Paul* is extremely passionate about his career and he was able to achieve a lot as a developer in less than two years, but he'll often not reveal his true years of experience to people, especially recruiters, to avoid being undervalued.
How did you get your current job?
There's this mindset that when you want to get into a company, it's better to know someone, and that you get a job mostly on referral. This my job was as a result of applying. I got laid off from the company I was doing internship at; the startup shut down. I started applying for jobs, over forty in total.
One morning, I got an email from this current company, and that's how the whole process started. From the HR to the Head of Department (HOD), they were very welcoming people. Right from the interview, I could tell from the smile on the HR's face that I'd gotten the job.
I had six interview stages. I started with HR and then met with the MD. The MD is a smart guy. One of the issues I had was that I didn't have a degree. And that was a huge concern for the MD. He's big on education. I made him understand that I've been responsible for myself for several years and that I focus more on my skills. I'm hoping that if I get a job, I'll enrol in a university. He made me promise him I'd do that.
I was a bit scared, but I got an email from HR that day stating I'd be moving to the next stage to see the IT consultant. During the interview stage, I was open to listening and learning. The HR said one of the reasons she liked me is because I was open to learning. All the scolding I got during my interview, I put them into consideration.
The IT consultant said if my skills measured up, he wouldn't have any issue hiring me. He's not concerned about school. In this world, if you haven't gone to school, you'll have to do a lot of explaining. To convince them, I asked that they give me tasks.
I was told to come with my PC the next day. I was onboarded on the company's codebase and was given a chance to showcase that I was worth the shot. And that was it!
My HOD marched into the HR's office and said, "Please, this is the guy I need. I don't want to do any further interview processes. Can we employ him already?" And that was how I got into the company.
Did you self-learn your technical skills?
No. I went to a tech school in Ajegunle. There's this couple that started a school to empower children from underserved environments. Before then, I was already trying to find a way to do tech. In an environment where handwork is either tailoring or carpentry, when I tell people that my passion is computer, they get surprised and discourage me.
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I already knew MS Word; I was working as a data entry clerk for a company. I had an interest in development. In fact, my interest started when I was a child, but I didn't have the avenue to explore or have someone to help me.
I had a deaf and dumb friend who would come with his friends to my home since my family was welcoming to them. This meant I had so many deaf people around me. I connected with them and had a feeling of empathy for them. I thought of how to do something to help them. They had hearing aids at that time, but they take in too much noise that they would take them off when they go to the market.
I thought I could build an application that would translate what people say to them instead. I was looking for someone to do that with ₦10,000 at the time, but it didn't come to reality.
I already knew IT was my life growing up. I was already doing Figma designs and posting them online until I met a lady who opened the world of tech theoretically for me. People started noticing me.
Then I stumbled on a scholarship for children from the slums, and I enrolled and gave it my all to the point that two months before graduating, I already started an internship. At the tech school, we did classes for up to ten months, and that's how the journey started.
This is a beautiful and touching story! Let's go back to your experience at the new place. What was it like?
When I resumed, I felt I wouldn't be able to measure up. Everyone across the team sounded smart. I wouldn't even talk in meetings. I don't know how to talk that much. It was so nice that people were so welcoming. My HOD gave me a chance to explore.
You know how you just got somewhere and you want to prove your worth, especially when you had an interview process where you had to show you deserve a chance? In that one month, I worked so much. When I saw my first month's appraisal, where my HOD said I was taking initiative, and I was impressed.
My HOD was nice and protective, defending me from the kinds of things newbies and junior staff get exposed to, especially with being assigned tasks. He made them get through him before they gave me any task. I liked him because he gave me a pillar to stand on.
After the first month, what next?
After a year and three months of working with them, in my head, I was done! I was checking out other opportunities. I was studying more, trying to develop my skills further, and working on projects. I told myself that the next offer I'd get must hit the sky. That was my target. I was getting other offers, but they weren't what I was looking for.
Someone I'd worked with previously reached out because they needed a strong engineer. I went through the interview process, and they said they needed a technical lead. I said I could do that.
Meanwhile, at my current place, I wasn't earning much, and I was frustrated about not getting a promotion. It kept getting delayed because the MD was still concerned about me not having a degree and was sceptical about moving me to a higher position.
I knew that because the promotion wasn't coming, I had to prove myself in other ways. I had to double my efforts to show my worth and make myself more marketable outside the company. That's how the new opportunity came about. In hindsight, I regret not asking for a higher salary at the new company. I only asked for three times what I was earning then. The company agreed, and I was given an offer letter. That's when I put in my resignation.
But the HR refused to forward the email to the MD. My HOD had already accepted my decision and wished me well. The HR asked if I'd stay if they offered me a ₦100,000 raise. I said no. She then asked if she could quickly process my promotion. I said that wasn't enough. After she realised my mind was made up, she finally sent the resignation to the MD.
