Welcome to another episode of the career story. This time, we have Onyedikachi Ibejih, a Product designer at Heroshe. She talks to us about quitting her job during the pandemic to learn product design, her design struggles and how she moved from designing logos to designing experiences.

Hi! Please introduce yourself. How did you get into design?

My name is Onyedikachi Ibejih; my friends call me Kachi. I'm a senior product designer. I currently work at Heroshe, designing experiences for people who want to ship their products or packages they bought from the US or UK to Nigeria and Ghana. I started designing six years ago but didn't start with product design. I started with logo design in 2018, And in mid-2018, I had my first logo design client.

As time went on, I got into brand design and graphics. Then, I got my first nine-to-five job in 2019 at an advertising company called Noah's Ark. I worked primarily in the company's digital arm called Red Wolf. I mostly worked as an art director on print ads and social media designs for the brands I handled. At the time, I was handling Firstbank, Maltina, Nestle Pure Life, and Mr Chef. At some point, I also helped out on Airtel. I was at Noah's Ark for nearly two years before I decided to learn product design.

What was the transition from art directing to product design like?

I didn't fully transition until the end of 2020 and got my first internship job in December 2020. Since then, it's been a great one. I've been learning. I've also been growing from an intern to a senior product designer, working on different products across different industries. I've made mistakes and learnt from my mistakes.

Let me bring you back a bit; you said it all started with logo designs. What pushed you to learn logo design in the first place?

The first time I got into design, in general, was in 2015. I was supposed to return to school for my final year. But my family had some financial crisis. So, I couldn't go back to school that year. My parents didn't want me sitting idle. So I decided to try out graphic design, not because I even understood what graphic design was, but because I had a roommate then who was a mass communication student. She used to work on designs for our Student Union. Sometimes, I'll follow her to the printer. I guess that's where I started developing an interest in graphic design.

Also, there was this printing press near my house, where I used to go. I wasn't doing much; I mostly went there to clean the shop and wait for the people who did the main work to come. But as time passed, I learned from the people working there. My parents got me a laptop then, and I'd return home and practice all I had learned.

How did you get your first logo design client?

A friend asked if I could design a logo. I was like, yeah, I think so. How hard can it be? He needed a logo for his cab business.

How did the logo come out?

It came out bad. It just didn't work. Eventually, he abandoned the project. But that left me with a desire to get better. I never knew logo design was that hard. I started to intentionally try to create more logo designs. I had no clients, so I dedicated my Instagram page to my designs. I would come up with a logo design and post it.

This was around each year?

This was in 2016. I was not doing it like I wanted to make money. I was having fun. You know the way the Instagram algorithm works? Then, in 2016, hashtags were huge on Instagram; your post was littered with different hashtags. The Instagram algorithm kept suggesting people who design logos, and I kept following. As time went on, my feed was full of logo designs.

When I went back to school, I didn't remember design again until I had graduated. But I kept posting sometimes when I had the time. In 2018, someone reached out to me from Instagram, saying they wanted me to work on a logo for them because they had seen the design I posted.

So basically, you built in public?

Yes, I did. I was doing this for fun, to be honest, but I was not very conscious. I don't put my work out again because I have become super conscious now. Then, nobody knew me on Instagram. When I got a bit popular, I just became shy and stopped.

Would you advise someone just starting in product design or looking for a job to build in public?

Post your work. But what's the goal of posting? It gives you visibility; it's good for publicity. It is not necessarily a good avenue for getting feedback Because people are scared of publicly giving feedback on people's work. But it gives you visibility and makes it easy for you if someone wants to hire you for something; you're at the top of their mind because you're constantly posting your work. Certain people come to mind when I think about product designers on Twitter because I mostly see them post their work. I see what they can do.

You used Instagram to build. Would you recommend the same for designers now?

It depends on where the person is most active. Twitter works because it's a middle ground. It's not professional and is also not too social. You can post your work there. LinkedIn is great. Instagram is heavy on pictures, so if a product designer posts their work, it is probably just the UI. You can't go deep into long threads about strategy.
Your choice would also depend on the kind of design work you do. Instagram works perfectly for illustrators. If you have the strength and time, you can post on all social media platforms.

