Carving Out My Niche

I think I've finally found my niche in life. Couldn't imagine working nine to five, day in, day out, in a job that doesn't fulfil me mentally or creatively. Fortunately I found a job in a design agency two years ago. Neither myself or the boss were entirely sure what my job role would entail when I started - I was just stoked I bagged a 'real' job straight after graduating, and his exact words were 'come in, and see what you think needs doing.' I started off as a call-girl - now don't be filthy, I'm talking telesales here, trying to bring in new business - well, not exactly telesales - more telemarketing. And there is a subtle difference between the two; telesales involves a lot of haranguing and loud bull-shitting until the other party gives in to whatever you're offering, so they don't have to listen to your voice anymore or try to filter your endless phone calls. Telemarketing involves a bizarre conversation, dancing around no particular subject, after which both parties hang up, questioning exactly what the point of the dialogue was. The frank point of differentiation between telesales and telemarketing is the ability to sell... I didn't have it. Not over the phone anyway. What it turned out I did have, was the ability to blag my way into winning contracts with the power of the pen (well... keyboard).

From writing proposals, tenders, case studies and any number of internal documents, the boss was suitably impressed and set me to working with clients on ad copy, websites, brochures and anything else that's thrown at me. I'm finally embracing the role of official copywriter, doing a creative job in a creative environment. My perfect job, and I love it. But knowing I'll be leaving the job I've carved out for myself has made me question exactly how employable I am in what I thought was my niche. Turns out I may have underestimated the task of a copywriter. I have a lot to learn - proofreader's marks, copy editor's marks, SEO, NLP and all sorts of marketing psychobabble to enable me to write commercially effective copy to entice consumers.

I'm studying for a marketing accreditation in my 'spare' time outside work, so I'm on a step in the right direction, but it seems as though this further education route is a long and winding road. What next? Do I take a proofreader's course, a copywriting course, a publisher's or journalist's? Do I want to do travel writing, press articles, technical documents, fiction or children's books? The answer is, I want to do it all. I want to be a writer, and I want to dip my nib in every inkwell. And although I know I can turn my hand to anything I want to; without the qualifications will employers take a chance on me? I'll just have to take a leap and see. It's too late to worry about it now - however much I love my cushy little career, I'll never choose it over the chance for an adventure and of course, my life with Kiwi.