I’d like to give a shout-out to the American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI) for launching me on this career journey from high-tech to copywriting. I’ve now transformed from a principal software engineer/principal software quality engineer to a copywriter, specializing in the farm and pet industries.
It’s a sad fact of high-tech that layoffs are an integral part of that industry. Sometimes one gets laid off because they aren’t performing or have done something wrong. But generally, layoffs are not one’s fault or a reflection of oneself. They usually occur because of organizational changes, company financial difficulties, positions disappearing and even office politics.
Mine was a job transition – my “old” position went away, and my “new” position was not one I was comfortable or qualified to take. It was much more “down in the trenches” using a programming language I had stopped using for decades. And I really wasn’t willing to dive into that language again.
In fact, my layoff was just one more nail in the coffin of my high-tech career, which was slowly burning me out. After my layoff, I of course diligently started looking for another position with my high-tech qualifications. However, I was getting disillusioned, and actually anxious, targeting the same old job again.
I was always good at engineering, mind you. I was competent and efficient. I enjoyed solving problems with code, just like a good puzzle, and looking at different or more efficient ways to solve technical problems. But I really enjoyed writing – specifications, user documentation, release notes, class materials, in essence – technical writing. In fact, I always volunteered for stuff like that, I enjoyed it so much. An engineer who enjoys writing is considered really weird!
But my parents had ingrained in me that writing, even technical writing, wasn’t profitable or prestigious like engineering. And I had accepted their advice as reality.
One day while scrolling through Facebook for something to distract me from the high-tech jobs I really didn’t want, I saw an ad from AWAI for copywriting. I didn’t even know what copywriting was! I read the sales letter, promising a good career in freelance copywriting with decent pay, and I said to myself “yeah, yeah, sure, right, no way, what a scam.”
But the posts kept coming. Facebook is like that, never show interest in anything unless you want unlimited ads! And the more I read, the more they made sense. I bought a small course, took it and did well on the final, and thought “hmmm, that was kind of fun, could I really do this for real?”
I then took their fundamental course named “The Method”, similar to getting a Bachelor’s Degree in copywriting. I completed it and did well on the final assignment. Took other courses, these all made sense and were interesting, and again, they were fun! Fun … something I never thought I’d find in a “job” again.
I then figured out my specialty, my “niche”, by looking at my life and what is really my passion and experience. And have decided to take a chance (isn’t life all about taking chances?)!
AWAI has several great programs, including the “Circle of Success”, a supportive community with educational and mentoring benefits. If you want to succeed, you need a support group behind you, and I’ve found one with like-minded copywriters, some experienced, some newbies, but all with valuable points of view, suggestions, and ideas.
I am now enrolled in AWAI’s Copywriter’s Academy, equivalent to working towards a Master’s Degree in copywriting.
So, this is how one makes a career change: find a calling, get a good education, and have a great support group behind you. I feel so energized by my new “tribe” and I can envision making this a success. Not only for myself, but for all the farm and pet parents out there who are looking for wonderful products and services for their companion animals.
I’m the glue that connects business owners to their customers through copywriting, and I can’t wait to start making a difference! Contact me to see how I can help you!