What would you say to someone struggling with posting their work in public?

This is very ironic coming from me because I'm quite introverted and shy, but you have to do away with shame. Try not to feel ashamed or like it's cliche or cringe; that mindset will stop you from posting your work.

Back to design now. What was the duration between learning logo design and your first internship in product design?

I left my job in August 2020 and started learning product design in September, October, and November. Then, in December, I got my first internship.

That's three months. You must have put in quite a lot of work within that period.

Oh, I put in everything. I told myself that if I didn't learn this thing, hunger would finish me.

So, sapa motivated career growth?

Yes o! I told myself, "It's better we learn these things. Because once your savings goal is gone."
I put in everything. I had a timetable.

Timetable as how?

It was that serious. I had a school timetable where I'd take my class from 10 to 12, take an hour's break, and then come back. I had to be very serious. Because it was during the pandemic period, people were losing their jobs, and I was saying I wanted to transition into something else. I needed that discipline, and I'm grateful it worked out because hunger would have finished me.

You quit your job in the middle of a pandemic? What was your confidence? What was your motivation?

Yes. It sounds silly, and I don't think I would do it again if given another chance. But then I was trying to learn while working. If you've worked in advertising, you know advertising is very tight and time-consuming. Once you're doing it, you can't do anything else. So, I was struggling to learn, and at some point, I knew I needed to put something on the line.

I saved my salary for three months, as well as some savings from the freelance work that I was doing. I told myself that if these savings were to finish, that would be the end. I needed to put something on the line so I could take myself seriously.

What challenges did you face in your early learning years? How did you overcome them to reach where you are today?

My first challenge was how wide product design is. It felt like there was so much to learn, and it was overwhelming. For design, especially here in Nigeria, we don't have many specialised roles; you have a product designer who does almost everything. You can't say I want to be just a UX designer or researcher. We have some roles for that, but there are not so many.

For you to have an advantage, you want to learn everything. After some time with my learning, I found a way to break it down. I told myself, Oh, product design comprises three major buckets. The first is UI design. The second is UX design. The third one is UX research. Learning as soon as I could break it down was easier for me. I could say I'm learning UI today. I'm learning UX tomorrow.

Another problem I had was a result of the first problem. I was confused and stuck as to how to move from research. I've conducted my research, gathered all the data, and analysed it. How do I now move from all my findings to the actual design? It was a big problem for me: how do I translate all those findings into actual screens? I overcame that by talking to some friends who were already product designers. I would go to them with my questions and eventually find a way around it.

After gathering all the data, I need to remember the problem I'm trying to solve. Now, based on the data I have gotten, I may develop multiple ideas. How do I know which of the ideas to go with? That's when I started to learn how to assess my ideas. Some ideas are high reward, high effort; others are high effort, low reward.

You want to look for ideas with low effort and high reward. Also, if you have a technical team you're working with, you want to consider which one will stretch the team or take a lot of time to implement. So, even if you're going with an idea with high technicality, it has to be a decision that the engineering or product teams are willing to follow through with.

You put a lot of structure in place while learning. Do you think someone who is also learning has to be that rigid?

No. They don't have to be. I'm a structured person. I don't do well in chaos and like to put order in everything I do. For example, if I want to read a book this month, I take how many pages are in the book and divide it by how many days in a month. I have an estimate of how many pages I need to finish in a day for me to finish that book in a month. So, I like to put those kinds of structures in place because procrastination has me in a chokehold.

What matters is that we find systems that keep us accountable and consistent so they don't have to follow my method. Everybody can look at their learning style and struggles and build systems to help them get through those hoops.

How did you land your role at Heroshe?

I told everybody who cared to listen to me that I was looking for a job. One of my friends sent me the job opening. I looked through it, and I applied. They got back to me. I went through the interview stages, everything went well, and I got the job.

You mentioned reaching out to friends. Do you think that plays an important role in tech success?

Tech, especially in Nigeria, relies heavily on relationships. Sometimes, some companies might be hiring, but you will not even know. They do not put out any ads; they just tell the people within the company they are looking to fill a particular position. If you have a friend in that kind of company, you will have access to that information faster than someone who doesn't know anybody.

