How I landed my dream job as a Content Manager and Specialist
“The future is not something that happens to us, but something we create.” — Vivek
Have you ever felt like you were chasing the wrong goals, or applying for the wrong jobs, or ignoring your true passion? I have. And I want to share with you how I overcame that and found my dream job as a content manager and specialist.
It all started when I was in college. I had been working as a content writer for various clients and organizations since my first year, and I loved it. I enjoyed creating engaging and informative content on different topics and platforms. I had a knack for it, and I had a portfolio to prove it.
But when it came to college placements, I made a big mistake. I ignored my content skills and applied for IT roles that I was not interested in or qualified for. I thought that was the only way to get a good job and a good salary. I spent months preparing for tests and interviews that I never passed. I felt frustrated and demotivated.
Then, one day, I got a wake-up call. One of my clients, who was very happy with my content work, asked me what company I worked for. I told him I was still looking for a job through college placements. He was shocked. He said, “What are you doing, man? You have a skillset of content and you are applying for IT roles. You are wasting your time and talent. You should make a resume based on your content skills, portfolio, and experience, and apply for content roles. You have an edge over many freshers who are starting from scratch. Don’t get fascinated by the name of the companies, roles, and pay scales they are offering in college. Follow your passion and your strength.”
That conversation changed my perspective. I realized that I had been neglecting my true calling and chasing the wrong things. I decided to take a chance on my content skills and see where they would lead me.
I made a new resume that highlighted my content skills, portfolio, work, experience, and impact. I shortlisted the names of the companies that I wanted to work for, and applied for content positions that were relevant to my profile. I also took a break from college placements and focused on improving and mastering my content and professional skills. I started writing more content on trending topics and sending them to my teammates for feedback. They were Aditya Khajuria, Priyansh Goel, Garvitraj Pandey, Abhishek Sharma, Abhay Singh, & Yash Singh. They were very supportive and encouraging and helped me grow as a content writer.
I applied for more than 100+ companies around the globe in September 2023. For a while, I did not hear back from any of them. I was starting to lose hope again. But then, in November, something amazing happened. I got bombarded with emails from the companies that I had applied to. They all wanted to move forward with my application and interview me for content roles. I was ecstatic.
I replied to every email and I interviewed for more than 30+ days with 2–3 interviews in a day. Many of them were from the US and Germany. Based on my communication skills and professional skills, I cracked more than 12+ companies and got in the final rounds for more than 30+ companies. I was overwhelmed with the offers and the opportunities.
My next preference was the city I was living in, which was Pune. I had three offers in Pune, and I selected the one that was best for me based on the company and the location. I joined as a content manager and specialist in January 2024. I was thrilled to start my new job and work on exciting projects.
But the story does not end there. In the second week of January, I was approached by some more companies that I had applied to in November. They were the ones that I really wanted to work for, but they had not responded earlier (Google, HCL, Pearson, Inc42 etc). They offered me great positions and salaries, but I had to relocate to another city or country. I was tempted, but I decided to stick with my current job. I was happy and satisfied with it, and I did not want to move. I politely declined their offers, but they told me to contact them first if I ever wanted to change my job or found any opening for a relevant position. I was humbled and honored by their interest and trust in me.
This was my journey of landing my dream job as a content manager and specialist. It was not easy, but it was worth it. And I could not have done it without the help and support of my friends, teammates, and mentors.
Along the way, I also got connected with some amazing people who inspired me and taught me a lot. They are Carlos Silva, Rohan Mahtani, and Joshua Hardwick.
Carlos Silva is a senior content writer at Semrush, one of the leading online marketing platforms. He is a master of content writing and has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field. He shared with me his tips and tricks on how to create engaging and effective content for different audiences and purposes. He also gave me feedback on my content and helped me improve my writing skills.
Rohan Mahtani is the founder of Resume Worded, a platform that helps you write better resumes and cover letters. He is a great man and a career coach. He taught me everything about career development, from resume writing to job searching to salary negotiation. He also shared with me his insights and resources on how to evaluate a job offer beyond the salary, and what really matters for your career growth and happiness. You can check out his article here: https://careersupplement.beehiiv.com/p/cs247-beyond-salary-trap-really-matters-evaluating-job
Joshua Hardwick is the head of content at Ahrefs, one of the best SEO tools in the market. He is an expert in SEO and content marketing. He taught me how to optimize my content for search engines and drive more traffic and conversions. He also showed me how to use Ahrefs to research keywords, analyze competitors, and track performance.
These are the main people who motivated me to explore new fields of content in different ways. I learned a lot from them and I am grateful for their guidance and support.
I hope you enjoyed reading my story and found it inspiring and helpful. I wanted to share it with you to show you that anything is possible if you follow your passion and your skills, and if you have the right mindset and attitude. You can achieve your dream job and career, no matter what obstacles you face or what mistakes you make. You just have to believe in yourself and your potential, and never give up.
