At the age of 21, I got a job in B2B telesales. Essentially, this means you spend all day pestering businesses in the hope they’ll buy your “stuff” – in this case, anti-virus software. It wasn’t my dream career choice, but I needed the money.
Now, I’m probably the worst salesperson you’ll ever meet. I also knew nothing about software, but they didn’t seem picky. A week of intensive training and anyone can do it, right?
Well, you won’t be surprised to learn that I only lasted in that job a couple of months. And how many sales did I make during that time? Zero.
Did I enjoy it? No, I hated every minute.
Was I good at it? Definitely not.
Could I have eventually become good at it? Unlikely.
It wasn’t the right job for me. Telesales doesn’t suit my personality or my skill set. I could have wasted my life trying to become better at it, but what would be the point?
Life should be about celebrating our individual talents, instead of pretending we’re all interchangeable robots. Everyone is different and brings something unique to the table. We should be encouraging people to make the most of their skills and pursue their passions in life.
I’m terrible at selling anti-virus software, but it turns out I’m pretty well-suited to copywriting. Sitting alone at a desk appeals to me, in the way that performing to an audience of thousands appeals to others.
This month, the government released the above image as part of their “Rethink. Reskill. Reboot.” campaign. It read “If your career plan’s been altered this year, you’re not alone. 2020 has shaken up jobs – but most successful careers have a turning point.”
As part of the campaign, the government launched an online quiz to help people identify which careers they are most suited to, based on questions related to their strengths, weaknesses, and interests.
Unsurprisingly, the suggestion that Fatima the ballet dancer should retrain in cyber security didn’t go down too well. Twitter went into meltdown as people shared their hilarious, depressing, or downright bizarre career suggestions from the quiz (‘Boxer’ seemed to be an inexplicably popular result). People were encouraged to retrain as microbrewers, stunt doubles, lock-keepers, and – yes – copywriters.
Many of the copywriters I follow on Twitter were understandably irked by the implication (and commonly held belief) that copywriting is something “anyone can do”.
Technically, anyone can write copy, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re any good at it. People often underestimate the skill of copywriting. Ever heard those words “Can you write this for me? I’d do it myself, but I don’t have time…” Would you say that to your hairdresser? I mean, you could technically cut your own hair, but – let’s face it – there’s a good chance it wouldn’t lead to a successful result, so it makes sense to pay a professional.
Sure, anyone can have a go at copywriting (remember Chandler Bing in Friends?). Unlike many professions, there are no official entry requirements or qualifications that you’ll need. If you have a laptop and an internet connection, you can technically “become a copywriter” that same day.
But I think the assumption that copywriting is a feasible career choice for “anyone and everyone” is misguided. It’s a job that requires a certain skill set, not all of which can be learned overnight. Successful copywriters spend years honing their craft. Not everyone is cut out for copywriting, just as not everyone is cut out to be a boxer, a portrait artist, or a ballet dancer.
I’m fairly sure most ballet dancers would be equally irritated by the suggestion that just about anyone could throw on a pair of satin slippers and perform Swan Lake at the Royal Opera House.
Choosing a career that doesn’t match your skills is like forcing a square peg into a round hole. If you’re not particularly good at copywriting, you’re unlikely to break past the $5-per-article bottom rung of the industry ladder. So, while you could do it, it probably wouldn’t be the best choice.
Should Fatima retrain as a copywriter? Well, that’s for her to decide.
In the meantime, I’m off to set up a sideline business as a lock-keeper…