Relationships matter. Build relationships. I'm not referring to fake relationships or what some people masquerade as networking. I mean genuine relationships with friends and acquaintances. Join communities; sometimes, communities have access to this kind of information.

Aside from job opportunities, when you work on projects and want to collaborate with others, it's those people within your network that you can collaborate with. Whenever I get stuck on some designs, I reach out to some of my friends.

Tell us about a day in your life as a product designer at Heroshe.

I am a late-night person. I always wake up late. Most of the time, I start work by nine. I say hi to everybody in our design channel. I get a sense of what we're working on this week and the tasks assigned to me. Then, I go through the product requirement documents. If I have questions, I ask either my design lead or the product manager in charge of the product and make notes of things I need to work on.

If I'm working on a dashboard, I like to research it and see other dashboards. I go on nicely done, and I sign up for other random products to see how the dashboard looks and the experience. What are some things I can steal from here? What are some things I can mix from here? All these things led to me creating a mood board; sometimes, it's a mental one. Sometimes, I take screenshots and create a mood board on Figma.

Once I have some inspiration, I start to think of ideas. I do a lot of paper-pen collaboration. I'm so old school. I note down all those things and begin to make sketches. Eventually, I might have three or four sketches I feel confident about. Then I jump on Figma. When I'm done, I will present it to the design team. I walk through each idea and tell its story, what I thought when I designed these, which works best, and their pros and cons.

This makes designing richer for me. I'm not just presenting screens but telling stories behind those designs, and it's also more collaborative. It invites people to give their opinions. Once that is done, if it's the same day, I move my tickets on Jira to done. Then, I hand off the work to the engineers.

How do you deal with deadlines?

Even if I am not physically working on a task, I'm mentally working on it. When I need to design a screen, if I'm not creating it, on Figma. Mentally, I have an idea of where each element will be, so when I sit down to work on it, my work is faster.

I don't like to drag deadlines. Some projects require me to exceed my deadlines. I try to communicate early with my team and ask for an extension. It helps other people's work, which depends on mine, to make the adjustments. That's just me being an accountable and responsible person.

What's your favourite part about product design?

I enjoy the thinking. The parts where you're asking multiple questions, questions that nobody has answers to. But the mere fact that we can think of those questions that's all that matters; we'll find answers later. For example, questions like what happens when someone's package goes missing? How do we deal with that? Or in a situation where someone puts the wrong address? Most of us on the team might never have the answers upfront. But the fact that we're thinking of all the use cases and edge cases and ensuring that the experience is not broken at any point is the part I have enjoyed the most. It makes us all think hard, ask questions, and have hard conversations.

To the elephant in the room now. Rejections! How have you handled rejections in your career?

Rejections are always there. There'll always be rejections if you want to make progress and grow. Some of these rejections hurt, but I think like this: when I apply for something, once I hit that send, I am like, if it works great, if it doesn't work, we move. That serves as a cushion for me if it doesn't work.

Don't let rejections stop you. All it takes is one yes. I've had my fair share of rejections. But imagine if I allowed those rejections to cripple me, and I don't apply for jobs anymore because of the fear of rejection. Sometimes, rejection is not even about you.

It's giving suitationship…

You get! I don't like to overthink it. If I'm deeply pained, I can cry, but once I am done crying, I wipe my tears, and we move!

Moving on to the next question, what resources would you recommend for a junior product designer?

I would recommend Interaction Design Foundation. They have many courses covering UI design, UX design, and UX research. The good news is that you can access all their courses once you pay a yearly subscription. I would also recommend that the person start practising.

Practice what you learn. If you learned about information architecture, try to work on something that will prompt you to think about information architecture because often, we think we've learned something. We haven't until you do it.

Where possible, go through a design school or design boot camp. They have a streamlined curriculum, which adds structure to your learning. But if you want to learn on your own, that also works. I did that. But then, you must be more intentional about giving yourself that structure. You don't want a situation where you'd be learning product design for three months, and all you'd be learning is UI design.

If you cannot afford design boot camps, try to get a curriculum. Stephanie, Dada Designer, once created a curriculum for people who want to learn product design. If you can afford it, buy books; sometimes, courses don't do justice to some topics, and there's no way a 30-minute course will give you the same rich content as a 200-page book.

