#CreatorStories showcases the honest personal experiences of digital creators who monetize their knowledge of a skill and sell it on Selar. We share these stories every week to inspire you to create and sell a product out of your wealth of knowledge and be a part of the digital creator economy.

In this episode, we had a Twitter Space conversation with Aisha Owolabi, Content Marketing Manager at Wizeline. Aisha is a London-based tech content marketer that helps businesses dilute complex ideas into simple content pieces that are easily digestible and solve real-world problems. 

She has collaborated with several remarkable brands across multiple industries to develop content that turns products into profits and services into sales. She is passionate about diversity and inclusion, gender equality, and women empowerment. 

Hello Aisha, 

Your job sounds fun, tell us a bit about it. 

A: Yeah definitely. My job can be fun sometimes but it’s not always fun (laughs). Being a content marketing manager involves a lot of reading and writing. My job is pretty much to understand the business, understand our products and services, and our unique selling points and dissect all of that information into pieces of content that are easy to digest and help drive a specific action, our audience can relate to when they interact with it. That’s pretty much what I do on a day-to-day basis. Other times, I’m reading something that already exists, having conversations with people across the organization to understand what we are doing differently, what services we’re focusing on, understanding the overall end-to-end process of the business, and creating relevant valuable content to empower the internal teams and to educate the audience.

Sounds amazing. 

Before Wizeline, we know you worked at Carbon. So what does your career history look like and how did you get into what you’re doing right now?

A: That’s a great question. I actually don’t have a marketing background with respect to what I studied at the University. I studied Pure and Applied Chemistry so I am very far from an educational perspective. I discovered social media marketing around 6-7 years ago. It happened when I was in University and I thought it was very interesting. I wanted to know how possible it was that people were making money off social media content because it really didn’t make any sense to me. 

But I got closer to it and did lots of research, self-learning, and took lots of online courses. My very first job was to manage my sister’s business social accounts. I started my career as a social media manager then I transitioned to working for agencies, having multiple roles, and touching all the different parts of digital marketing. From Email Marketing to Google Ads, PPC, SEO, and Content Marketing as well. Eventually, I realized that I really enjoyed doing content so I specialized in that and took content-focused roles from there onwards. 

From everything you’ve shared, it’s clear that you’re a very creative person so what do you love about being a creative, and what about it stands out for you? 

A: Hmmn, another great question. For me, it’s honestly the ability to solve problems. That’s what I honestly enjoy about being a creative and being in this particular space. It’s not just solving problems but the scale of problems that I’m able to solve and how I’m able to make an impact across different industries and different businesses with the skill that I have. I also enjoy the diversity of the kind of organizations that I’ve worked for, knowing that I can add value to any business I find interesting and fully understand, and they have a very unique value proposition. I know that being able to hop into that business and add value through Content Marketing is something that I think I enjoy the most about my job and my life. 

Sounds interesting. About our topic, today, what influenced your interest in finding a remote job opportunity?

A: Wanting to earn more money is definitely top of that list(laughs). At the time when I started to look outside local jobs, it was lots of different things, wanting to earn more money and wanting to have more flexibility around my work because traditional working was like 9-5 in Lagos and I wanted to explore and push the boundaries of what working looked like for me. There was also wanting to expand my skills on a global level and collaborate cross-functionally across larger-scale organizations. Internationally, I wanted to also validate the skills that I thought I had and test the waters to see what will happen. I think I was also exploring what being able to work with diverse teams would look like. Working locally, there’s just a certain level of everything you’re exposed to. I wanted to see what it’d look like to collaborate with most people from different places and backgrounds to see if there’s anything different in how people are managing businesses across the world. So it was really a lot of curiosity and a desire to earn more and have more flexibility around my work. 

So what was the process of finding your first remote job like?

A: (laughs) This one is a very interesting question. The process for me has been very interesting. For some people, it’s pretty straightforward which is great. But for me, it wasn’t like that. I remember that when I actually started looking, I only had a resume and I was just applying with my resume, and I wasn’t really getting called back. 

So I kept tweaking my resume and thought I had to do more. I finally invested in creating a portfolio and kept going back to review how I was talking about myself and answering the questions in my applications. I just kept learning and taking feedback from myself and processes when I got to the interview stage. I’d ask for feedback on my application, get to know why they wanted to talk to me, and use that feedback to optimize my overall application until I got to a place where I was having more interesting conversations and options. 

Generally, I’d say it wasn’t a very linear process as there were lots of back and forths. From the time I decided to look internationally to the time I accepted my first offer, it took around 8 months or more. Also, there were times when I paused in between and got tired of it. Because looking for a job is a full-time job of its own. It can be really challenging. So doing that alongside having an actual job with deliverables is a lot of work. Sometimes, you have the i-can-not-come-and-die-moment, which is totally fine, I had moments like that. It wasn’t a linear process and I definitely learned from it. 

