From Call Centre (as a PhD holder) to Project Manager

What if I told you that reaching the pinnacle of academia by achieving a PhD is still not a guarantee for career success…Would you believe me?

We have all heard of Master’s and PhD holders who are Uber drivers or are currently underemployed in one job or another. However, today’s story is a true testament that academic qualifications are great but do not always directly translate to fantastic jobs, especially in Tech. You need hands-on experience...period!

When Inem moved to Canada from South Africa, she had big dreams, especially as a PhD holder. Little did she know that in some parts of the world, it is not about your highest qualification but more about how much experience you have in the field and how much value you will bring to the table from Day 1.

On arriving in Canada, she encountered several disappointments trying to transition into academia and very quickly realized that jobs in academia were not as promising as she had expected. Having been in academia for over a decade, she felt it was a good time to switch things up and transition into Tech, precisely IT Project Management.

However, she needed to survive in the meantime, and as a result she secured a job at a call center. Yes a PhD holder working at a call centre! This story would have been a tragedy if it ended here, and unfortunately, this is the case for many people who get stuck in these sort of jobs.

However, for Inem, it wasn’t the case, she knew this job was a temporary deviation to accelerate to her next destination. And it was during this time that she met Jenn who told her about TCA and how practical our programs were, and she quickly signed up.

In her words, TCA was the most comprehensive Bootcamp that I have ever attended, and as an educator myself, the comprehensive nature of the sessions was very commendable. I even learned a few strategies for myself. We worked on a CRM implementation for a client from inception to project closure. By the end of the program, I felt confident as a Project Manager. Also the support was incredible. Steve was always willing to help and provide whatever support we needed. My mentor, Yemi, was equally excellent, always hyping me up and providing me with a more practical perspective, especially for the interviews. One thing that I truly appreciated from TCA is the check-in after the program. This provided me the reassurance that I need to know that I am not alone in this transition journey.

Once Inem completed the program, she started applying for jobs; after the first set of interviews, Inem made a shocking realization. She was breezing through the initial stage of interviews with the recruiters. However, she wasn’t making it through to the hiring managers. She needed to go back to the drawing board. So she reached out to her mentor Yemi and they refined her approach. Then the next interview came. A CRM Project Manager role. Inem so impressed the HR recruiter that the lady said there was no need to wait for feedback, she will immediately schedule the next call with the hiring manager. Inem knew this was her moment. She combed the Job Description thoroughly, reviewed the company website comprehensively, and rehearsed with her accountability partner and mentor.

In her words: This was the most straightforward interview ever! I did a lot of research about the company and was able to demonstrate that I was the best person for this role. I completely leveraged the CRM experience I got from TCA during the interview. Even when asked a random question about scope management, my experience from TCA enabled me to think on my feet and share my experience working on a CRM project via TCA. Within 48 hours I had my offer and request for references. I know myself, and If I can do it, I believe anyone can do it. I assumed my PhD would be the game changer, but it was the practical experience from TCA that made all the difference. At some point, I was working 3 different jobs to make ends meet; however, with this one Project Manager role, I earn more than all 3 other jobs combined.

As we always say, what God cannot do through TCA does not exist. You may just be one phone call, one application, one interview, one connection, or one contact away from your dream six-figure tech role!

This is a reminder that it is still possible. You only lose when you stop. As long as you keep going, your 6 figure job is just around the corner.

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