What other actionable tips would you give someone trying to learn product design?

What I would reemphasise is Practice! Practice!! Practice!!! Start working on projects as you learn. If you learn about design thinking, work on projects related to design thinking. As you grow in your learning, it gets more complex, and the quality of projects you work on should also become more complex; as time goes on, you may have gathered enough knowledge to work on an end-to-end project.

So it's not just you doing only research. Now, you can do research; you can come up with a UX strategy. You can think of ideas around your problem, translate those ideas into user stories, and then take those user stories and translate them into user flows. You can now run the end-to-end spectrum because you've been learning bits and bits of each of those things.

Also, try to shadow a senior designer; when I say senior, I don't mean someone whose title is a senior designer; someone who is six months ahead of you is a senior designer to you. They can give you insights that you may not have. I shadowed a lot of senior designers when I was learning. They would have their gig, and I'll work with them and assist them. You want them to be able to look at your work, critique it, and give you constructive feedback. So have people that you can go to with your questions. That's why I love ADPlist. It's free. You can talk to any designer there. Just book a session on their calendar.

So it's not enough to just design. Find people who can give constructive feedback on your designs.

You can connect with Kachi on LinkedIn or book a mentorship session on ADPlist.

See you in the next episode.

Jesutofunmi

Entering the tech industry can be a thrilling yet challenging journey. You start with so much enthusiasm, but after several rejections, reality sets in, and your hopes of breaking into tech feel like a pipedream.

With the right strategies, you can navigate this competitive landscape and improve your chances of securing your first tech role.

Here are five essential tips to help you on your way:

1. Master the Basics and Keep Learning

Before applying for tech positions, ensure you have a solid foundation in the basics. Depending on your chosen field (e.g., software development, data analysis, UX design), this might include programming languages, algorithms, or specific tools and platforms.

Moreover, the tech industry is constantly evolving. Continuous learning is not only a requirement but a valuable asset. Engage with online courses, tutorials, and communities to stay updated with the latest trends in your space.

2. Volunteer

One strategy that often gets overlooked while looking for a tech role with no previous experience is volunteering. Beyond its altruistic benefits, volunteering allows you to apply your technical skills in real-life scenarios and build hands-on experience.

It also helps you work on projects you can showcase in your portfolio and get credible references and recommendations, boosting your credibility in job searches.

3. Build a Diverse Portfolio

A portfolio is your calling card in the tech world. It’s a tangible representation of your skills and capabilities. Include a variety of projects that showcase your versatility. If you’re a developer, demonstrate proficiency in different languages or frameworks. For UX designers, display a range of user interfaces and experiences.

Remember to document your process - from ideation to execution. This provides a glimpse into your problem-solving abilities and creativity.

4. Network and Engage in Tech Communities

There are so many online Tech communities you can join now; some are even specific to your niche. Join these online communities and make yourself visible in them. Engage in discussions and network with peers or mentors if the opportunity arises.

Aside from the networking benefits, these communities schedule online skill-up sessions or webinars to help their community members gain more knowledge about specific topics. They also serve as job boards where job opportunities are advertised regularly.

5. Showcase Soft Skills and Teamwork

In addition to technical skills, soft skills are highly valued in the tech industry. In most interviews, technical skills are not the only thing being considered; soft skills like effective communication, problem-solving, and teamwork are essential attributes employees look for. Highlight instances where you collaborated on a project, resolved conflicts or demonstrated leadership skills.

Tech roles often require cross-functional collaboration, so being able to work well with others is a significant asset.

Remember, these tips are not just some magic wand you can wave overnight to get your first job. They require effort on your path and often take time for you to start reaping the rewards.

I’ll end this article with a sentence from Nigerian novelist Sefi Atta: everything good will come.

Jesutofunmi from UPFOLIO.

Freelancing is a type of self-employment where the person or individual earns by working for themselves rather than for a company or another person. Thus, a freelancer is a self-employed person running a one-man business. To further explain, a freelancer provides services to customers or clients on a contract or project basis.

