Whenever I revisit my career journey, it’s unbelievable that I once wanted to be a full-blown content writer.

With written content gaining more traction than ever, the demand for digital literateurs isn’t going away soon. Go to any job site or career groups on social media and there’s a 100% chance you’d see an influx of content writer roles up for grabs.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s like a dream for many to be a content writer for a living. Who wouldn’t want to spend their days producing written content that drives viewership, engagement and in some cases, revenue? Blog articles aren’t the only way to go. Your inner wordsmith shines in press articles, product descriptions, landing pages that convert and social media posts.

All this made possible while mastering the art and science of SEO, storytelling and research.

I was writing for most of my life at that point in time. It was like I was born with a pen in hand and a natural knack for ideas. Haikus, a mini magazine submitted for my creative writing club application in Grade 5, unfinished wrestling fan fiction, food reviews, a screenplay for my college thesis – you name it, there’s a cloudy chance I’ve done that.

When in college I realized my original dream to be a magazine writer was slowly slipping away because fate won’t let me have it, I pivoted to becoming a content writer instead.

The role was fresh on the job market at the time. All I knew, admittedly, was I’d be writing and publishing articles for websites. My understanding got deeper as demand grew and some friends have taken similar roles through time, however.

Content writing involves strong knowledge of Internet speak, an eye for trends, and knowing your audience. It also offered growth potential by way of learning SEO, market research and effective copywriting. So why not go for it instead?

A Little Story

With my content writer aspirations in tow, I sent out resumes, accomplished writing tests, and shared writing samples on my fresh grad job hunt. Some were happy enough to grant me an initial interview, others went radio silent despite all attempts.

There was one position that stood out. A company known for offering restaurant loyalty cards was looking for a content writer for their blog to write about what else – food! My initial interview with the owner was candid. Later on, I spent an entire weekend perfecting my writing task which was an article on organic food in Manila. Excitement was in the air when I submitted it because I believed I was one step closer to achieving my goal.

But alas, the following week, I received a rejection email from the owner. He said the high volume of applicants made it tough to choose between equally good candidates. I was crushed because it was the only role I wanted and it could’ve kickstarted my professional writing career.

Or so I thought.

Life goes on and moves in mysterious ways. Since striking out from the opportunity to write about gastronomic pleasures, I did find a place to write for my life. It was more than what I’ve asked for and it ultimately directed me to my current marketing communications career.

Today I am not just about blogs. My writing range has since expanded to advertising copy, social media posts, project proposals and even newsletters. Although I’m not a content writer by title, I am doing the same by nature except there’s more emphasis on digital marketing and client success.

So in the end, I still managed to achieve my goal to write as a career choice.