A CONFUSED GRADUATE LANDED IN LAGOS BUSINESS SCHOOL

After graduating from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, I Immediately became confused about my career path. Initially, I wanted to become a Linguist so that I could become an air hostess for any international airline. I was so fascinated by the conduct and looks of air attendants that I wanted to become one. I did not need a bachelor’s degree to be an air hostess but because of my love for education, I knew I had to get a bachelor’s degree. I chose Linguistics because I thought it was the closest course I could study in the Humanities department, “at least I will learn how to communicate better in English and French” I thought.

During my time at the university, I was introduced to Linguistics, which quickly sparked my interest in Forensic linguistics. As an American movie lover, I had watched a lot of Hollywood movies on Forensics in the United States Intelligence Community. I imagined myself cracking cases and solving crimes based on evidence from the crime scenes and more. After a while, reality set in and I realized that my American dream was futile.

After graduating, the reality of the situation began to sink in, leaving me bewildered. Unsure of which career path to choose or who I wanted to become professionally, my sense of cluelessness and not belonging led me to my first professional decision to take on my first role as an operations officer at a financial firm in Lagos state. The day I started my role as an operations officer, I knew the role was not for me. The monotonous nature of the job was a significant drawback for me. Although I knew the role was not for me, I still could not place the exact role I wanted. All I knew was, first, I did not want a role with a routine nature, and second, I wanted a position that did not demand much creativity. I knew I wanted to acquire knowledge, face new challenges, and solve problems.

After a year as an Operations officer, I had an opportunity to start a new role as a Human resources Officer at my company and I took the role with so much excitement. I began my new role, and it was clear that it was much better than my former role. I knew I was closer to what I wanted but I was not there yet. I became extremely curious, and I questioned everyone I met about their career and roles in their respective industries. After a spending year as an HR officer, I came across someone who told me about Product Management, furthermore, I knew what the role was for me. I continued with my research which led me to so many intriguing ideas about Product Management like problem-solving, strategy, data analysis, and so on. Instantly, I knew I wanted to be part of the brain that contributes to the success of businesses.

After several years of confusion about my career, I finally found what I am passionate about. I also knew having my master’s in business administration would help me achieve the necessary skills I need to succeed in this position. Now I am closing the gap that limits me from being the best in the INDUSTRY.

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