Can I Stay With My Marketing Job, or Opt Out?

I've been with Liman since my service year. The guy was in SS 3 when I was a serving corps member. After my service, he wouldn't, like a few other students (Alice, Naomi), let me be. He would want to share one success or failure with me whenever he dropped by.

A few months ago, he spoke to me about all he had tried to get a job after he graduated with no success. As usual, I came in with my motivational approach to relieve him of the current pain of unemployment. My talk centered on trying to start his own business. I won't forget he conflicted that idea with "but there is no money". I knew money was not the problem in most cases; it was the lack of ideas.

So, I encouraged him to get a job first and if that didn't come in as expected, he should see if he could pick up a postgraduate studies form and continue life from there.

Today, he got back to me to share the journey so far. Liman didn't eventually pick up postgraduate form; he got a job with Unity Bank as a marketing officer. He related his ordeal with the bank, the bank manager, the targets, and the pressure from all sides. Apparently, he's not doing well at his job.

Imagine someone being paid N100,000 as a bank marketer praying to get a government job he recently applied for even if the salary would be less than half of the bank's offer. That's where I came in. The rest of the post was my conversation with him, and I hope you'll learn from this, especially if you're in the same mess.

Nothing is Wrong With Banking Jobs

Most bankers won't agree with me if I say there's nothing wrong with their jobs. They know that's not true. I agree partially with them but in all, nothing is truly wrong with this job. The fact that whatever you're undergoing with your job was not what you signed up for; doesn't mean something is wrong.

You never asked what it's like to work in a bank before you opted in. All you saw were guys in suits and basking in air-conditioners. All you could see were guys smiling and enjoying talking to customers and solving their problems, and probably those who drive out the best cars after work.

You never see those who, even are feeling stomach pain, yet should be smiling without the customers knowing their problems. You didn't see guys who must remain in offices hours after the closing time with some leaving work late at night or even sleeping over.

So, it's not the bank that something is wrong with; it's you. It's you for not asking the right questions before applying to the bank in the first place.

Marketing Job Is Still The Best in Bank, or Any Company at All

Liman was a bank marketer. Life could be worse for these staff than those working within the banking hall. They're given targets to meet daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly. These people won't have time for anything other than the bank and chasing customers around. So, if you're like Liman, life will appear as ending within a few months of starting out.

Not only in the bank, but any marketing role can be so demanding. This is because it's the marketers that keep the sales and profits coming. So, all eyes and pressure on them.

But nothing is wrong with this discipline. In fact, it's what every individual should embrace if offered. If possible, look for opportunities to work with or in a marketing department. You'll learn a lot working here.

I told Liman to forget seeing himself as a banker - because I knew what he thought being a banker should represent. It should represent respect, success, someone who is doing well, etc. But in reality, that's not correct. You're working with a company that you don't own, how does that command respect? How does that make you a successful person?

Of course, the fallacy we've all been told was that once you're done, especially with good grades, you should get a good job. We're out of school to find out that that's not entirely true. So, Liman was carrying the same pain around. So, when given the role of a marketer and things are not easy (targets couldn't be met), it contradicted what he has been taught in university.

Here was what I told him in plain words. "Liman, don't see yourself as a graduate yet, even though you are. You're just learning to face the reality of life. Your primary, secondary, and higher institutions are only for certifications. If you want to learn for real, leading to making money, you'll start that after graduation and while working with some organizations even if it's not a bank."

So, the promised office, forget it now. The promised respect and status, forget it! The reality is the organization that employs you now will train you to be fit for the real world, even though they're not telling you that or conscious of the favor they're doing you. You should be ready to learn, not to boast around as a graduate.

Going back to the marketing talks, I wish I studied marketing in school. It's the best course anybody can go for. Yes! I'm an accounting graduate, now running my business rendering business, educational, and computer consulting services. So far, marketing, which I didn't do as the main course, has helped me do better in my business than other competing businesses. Even in this blogging world, if you're not good at marketing your writing skills, you're just a writer!

So, why are people afraid of marketing? It's the life of any business. If you can't market other businesses' products or services, you can't possibly start your own business or never be able to make it a success.

Working With Other Businesses Should Be A Learning Ground

You see, that's what this whole post is about. It's high time we all understood that no matter what a company pays us or the workload we receive, a part of us will still be skeptical - complaining that this is not commensurate we give out. That's how to know that you're not meant to be with any company forever. In you, there is a company of yours!

"You see", I told Liman, "don't see that bank as a place to stay forever. Start seeing it as a learning ground. Forget about your education, start learning here. And lucky you are in the marketing department, where you learn how to sell your products and services. This is the floor to experiment with another company's offers. As time goes by, you'll learn what works and what doesn't work. You'll borrow ideas here and there. So, when you finally quit or you're thrown out, you may decide to start your empire by applying the knowledge you've acquired from previous organizations you worked with".

I worked at Lahaola Computers for about 4 years, and all I could afford was a laptop. That says a lot about what salary I could be earning back then. Even though others saw me as a staff, which I was truly then, I saw myself as a student not only learning education consulting but also the business know-how needed to add to the computer technical knowledge I'd earlier got.

I started my own business four years later with money borrowed from a friend who I promised to pay back in a year. Four months later, I paid him back in full. This is the power of experiences I've had with Lahaola Computers. When I started mine, I didn't repeat the mistakes we made at Lahaola; I embraced their best business practices and threw away what wasn't working.

After four years of working with one organization, I got a laptop. After four years of running my own business, I got a house and a car. That's what working with organizations before starting your own business could do for you. It shouldn't be seen as a place to become a millionaire (though you can be if you're lucky) or to build a family (you may not care if you're contented or a loser). You can get ideas working for others which will lead to your own business - you never know. So, embrace where you're working now but change your perception from staff mentality to student or learner's mentality.

Key Takeaways and Tips:

1. Understand the Reality of Banking Jobs: Don't be misled by the glamour associated with banking careers. Recognize the unseen challenges and responsibilities that come with the job, and make informed decisions before entering the field.
2. Embrace Marketing Opportunities: Whether in banking or other sectors, marketing roles offer invaluable learning experiences and opportunities for personal and professional growth. Embrace the challenges and leverage them to enhance your skills and knowledge.
3. Shift Your Perspective: Instead of viewing your current job as a final destination, see it as a platform for learning and development. Approach each experience with a mindset of continuous improvement and readiness to adapt to new challenges.
4. Invest in Education and Learning: While formal education provides essential certifications, true learning happens beyond the classroom. Seek opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills through hands-on experience and continuous learning.
5. Entrepreneurial Mindset: Cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit, even within traditional employment settings. Look for ways to innovate, solve problems, and create value, whether through your current job or side projects.
6. Learn from Experience: Every job, regardless of its challenges, offers valuable lessons. Reflect on your experiences, identify areas for growth, and leverage them to propel your career forward.
7. Prepare for Transition: Be prepared to transition from employee to entrepreneur by leveraging the skills and knowledge acquired from previous roles. Use past experiences to inform and guide your entrepreneurial endeavors.
8. Persevere and Adapt: Entrepreneurship and career transitions require perseverance and adaptability. Stay resilient in the face of challenges, embrace change, and remain committed to your goals.
9. Seek Mentorship and Guidance: Surround yourself with mentors, advisors, and supportive networks who can offer guidance and support as you navigate your career journey.
10. Stay Focused on Your Goals: Keep your long-term goals in mind and stay focused on achieving them, even in the face of setbacks or temporary challenges. Maintain a positive outlook and remain dedicated to your vision for success.

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