Being a freelancer has many benefits, such as taking on numerous projects with multiple clients and choosing their own work schedule, working from any location (most freelance jobs are online), asserting their own prices, etc. There are also a few disadvantages like paying their own taxes, health insurance, pension, etc., solving problems by themselves, covering their own leave and sick pay, and possibly getting irregular payments.

Freelancing is not an easy occupation choice, but it can be extremely beneficial if you put in the right amount of effort to succeed. There are numerous ways to successfully build a career in freelancing, some of which in this article will be covered.

Choose your niche/target audience

As a freelancer, it is important that the services being provided to your clients are specific. This is because it helps you provide exceptional services to your client that could lead to you getting referenced by them to other potential clients.

It also helps your target audience identify your services and brand and recognize that your services relate to or suits their needs.

Practice your skills as often as possible

The demands and patronage from clients will always be present because of the level of skill you have invested in the services you have offered them. In order to keep that same quality, they enjoy about your service — you must practice your skills as often as you can and upskill on less demanding days.

This will make your clients more interested in your services and attract more clients from your target audience. It is also a good idea to keep yourself up to date on the worldwide advancements in your field or even negative trends that could possibly impact you and your business.

Get the right tools

You couldn’t be a one-man business if you didn’t have the tools needed to provide the services you hope to assure your clients you can deliver. Whether it’s a laptop, a strong internet connection, a good camera, applications, or electricity, it is important that you get the right and useful tools essential to support the start of your freelancing career.

This is not some advice to encourage you to borrow or take loans to start because there are making factors that will determine your success and ability to earn well immediately. As long as you prioritize the essentials first, that will enable you to deliver a stellar service; you are doing it right.

Market yourself

Remember that you are your own boss as a freelancer, meaning it’s up to you to put yourself out there, attract and reach to clients, gain an audience knowledgeable about your services, connect with other people in your field, provide services that lead to you earning from the jobs you take.

There are several ways to do this: Create a blog, write about topics related to the niche you offer services for, and post about them on social media or professional platforms like LinkedIn, email marketing, and so on.

Draft your freelance contract

Regardless of the type of service you choose to provide, a freelance contract is extremely useful and needed to legally cover whatever has been agreed on by yourself and your clients.

Your contract should protect you from non-payments, potential legal problems, among other liabilities. You can find several templates online that you could use to draft your own business contract.

Join freelancing platforms

There are several if not numerous freelancing platforms available for you to join and find clients from, especially if you are interested in working for foreign clients. Fiverr, Upwork, and PeoplePerHour are some of the most common freelancing platforms you can join to begin your freelancing journey.

You don’t have to limit yourself to these sites either; you could check for jobs on other job posting sites like LinkedIn, Google (to get job notifications), Indeed, and MyJobMag. With both choices available, always conduct a thorough research about the client for whom you intend to work for.

Create a good work schedule

Depending on the clients you work with, some of them might not be working in the same time zone as you are, which is why it is important to create a good work schedule that helps you deliver results on time and attend to the client’s requests at the time they are available.

Make sure to set working hours and follow them. You could make use of project, task, or time management tools like Notion, Trello, Evernote, and Todoist to stay accountable.

Negotiate your pay well

Multiple clients paying for your services will eventually cover all your bills, but that shouldn’t stop you from negotiating your pay per client if your net income ultimately won’t benefit you.

Let your clients understand the value of your services so that if you need to negotiate your pay, the client isn’t put off entirely.

Build a network/audience

Just because you are your own boss doesn’t mean you need to do or know everything alone. Reach out to other freelancers that work in your niche, create an audience that knows about your work, and grow to enjoy what you do.

You get to learn and connect with others and understand what makes your brand valuable to people. This might result in a high degree of consistency, constant upskilling, and a larger audience, which leads to more recommendations and clients.

These are just some of the tips we have for building a career in freelancing. If you are interested to learn more about this topic, check out other resources on the internet and make sure to follow us to get similar content like this. We wish you well in this journey of yours. Thanks for reading!

Seun from UPFOLIO.

In recent times, modern industries have discovered the role of content in marketing strategy, leading to an increased demand for content writers. On the flip side, the art of writing has been perceived by some as an innate ability possessed by a lucky few.

