We had the good fortune of connecting with Temilola Bassey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Temilola, what do you attribute your success to?

I would say that persevering and patience have been the main pillars for success in my career. I studied Health Administration during undergrad and shortly after pursued a Master’s degree in Public Policy. Initially, I thought I would pursue law or advocacy as a career, but I quickly realized I was not interested in those fields. I was fortunate enough to have taken a statistics course during my Master’s program, which introduced me to the idea of analytics as a profession.

I conducted independent research to determine what part of analytics I would enjoy the most and networked with individuals in that career path. I took to YouTube, Udemy, Coursera, and any other resource I could find to learn programming and scripting languages. After upskilling and networking, I was eager to join the analytics workforce. I attended a refer a friend recruitment event at a consulting firm in hopes of landing my first role in analytics, but I was turned away. Rather than taking no for an answer and giving up, I contacted the recruiter to understand what I needed to change to be a more competitive candidate. That feedback enabled me to develop specific skills, and I applied and interviewed until that consulting firm finally told me yes!

Additionally, my journey to landing a role in the Tech industry was long and bumpy!  Although I had some of the technical skills needed for the roles I was interested in, I realized I needed to highlight how I used those tools to impact a greater business need. I revised my resume to highlight my value-add and begin applying to roles. I received several rejections, but I kept on putting in the necessary work until I finally landed a role in Tech. Perseverance and patience are very critical in your career and other aspects of life!
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an analytics professional at Google. I got to this role and company by networking, upskilling, and not giving up! It was certainly not easy, I received quite a few rejections until I finally received an offer, but as I mentioned in a different question, perseverance got me through! I have learned to always ask for feedback and remain open to constructive criticism! I want people to know that they should not count themselves out. Initially, I was afraid to consider Tech as a possibility for my future because I didn’t think I would fit in. I was not a straight-A student in undergrad, and I don’t have an analytics degree. Once I got out of my way and stopped counting myself out, wonderful things happened for me!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am still very new to LA! I moved here, from MD (the DMV), about a week before the pandemic. Some of the things I have enjoyed so far include going to the Rooftop Cinema Club in El Segundo to watch older movies, going out for drinks downtown, and going to different brunch spots! I am still exploring, so I would honestly be looking to try out new places and explore with my out-of-town friend :)!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?

I want to dedicate this shoutout to my husband, my parents (birth and in-laws), and my siblings (birth and in-laws)! My husband has always motivated me to be the best version of myself. He encourages me to be true to myself regarding my career goals and interests. Additionally, he supports my vision to bridge career gaps through a career blog and advice platform I started in December 2020. Whenever I feel fatigued, he reminds me of my vision and motivates me to keep going.

My parents, likewise, inexplicably believe in me. Seeing them interact with my career content on social media platforms puts so much joy in my heart! They consistently shower me with words of encouragement regarding my career journey. Lastly, my parents have always had my back and given me the advice and support needed to get through each major milestone in my life.

My siblings are amazing! Seeing them succeed motivates me to do the same. My sister is the CEO of her own company. She never takes no for an answer, and she pours her all into her vision! Three of my brothers are passionate about music, and they remain consistent with the unmatched art they create. I have another sister who very gracefully transitioned into her dream career path! Seeing them thrive is all I need!

THANK YOU!

Website: https://www.workshopwtemilola.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/temilolas.career.workshop/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/temilola-bassey-mpp-491754b4

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.