So, you were still working while applying for jobs? 

A: Yeap

At what points did things change? Can you take us through the mistakes you made or any specific thing you felt influenced your ability to get jobs? 

A: I think there were a couple of things. I’d answer this question by listing key things I learned from that process. I wouldn’t call them mistakes, they were just like a process because when you’re going into what you haven’t done before, you’d put what you think is your best foot forward and then continue to learn, optimize, and improve till you get to a place where you’re getting the results you require. 

Firstly is identifying how I position myself in the market. What exists out there and how are people talking about the work that they’ve done? How are people positioning themselves and what are these organizations looking for? What are the key things that are going to move the needle and what are the key things that they’re looking for in an application and what would make them consider someone? I realized that I couldn’t take an overly general approach to my application but rather a more tailored and specific approach to the organization I was applying to. Doing lots of research as well, going from general application to trying to understand the business by just looking at what they do and I can provide value to what already exists and factoring those things into my application. Customizing each application for each job is challenging but it’s very helpful. 

Next is definitely having a portfolio. As creatives, I know a lot of people struggle with creating a portfolio especially when you’re in marketing and your work ranges from social media marketing to content writing and you get confused about how to put all of it in a portfolio, define your process and help people understand how you go from having nothing to having an entire draft. So it is important to capture that process, write it, document it, and make it part of your application even in places where you’d apply and they’re not asking for a portfolio. You should have a link to your portfolio on your resume as well. You need to find new ways to make sure that the information that will set you apart and move the needle is being presented to the recruiter at every touch point. These are the key things I definitely took out of my own process.

Having a portfolio for people in marketing is almost new. It is usual for people who do visual stuff. Like UI/UX design, etc. So what would you say to creatives who need to have a portfolio?

A: Portfolios are really helpful. I have a whole product about portfolios. A portfolio is a great way to showcase your work to help your prospective employer understand the process behind your work, how you think, how you approach problems, and how you develop solutions.

For a lot of creatives in marketing, you need to understand that the output is not the only thing you are selling. Everything that sets you apart has to come from your process, thinking, and creativity.

The output is great at the end of the day but you need to be able to document that process. That process needs to be visible when you’re not there. It’s not until someone works with you that they have to discover your uniqueness. You need to find a place to document all of that and you can’t do that on your resume.

Your resume needs to be optimized for brevity so you need somewhere else to show all that process. That’s what a portfolio does for you. People who work in visual spaces are the ones that have traditionally used portfolios in the past.

As marketers, you can benefit from documenting the process behind your work, showing work samples, results, and metrics, and explaining how you approach measuring. Because these are questions you’d be asked in an interview anyway. It also sets you apart from the next person who’s applying with just a resume that doesn’t give the recruiter extra information to make a decision. 

Makes a lot of sense. So what tips do you have for making your application more attractive to recruiters?

A: Firstly it’s important to not let your location hold you back even in your thinking. There are a lot of opportunities out there and lots of people are harnessing those opportunities. So don’t let your location hold you back. 

Also, I know a lot of people will say you should do things differently if you are applying from Nigeria but I wouldn’t say that. I’d just say there are key things that will set your application apart. Some of them include; making sure your resume is optimized to showcase the work you’ve done and the results you’ve gotten, it is tailored to the role you are applying for, and has all the key things a recruiter will be looking for. 

Additionally, ensure you are bringing the same values, attention to detail, and excellence you are promising in your work to your application as well. You’d be surprised that there are lots of people applying out there with lots of really shitty things. So spend more time paying attention to the quality of things that you’re putting out there, how you’re presenting yourself, doing the hard research you need to do, learning about the organizations you are trying to work for, and taking unconventional processes to work for those organizations. 

This is not location-specific advice because there are lots of competition. So just making sure that you are always thinking about ways to put yourself in front and put your application front and center for the hiring manager will be very helpful. 

Do you have tips for a great resume or a great CV for job applications? 

A: Cross-check your resume. Don’t have grammatical errors on your resume. Make sure it’s concise, clear, and easy to interact with, and bring that excellence you’re promising. Your resume should have all the key information a recruiter is looking for. What is the role, what’s the problem they have, and what are they looking for? You need to show that you’ve been that solution in the past. 

It’s not about what roles you’ve had but more about what problems you’ve solved and the problems aligned with what the company has right now and how you can demonstrate through your resume that you are the best person to solve the problem that they have right now. Asking those questions when you’re putting together your resume is important. Don’t think of it as documentation of your experience but as an answer to their problem. 

