This is part of a series of interviews from everyday people like me and you. The goal of these interviews is to show you that life doesn’t take one form, that it’s different for everybody.

If you feel like you’re behind in life, this is for you. If you feel like you don’t know what you want to do in life, this is for you. If you want some directions or guidance, then this is for you.

The people in these interviews will share about their career trajectory and how they got to where they are today.

As someone in your early twenties, I am sure you’re still trying to figure out what you want to do in life. You will be reading about people who have taken a linear career trajectory, and others who took a totally different route. These are stories about people from different facets of life.

Let’s get to it!

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?

I am Cami, a freelance writer based in London, UK. Some of my favorite things are words and learning things—so it’ll probably be no surprise that some of my hobbies include trying to write a book and learning Japanese (which isn’t going so well). I also love bouldering, eating all of East London, traveling, and pretending that one day I’ll scale my blondie bakery business. 

I’m also a massive gaming fan. I’m a late-80s/early-90s kid too, so I grew up with a Super Nintendo and a copy of Zelda, and that’s stayed with me into adulthood. Ask me about which game is my favorite and we’re firm friends for life!

What do you do for a living and how much do you make per year?

In June of 2021, I launched myself as a freelance writer and content strategist after four years of journalism in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and writing for a few tech companies. 

I mostly work with tech companies that offer their software as a service to other businesses (so think companies like Zoom or MailChimp for example)—and I have a niche in the Human Resources (HR) tech field.

As a result of going freelance so recently, it’s a little difficult for me to predict exactly where my earnings will end up this year—but if most months are similar to now, then it’ll likely be around £60k ($90k). This could be a famous last words situation, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed that things stay positive!

What do you enjoy and find the most difficult about your job?

I’ve learned quite quickly that typical days don’t always exist in freelancing, although I’ve been super lucky to have some awesome clients off the bat, and that has really given me some structure and stability as my schedule re-adjusts. 

I usually work between 7 to 8 hours a day at the moment, and depending on the project, my time could be split between writing, interviewing subject matter experts in my field, editing, and researching or pulling together a content brief.

The part of my job I enjoy the most is getting to work with awesome global companies to tell stories. Since I was a little kid, I’ve been obsessed with telling stories—but getting into journalism really changed the dynamic as to how I tell them. 

I love finding an amazing story to tell on a difficult topic because a topic we might consider a bit dry or uninteresting, like human resources, can really come alive when you find the right story to tell. Being able to be the voice of some amazing tech brands with my words—and get paid for doing it—is a privilege I’ll never get over!

The thing I enjoy the least is… admin. I’d be so much happier without having to respond to tonnes of emails and messages or bill people, but communication is such an important part of what I do that I have to make some time for it.

How did you end up where you are today?

My career has definitely taken a few twists and turns and it was not a linear route to get here. 

I originally did an accelerated Master’s degree in French and Spanish at Manchester University in the UK. After that, it was the middle of a terrible economic recession, and I really struggled to find work. Out of the blue, my old university professor recommended me for a fully-funded Ph.D. program in Hispanic Studies that had opened up Nottingham University. 

I don’t think I really knew what I was getting myself in for.

I finished my Ph.D. at age of 26, then my husband and I moved straight to Dubai to start a new life. I ended up working in marketing at a school out there—my initial salary was the equivalent of £45k ($75K) back home in the UK.

I didn’t like the job at all, and my husband and I struggled to make a life in Dubai, so after the school year was through, we moved one hour down the road to Abu Dhabi. I applied for an internship at a local magazine, thinking I had nothing to lose. Surprisingly, they replied to me and I ended up working there for four years as a features writer. The pay was terrible. It was the first time anyone had paid me to write anything, and it was a buzz. I got to talk to all sorts of people, attend amazing events, interview global stars and royal people, and had experiences I would never have been able to have.

Getting into journalism really taught me how to write. I’d always been a passionate writer, but my job taught me structure, editing, sentence balance, and how to tell stories in an impactful way.

Eventually, we decided to leave the UAE, and that’s how I ended up in tech back in London. After one month I was convinced I’d never last. After three months I was struggling with imposter syndrome—everyone seemed to know everything and I was just agonizing over every sentence I wrote. After six months, I was hooked. Working in tech opened my eyes to new possibilities of where my words could have an impact.

After I outgrew my first tech company, I had a couple of experiences at other tech companies. One role was just wrong for me—I ended up managing social media, which isn’t where I thrive. That undermined my confidence a lot—I felt I couldn’t do my job. 

The second company was good on paper but was so toxic from within. I had a manager who constantly gaslit me, yet overburdened me and I felt so drained by all of it. I stopped sleeping from anxiety and dreaded every single day.

Three months into that role, I quit to go freelance. It was the third job I resigned in the same pandemic. I had a job offer on the table for a brilliant startup, but the anxiety and stress of joining a company for the fourth time felt exhausting and draining. I needed an exit, so I quit without a safety net.

Two months into freelance writing, I wish I’d done this sooner. I make my own schedule, and I work on projects that are meaningful. The imposter syndrome still lingers, but each interaction and each piece of positive feedback tops up my confidence a little more. I have the freedom to work when, where and how I want. That’s priceless.

Two months into freelance writing, I wish I’d done this sooner. I make my own schedule, and I work on projects that are meaningful.

