go-to person for most jobs because they probably can handle anything right?

But this is not always the case.

The Specialist

The specialist is your guy for high intensity jobs.

The one where you need the expertise of the expert.

This guy is niche specific, and has what we call a laser-focused approach to work.

If I knew a copywriter who specialized in web copy, she would be my go-to person for any copy I want on my website.

Some say that this is the best approach to freelancing, while the others say it’s better to do a bit of everything.

What do you think?

The Laser Focused Approach

The Urban Dictionary describes laser focus as paying attention to a single concept, while shutting out everything else.

It is being niche specific, and doubling down on the chosen niche- in order to reach the state of near perfection.

This approach to your business, will indeed help you get to that point of being called a specialist.

That, my friend, is not an easy tag to come by. Wear it proudly.

I mean, it’s easy to say

“oh, I’d rather do a bit of web copy, and whitepapers; some sales letters here and some blog posts there.”

Doesn’t it mean more income after all?

Sorry to break it to you, but that’s not always the case.

Using the laser focus to sharpen your skills to the point of perfection, is often the better option for a freelancer.

It gives you the edge over the generalist guy who can do a bit of everything.

Why Should You Try Being A Specialist?

First off, I’m just going to say that the points I’m going to outline below, will have an effect on your income.

No, don’t panic. It’s the good one I mean.

1. Clients LOVE specialists:

You should see when I’m speaking to a client, and outlining the steps I’m going to take to solve a problem.

I often come off as this knowledgeable person who knows what’s what.

Why?

This is because I have already made it clear to said client, that so-so is the only kind of job I take on.

This assures the client that they have made the right decision in hiring you.

At this point, they really do not care if you charge more than the average because you’re an expert in your field.

2. In Constant Demand

Specialists in various niches are in constant demand.

Some guy will always need a script writer in FinTech,

another will always need a writer for Landing pages,

an agency somewhere will need a SQL Database Server.

So why not?

As a specialist, you are always needed in the market for knowing what you know. And it’s like a dream, your name is rolling off clients’ tongues as a recommendation.

If you always deliver top notch work, then that’s a plus for you.

3. Less Competition

Contrary to what the dear ol’ generalists think, there is lesssss competition in the market when you’re a specialist.

See the way I emphasised that. Lesssss.

This is due to the fact that potential clients, are more attracted to specialists.

In their minds, it’s this way.

“Why exactly should I pick a jack of all trades when this guy has skills tailored to suit my needs?”

It would seem like an ego thing but it’s not.

Less Competition equals, higher demand. This in turn can reflect in your income.

4. Higher Rates

I was going to leave this at three points in favor of the specialists but I thought, no.

Specialists can, and should charge better hourly rates.

Don’t ask me why.

You’re a specialist. Why not act like it?

Image: https://www.thestartupdelusion.co.uk/single-post/2018/09/09/The-frustration-with-generic-business-advice

Since you got that laser focused thing going on, then you’d most likely transfer all that energy to your client’s job.

In a way, you under promise and over deliver.

What Now?

The most beautiful thing about the whole freelancing journey is that you have the power of choice.

You can choose who you work with.

You choose what you charge for an hour’s work.

You decide if a client and pay is worth it.

You got the power. Act like it.

Despite all I’ve listed above, it makes no sense if you do a crappy job.

Nobody will hire a freelancer who claims to be specialist but performs poorly on gigs.

Therefore, if we’re going to try this laser focused approach, then apply it in perfecting your skills.

You can do it!

By the end of the week, I’ll be publishing the second part of this topic.

Remember I said, both sides of the coin are profitable.

In the meantime, do leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Adios!

My imaginary interview with you…

Say hello to the new freelancer on the block.

Who are you?

I’m Oma, and I run a freelance Copywriting business.

I’m a super talented undergrad who’s seeking to break ground in the freelancing world.

That is how much I can say by way of introduction, really.

Why WordPress?

In all honesty, I just want to document my journey.

I need to learn what works and what doesn’t, while sharing with you.

WordPress just seemed the easiest option. Solid and efficient.

Target Audience?

As much as I would like to say “all freelance writers”, that’s not really the case.

I want to reach, teach and learn from young freelancers like myself- who are trying to make sense of the journey.

The ones who haven’t got everything figured out, but are willing to learn. Really that’s my audience.

What do you hope to achieve in the long run?

I hope that through our correspondence on this blog, we can actually figure out freelance writing.

-How to write better copy,

-get great clients,

-increase our income and

-live life on our own terms (this is the soul of freelancing)

Of course, the ones who are going to stumble upon this page sometime later, would learn a thing or two.

I sincerely hope that through this blog, you- this young freelance writer- get what you need.

Willing to offer any help along the way, and it would be great to read from you.

See you soon.

Oma.