How I quit my job to start a career in tech
...my experience
It's storytime...
Hmm this life just somehow sometimes sha...In 2018 when I concluded my compulsory service year, I no sabi say na there my life just wan start, I started the quest for money and career fulfillment. It would interest you to know that I have a first degree in Visual Arts & Technology. I finally landed one after several months of waiting but resigned a year later for some personal reasons. I got another one a few months after that with a big Tech company in Lagos through a friend of mine then.
I hadn't lived in Lagos before, and I love the nomadic lifestyle so my smile would broaden from ear to ear each time I thought about it. I couldn't wait to jump on the next available flight to Lagos.
My new office
My office building was maybe seven, nine, or a twelve storey building, solid construction with a driveway like you’d see in the movies... Inside, the office was cold. A word processor sitting pretty on the receptionist's table hooked to a printer on a small table beside her. The carpet was grey and black, two orange and purple chairs for visitors, and a glass center table decorated with a flower vase. A tea spot at a corner. A cubicle that served as a phone room for staff, and three visible glass rooms for meetings. And oh, if you looked around well enough you’d find a mini library with all the books squarely placed. It was a dream working environment, my people.
The blessing and curse of covid
Covid happened! I like to think that covid was both a blessing and curse to me because it is the period when I had a major "midlife enlightenment" We went into lockdown and I became 'useless' (well so I thought) I mean salaries were still being paid but that was not enough for me because I was mostly eating or sleeping off on a long unimpressive zoom meeting, don't judge me abeg. I felt like I was losing my mojo and my mental health was going down the drain every day. I thought of Virtual Assistant jobs as a side hustle but I didn't have a laptop then which made me even more miserable... Would you like for me to renew your contract? my friend asked when my contract expired and I politely declined. I missed home, I missed my friends and all I just wanted to do was leave ‘my dear city of Lagos’. I was tired (a nomad, 'nomading'). I traveled back and landed a new job a few months after.
I had gotten a laptop and started a program on Data Analysis, I loved it and wanted to explore deeper so I registered with a Data Analysis School in Lagos for an advanced program, so I was working combining work and school.
Hmmm everything was going well oh until I started to lose interest in my job Lord ave mercy upon me Ironically, this job was my dream job because I have always love to be in the development sector but here I was wondering what I was even doing, it didn't feel like I was moving. I needed something more challenging and exciting so I spoke to my brother who encouraged me to explore Web Development. He sent me materials that I began to study with and wrote My First Hello World
Then I built my first webpage The Furniture Shoppe, click here to view All these while I was self-learning, with my brother as my mentor. I joined different tech groups and communities on social media, YouTube was and is still my best friend.
Self-learning a thing like programming is not a walk in the park my people, and I was combining it with a 9-5. I needed to make a decision ASAP if I was going to build this tech career, what would it be...? One day, I just woke up and told my brother I wanted to move to a new city, I just wanted to be in a new place to figure it out and without a second thought, I packed my bags and moved. I quit my job and became a full-time student but this time, a Software Development student.
Was it tough? Hell Yes! especially coming from a non-tech background. Was I scared? You bet I was! But what do they say about Goals?
They should scare you a little and excite you a lot.
I was excited and still am excited about the future because I have the freedom to be anywhere, and because of the ever-changing world of technology I am constantly on a learning streak that never gets boring.
I have a Facebook page where is share my learning journey and resources for young people, especially girls in non-tech backgrounds who are interested in transitioning find link here
Thank you for reading my story, stay with me for more tech content.