Camille

What skills would someone need to thrive in your position? Are there any degree requirements for your job?

Writing is one of those funny things that everyone does, but not everyone can do for a living, but I can’t emphasize enough that if you want to be a writer, you definitely don’t need a degree—let alone a Ph.D. (but if you want one, more power to you!).

The main skills that help me succeed as a writer are creativity and good research skills. When I write for businesses (e.g., blog posts, advertisement pieces, a report, or copywriting) rather than in an editorial setting (e.g., magazines and content for consumers or everyday people), it’s also really helpful to learn how to be adaptable with tone so I can better represent businesses with words. My personal writer voice is actually very different from the one I use in content for my clients.

Today’s world is also super distracting with emails, Slack, and meetings, so discipline is another big one for me.

For soft skills, especially when you’re running your own show, I think communication, organization, and collaboration are really important. I also think there’s a massive value to fearlessness and humanness in writing. Being able to tell someone’s story with humility and sensitivity from the heart goes a long way—especially in business writing—and having conviction in your words is important (even if you’re not always right!).

There are some skills that can’t be taught, like passion, and having a thick skin. I’ve always had the passion, but let’s just say I’ve had to learn how to take feedback graciously over a long period of time.

Do you have any tips or advice to help someone break into your industry?

If someone were looking to become a content writer or journalist, I’d say that if you’re passionate, the first thing to do is just start writing. My other advice is to:

• Pitch your ideas to magazines, newspapers, or online publications—you’ll learn a lot about what people are looking for, and might even start building relationships
• Create a blog, a Substack, or even a blog on your LinkedIn page. Write for your company newsletter or your internal company emails. 
• Hone your craft, wherever you’re at, and build a portfolio of what you’ve done. Take the time to learn about structure—there are a bunch of free courses on the internet. Decide what kind of writing you love doing—is it editorial? Tech-focused? Business reports? Novels?

If you’re looking to get in as a writer in tech, raw talent, and a good cover letter that shows your creativity can sometimes be enough to get through the door, but the roles are generally really competitive. 

You’ll be asked about a bunch of buzzwords, like SEO and “how do you write content that converts”—I’m 34 and I don’t always have the answers (and it’s likely your interviewers don’t either). 

Be prepared to talk about what excites you about writing, what you love writing about, and why you want to write for the company. You might also end up having to do a writing task—but don’t see it as a test, see it as a way of showing what makes you special.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who doesn’t really know what they want to do?

I’ll level with you that I’m the kind of person who didn’t have a clue what to do when I left university. I ended up doing a Ph.D. purely by chance, and I hoped while I did it, it’d help me figure out the next step, but I still had no answers by the time I finished.

Looking back, the answer was sitting there in front of me. My favorite part of writing a Ph.D. was the writing part—telling the story of how literature created a city in the 17th Century.

If you’re not sure what you like to do, I’d recommend thinking about all the things you love doing and seeing if or how you can get paid for that. Maybe there’s a new role that doesn’t exist yet that will harness your skills. I just wish I’d listened to what I really wanted to do, not what other people wanted or expected me to do.

Any tips or advice that you want to share about the workplace?

Spotting a toxic workplace. It’s a tough one because they don’t all look alike. Some will be visibly toxic—they’ll reinforce bad behaviors or working habits. Your boss might send passive-aggressive emails or feedback (like mine did), but some workplaces will look good on paper, and good on Glassdoor, but subtly gaslight you for months. 

Here are my tips:

• Look at how the organization treats people internally vs externally—sometimes those policies around diversity or kindness really don’t match up with your experience. If that’s the case, start asking why (if you feel safe doing so).
• Look at how people communicate and how the company communicates with you. If it’s not transparent and open, and you only find things out because they filter down to you, that can be a sign of a toxic culture. Ditto if it’s passive-aggressive, or if people regularly try to reach you out of hours.
• Invisible, indifferent leaders who visibly don’t model the company values or make you feel welcome as an employee are also a red flag. The best companies I’ve worked in have been the ones where senior leaders give you trust, respect, and autonomy.
• If you feel like you can’t bring your full, brilliant self to work without fear of being judged or feel like you can’t share opinions freely, that’s also a factor of a toxic workplace.

Ultimately, never let yourself believe you’re the problem. I did it far too often and it cost me a lot. Imposter syndrome is another topic I want to touch on. I’ve still got it, and I never overcame it, but it functions in a different way now I’m freelance—now I have imposter syndrome among all the more “popular” freelancers in my network. 

My only advice is to keep doing what you believe in. The folks that align with your perspective will find you.

What goal or projects are you working on next?

My current goals are kind of holistic: recover from burnout, work on some meaningful projects, and learn more self-care. I’ve quit three jobs since September 2020, and that’s been hard on my confidence. 

I opted out of the career progression cycle, and I’m learning to be okay with just being a writer. Actually, I’m learning to believe I’m a really great one! As I get better at freelancing, my confidence is starting to grow—and I’m definitely here for that.

Share your project or website you are working on!

I’d like to keep building my portfolio and doing work I’m proud of, work with more amazing clients, and continue enjoying this new life. A year from now, I’d like to be known for my writing niche—HR tech—and have a steady stream of clients who believe in what I do.

So, what do you think? Comment down your thoughts and reactions. I personally think it’s very interesting to hear about what other people are doing and how they got to where they are today. Next up is an interview with Lynn!

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