A good example will be if you’re applying for a role as a Content Marketing Manager and in the job ad, they say they need someone who is going to focus on ebooks and webinar creations. If that’s something you’ve done in a different role, it’d be great to use your resume to highlight those experiences. Let that be your first bullet points,e.g. you organized x webinars and these are the results, you worked on this ebook, etc. If those are things that you have experience doing, highlight them. It might be challenging and time-consuming but it’s worth it. 

Do you have any sites you recommend for creatives to get remote job opportunities?

There are honestly tons of them. There are lots of job boards and if you did a quick google search, you’d find lots of them. I know a few off the top of my head like weworkremotely.com, remotejobs.co, and remote.co.I would just say Google is your friend, the answer is out there. 

Let’s say we’ve implemented all you’ve said and have gotten to the interview process. What are the next steps to take after a successful application process?

A: I think the first interview stage is mostly with the recruiter and I’d say be open to having an honest conversation with the recruiter. Understand the problems that they have and are trying to solve and come prepared with your own questions.

You need to convey a certain level of interest and excitement. The goal is to work at a place that interests and excites you. The first chat is the time to validate the things you’ve put in your resume. It’s really just repeating your resume but over a call where you are smiling and making them believe you are the best person with the best character in the world. (laughs). 

It is also making sure that there’s a real person behind a great application. But as you go down the process and start talking to the hiring manager, you need to be able to articulate your work, describe your process, how you’ve solved problems from end to end, and how you’ve collaborated with teams. You need to anticipate the questions they’d ask you and prepare for them. When I’m interviewing, I always have an interview document that I prepare before the call. Based on the job ad, I can envisage some of the questions that I know will probably come my way and then I prepare questions that I’d ask the company. 

For example, I can look at their teams, and if there’s someone in the role they are hiring for, I can ask questions about that. Generally, just ask questions that show that you’ve done the research. Honestly, I got my job at Wizeline because the VP of Marketing who interviewed me then said that “Aisha has done her research and she’s ready.” One of the key ways I conveyed this was in one of the interviews I had with her, where I had my notepad and I did my research and I wrote down questions I was going to ask her. It felt like I was speaking to a colleague and that process just stayed with her. So it goes beyond what you know, you also need to come correct as well and be convincing enough. 

About the questions, are there any standard questions people should ask when they are applying for international opportunities?

A: I think it’d be nice to understand how the team collaborates, what the time zones look like for the teams (for international organizations), who your key stakeholders will be, and if the job is something that will work for you within your constraints. Also, ask about salary. For remote work, it’d be good to understand the team dynamics and structure. Understand the growth of the team structure. Ask them what the team will look like in years to come. It helps them know you are a forward thinker and you care about growth. Asides from other questions like company culture, try to understand what your day-to-day will look like as it helps you know if it’s the right opportunity for you. 

What are your thoughts about being paid in the currency of the country you live in? 

A: At the end of the day, it depends on the company policy. There are companies that use tools to hire people remotely depending on the country they are in. Companies that have things like that set them up for taxes just to look good for the books. If that doesn’t work for you, you can explore the option of being an independent contractor for the organization and getting paid in the currency of the company. Generally, it depends on you as an individual what you are open to, and the processes of the company. So just find the right setup for you. Find your match. 

We know you have a product on sale. Tell us about it.

A: As I’ve probably said half the time on this space, having a portfolio as a creative is essential in setting you apart in your applications. It can be a very helpful exercise in terms of documenting your work, forcing you to think about your process, how you develop solutions, how you document your work, and how you track and measure your analytics. So thinking about all those things and documenting them helps you to validate yourself for someone else.  My digital product, which is my first one, is a working template for creatives that you can purchase on Selar. It’s a document that you can customize to create your own portfolio. It already has all the guides and tips on the different pages to help you structure your work, your process, and your results, and just make sure that you are showcasing yourself in the best light. It is also straightforward to use. 

I noticed that something that stops people from creating portfolios is that they don’t know where to start. People think they need to have a complicated design but it’s a lie. You just need to put the information out there in a concise, clear, and easy-to-interact way and that’s what my product, Portfolio for Creatives, helps you to achieve. 

Do you have any words of advice for us? 

A: Outside of the things I’ve said. There’s one. Looking for a remote job can be very stressful and tasking but can be very rewarding. At the end of the day, the biggest tip of all is perseverance. Because you have to understand that sometimes things just don’t work out. And it’s not because of you. So whilst you can identify opportunities to take feedback to learn and improve your application, it’s good to understand that some things don’t work out. Organizations have multiple criteria for hiring. Racism is part of them too. You have to know that and know peace. Keep identifying opportunities to learn and improve the way you present yourself. Continue to optimize your application, resume, and portfolio.