My Tech Transition: How Jeremiah Ajayi Went From Freelance Writer To Content Marketer

Combining school work with a tech career was challenging for Jeremiah Ajayi. Now a Senior Content Marketer at Stears, he tell us how he did it.

My Tech Transition is a monthly ConTech series that shines a spotlight on Africans who have successfully transitioned into tech.

Written by David Onugha.

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Combining school work with a tech career wasn't the easiest task for Jeremiah Ajayi, so he chose to focus solely on tech. He's currently a Senior Content Marketer at Stears, where, among other projects, he spearheaded the SEO efforts for the Stears Election Updates. He shares his career transition story and gives some helpful pointers to tech enthusiasts looking to move into content marketing.

What's your current role in tech and how long have you been in it?

I’m currently a Senior Content Marketer at Stears. I’ve held this position since 2022. 

What's a typical day as a content marketer like for you?

My job can get quite hectic, with each day bringing its own unique challenges. As a content marketer, I’m responsible for driving subscription growth through various channels like SEO, email marketing, and push notifications. 

I usually wake up at about 6 am and work on the daily newsletter, ensuring they have interesting subject lines, relevant audience tags, and compelling calls-to-action (CTAs). I also create the Stears Recap, a comprehensive summary of the week's published articles, providing our readers with easy access to the week's content.

Then I attend meetings with different teams depending on the day’s agenda. One regular meeting is with the Insights Team, where we exchange information and knowledge about the ever-changing economy. Following that, I attend the Growth team's meeting, where team members update one another on progress, hurdles, and the next steps in our tasks. 

That’s really interesting. 

Additionally, on Tuesdays, we have SEO updates meetings to stay up-to-date with stakeholders' inputs. During particularly busy periods, I find myself coordinating meetings with cross-functional teams to strategize and execute marketing campaigns and product launches effectively. 

Data analysis forms a significant part of my work, as I frequently assess the performance of the channels under my supervision, identifying strengths and areas that require improvement. I utilise this data-driven knowledge to present valuable insights and recommendations to the team, helping shape our decision-making and optimising our marketing endeavours.

Overall, my role as a content marketer demands a keen eye for detail, adaptability to ever-changing trends, and effective collaboration with different teams to achieve our common goal of fostering subscription growth and success.

Sounds like a lot of work. How do you balance all of your responsibilities?

I use AI tools to automate and refine certain aspects of my work, like transcription, idea generation and editing. This saves me a lot of time. I also use the Notes app to create efficient to-do lists and track completed tasks.  

At first, crafting the daily newsletter used to consume a significant portion of my day. However, with experience and practice, I have managed to streamline the process, reducing it to approximately 30 minutes to an hour.

What were you doing before your transition into tech?

During my time as a law student, a friend named Tobi, who was a freelancer, introduced me to the world of freelance writing. The idea of earning money for my writing and gaining some independence sounded amazing to me. 

I used to write stories when I was younger and managed my own blog while I was in university, so writing was already familiar territory. For my first freelancing gig, I took on the challenge of writing a 10,000-word historical novel. 

I put my heart and soul into the project, even sacrificing valuable class time, dedicating three whole days to complete it on time. Unfortunately, the client rejected the work and asked for a refund, which was disheartening. But I didn't let that setback stop me. Instead, I used it as an opportunity to improve my skills and take on more freelance projects.

That’s a great outlook.

In 2018, a fantastic opportunity came my way — a full-time marketing position at a small company called The Echo Digital. This role revolved around SEO, a concept I had some familiarity with from my blogging experience. 

Though my knowledge was limited, I was confident in my ability to adapt and learn on the job. At first, I was overwhelmed with the responsibility of teaching others about SEO as a relative novice myself. But I took it as a challenge and devoted time to studying and understanding the intricacies of SEO. 

This experience marked the beginning of my exciting journey into the world of marketing.

You dropped out of school to pursue a career in tech, what influenced this decision?

Balancing school and work was no easy feat at the time. It felt like I was serving two masters simultaneously, and both aspects suffered as a result. I landed a job after the reopening of schools following the ASUU strike in 2020 and it was mostly hybrid. 

I couldn't see how I'd manage attending classes while going to the office. So, after careful consideration, I made the tough decision to quit and focus on growing my career. I'm sure people who knew me in secondary school would be surprised by this change, as I used to be quite the nerd back then. 

Completing my education is still on my radar. I have a genuine passion for learning, and having that certificate is something I would like to achieve in the future.

What factors helped you ease into your new role?

Continuous learning. I've been quite proactive in my career development, taking numerous courses to gain theoretical knowledge that directly benefited me in my job. I always have an idea of the direction I want my career to follow so I upskill until I get there. 

For example, I once developed a keen interest in SaaS (Software as a Service) and dedicated myself to learning everything I could about it. This paid off later on when I started receiving opportunities in the SaaS space. I could draw upon the knowledge I had gained to excel in these roles.

Were there any soft skills you had to learn as you transitioned into tech?

Absolutely! Cross-functional leadership is crucial in my current role, as I collaborate with various teams. I've learned how to effectively liaise with these teams to ensure smooth operations and successful outcomes.

Data-driven decision-making was an area I had to work on. I struggled with data before joining Stears, and it was even mentioned in my probation review. To tackle this, I acquainted myself with our in-house analytics tools, such as Google Analytics. This improved my understanding of data analysis and its use in making informed decisions.

I also learned the importance of upwards management. Communicating with C-suite-level executives requires a different approach, and I had to learn how to present complex data in a concise and actionable manner.

What would you say is peculiar to working in tech?

Things are always buzzing, and you've got to be ready to hit the ground running. The expectations are high, and there's no time to waste. You can't just sit back and take things slow. It's all about being proactive and staying ahead of the game. 

What advice would you give anyone looking to transition into tech?

Proactiveness will help you unlock opportunities in your career. Don't just wait for jobs, go out and actively seek new possibilities. One effective approach is to share valuable content related to your field, making yourself visible and ensuring that you're top of mind when opportunities arise.

While networking is important, maintaining relationships with existing connections can yield even better results. I've discovered that staying in touch with previous and potential clients, sharing relevant marketing content with them, and generally nurturing these relationships has always worked for me.

Learning the art of cold outreaches can also be a powerful tool. I once took the initiative to cold-email an organisation I admired, sharing my observations and strategies. They were so impressed that they created a specific role tailored just for me. 

Wow. That’s great.

Lastly, don't underestimate the importance of tailoring your CV for each desired role. Avoid using the same resume for all applications. Customize it to highlight the skills and experiences most relevant to the position you're applying for.