The MD told my HOD to speak with me about why I wanted to resign. Was it something about the company? I told him I felt I needed to be more challenged and given more responsibilities. Secondly, the pay wasn't reflecting what I felt I was worth and what I could offer.
So, I gave them the terms of the other company, that if they could meet them, I'd stay since I liked working with the people there. I thought the MD wouldn't accept the terms, especially the pay raise. But to my surprise, my HOD reported back that they had approved my terms.
I was shocked! But I told him I'd think about it. In the process of thinking about it, something happened in the company that created a gap that I filled. This situation really highlighted my abilities and showed them that I could handle a lot more than I was originally given credit for.
The MD called me for the exit interview. He said he wouldn't want to compel me to stay if I felt I was exhausted, but he would love to have me on the team because many people in the company said they liked working with me and that I had a positive attitude. They were willing to meet the pay raise and the other terms I requested.
I was surprised that he felt that way about me, and it was a kind of validation. That's when they offered me the promotion to assistant manager of the engineering team. I was expecting a promotion to an intermediate position, so this was a huge surprise. I was thrilled for days after I saw the email.
This feels like a trap, don't you think?
Well, I've been there for five months now after the promotion.
What was your transition like? I'm asking this because I understand what it means to be an accidental manager.
Not too much has changed in my day-to-day work. I've been more involved in meetings and management groups now. I'm also involved in hiring interns. My HOD still covers for me a lot, even in situations where I was meant to receive a query. I also work with the sales team now, giving them instructions and providing help where necessary.
How do you cope with having so many achievements in such a short time?
This is one of my biggest secrets: on my CV, you'll see five years of experience, but realistically, it's not even three years. But my level of commitment shows that this is a passion for me.
People usually perceive me as if I've been here for a long time. The roles I interview for are senior positions. I once got a consultancy job where I was paid to essentially "scold" developers for not doing well.
That's why I call it my secret. I don't tell people. I just put five years on my CV because they would want to understand how it all adds up that I've gotten to this point so quickly. I don't want to start explaining to people that I've achieved so much and been in so many different roles in less than three years.
Professionally, I am just one year and some months. If I go by the years between when I wrote my first "Hello World!" and now, it would be two years and eight months. I save myself all those explanations especially when it's a recruitment process, I don't want to sound like a superhero. And I also want to avoid being undervalued.
Interesting philosophy you live by.
I feel a lot of people have misconceptions about careers. For me, I dig a lot. I was always looking for things to do, people to talk to, and connections to make.
Work should be a lifestyle for a person. Your work and career path shouldn't be what others define it to be; it should be what you personally make it. And that's what pushes you.
I bring referrals and jobs for people who have been in the space longer than me. People ask me how I get these connections. I tell them that when your passion radiates in the way you talk and the things you do, people will come to your toes. They'll need you. That's what has pushed me so far. I enter a room with confidence and passion, and it shows.
Are you planning to go back to school to get a degree soon?
Yes, I'm currently running a part-time computer science degree program, and scheduled to graduate in 2026.
Another secret is that I work for two companies. I'm of the opinion that companies don't deserve your loyalty because they can wake up one day and lay you off, leaving you with nothing. So, why not work for two? In case one lets you go, you can fall back on something. You never know what can happen, so always protect yourself.
Now, working with two companies, going to school, and still taking side gigs is very challenging. I had to employ someone to assist me, and I pay him a monthly salary so we can work together.
My first year in school was difficult. My grades suffered because I had to prioritise, and for me, my career came first. However, I realised I didn't have to do everything myself, so I hired someone to help me.
I also prioritise my workload. I attend to the most urgent tasks first. When I don't have anything pressing, I dedicate a specific number of hours to each project. I set alarms to stay on track. Since I have experience, coming up with solutions is second nature to me, so I can complete them quickly compared to when I just started.
That's a smart process around work. How long do you plan to be in your current company?
I'm already seeking out other opportunities. I'm getting offers, but they are not what I want at this moment. I'm looking more into the international market.
What do you put in place to make sure your health or any other part of your life doesn't suffer since you work so much? Do you plan to retire anytime soon?
Not at all! I can't retire anytime soon. I like responsibilities. I enjoy working and being productive. I don't even like being idle after completing my tasks.
I set priorities and also engage in other leisure activities to balance work with my social life. I recently enrolled in a swimming class. I also go to parties and other getaways to spend time with people I love. I also plan to register for a gym membership soon.
At this point, I'm not really feeling the pressure of working anymore because I have enough time to sleep. Knowing that I have advanced my skills, tasks that used to take two hours now only take 30 minutes.
I plan to do many things this year so I don't feel overwhelmed by work and become a glorified workaholic.
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