Regardless of popular unverified opinions, writing is a craft, and I love to see it like a tailor would see fashion design. Content writing is a craft that can be mastered and is distinct from academic writing. Examples of content include blog posts, landing pages, video scripts, white papers, web copies, social media content, email marketing content, etc.

Content writing is a crucial aspect of content marketing; 97% of marketers attest to writing, contributing critically to their marketing strategy. According to a study by Semrush, 69% of businesses plan to increase their content marketing budget in 2023.

Content writing is one of the high-demand lucrative skills today, and despite your academic background, you can become a content writer with the right mindset. As a newbie to content writing, consider this article a crash course in content writing. Follow every step to take your writing up a notch.

How to start content writing as a newbie

Read Extensively

The habit of reading exposes you to the intricacies of writing. You learn creative ways to mix words and diverse writing styles by reading. A good writer can read for fun but with a keen interest in details.

After reading a great piece, ask investigative questions. What made me hooked on this writing? What’s the tone and style? Ask the same questions with writings that bored you. That way, you will identify what works and doesn’t.

Pick a niche

Most “renowned” writers often debate choosing a niche as a beginner. Some believe you should try all forms of writing and choose as you progress. Others believe you should choose a niche early and go all in. I say you choose a niche early and avoid a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none situation.

If you become an avid reader, you will quickly recognize the niche that resonates with you. A little introspection comes with choosing a niche; Identify your kind of content: blogs, social media, or web copies. Just identify and choose your target audience.

Start writing

It might sound ridiculous to ask you to start writing while still learning. Yes, I get it. Yet, the effective way to learn writing is to write. What’s the point of taking in all the theories without practice?

Choose an area of interest, and write. Before the end of this article, you will have learned the general rules of writing and how to write the best content. However, if you practice, the time I dedicated to writing this for you would be well-spent.

Research

Like a detective, a good writer must learn to research extensively. You must understand the topic. Before writing on any subject, read what others have written about it. There are tons of written content on one subject matter; with proper research, you will discover an angle yet to be covered. That’s how you bring your point home.

Research relevant statistics and data; include them in your writing to show authority. This equally gives your writing more credibility. However, there is much unverified information on the internet, ensure you get your facts well-checked.

Practice basic SEO

As a beginner, search Engine Optimization(SEO) may sound new to you, but learn the basics, especially if you want to write blog posts or articles. Understanding keyword research is an excellent place to start.

Keyword research is the process of identifying words, phrases that users are searching for on search engines. You can use free tools for your research, such as Keyword Everywhere, Ahref, Semrush, Moz, Google Trends, etc.

Edit

Even if you have a standby human editor, you still need to do some editing. Resist the urge to edit while writing to keep your creative juice flowing. Write and edit later with “new eyes.”

Eliminate fluff and dangling words. Instead of writing: “Peter was really very hungry when he walked in.” Write: Peter walked in famished.

Cut out rough edges from your content like a tailor with a piece of cloth. Edit and edit again.

Hallmarks of a good writing

It’s not difficult to identify fine writing from an ocean. There is no way your content will achieve its aim if your reader can barely keep it up for 10 seconds.

Here are some characteristics of good writing and how you can apply them to your writing.

Concise and clear

Your goal is never to bamboozle your audience with high-sounding words or displays of eloquence. I could have used “confuse,” but I chose “bamboozle” to nail this point.

Get straight to the point; keep it simple. Remember, this is content writing and not academic writing. For instance, if you write email marketing content to get your target audience to take action, don’t make them consult their dictionaries to understand your message. You would lose them that way.

Avoid ambiguity. Don’t try to show off your new lexicon.

Originality

Good writing is original. Although plagiarism is a serious and punishable offense by the law, it is also demeaning to your person.

If you aim to thrive in this career, then steer clear of plagiarism. Be creative, not copycat. Avoid the urge to sound like Adichie; your target audience wants your voice as well.

Call to Action(CTA)

Subscribe to our newsletter, sign up on our email list, send a message to this number, call this number, leave a comment below, etc. All these are examples of CTA.

Have you ever read compelling content but needed help with the following action? For instance, if you write to explain the need to invest in your Dollar App, no matter how compelling the words are, the readers will only take action if you tell them what to do. Include a CTA in your writing to get your readers to perform the necessary action.

How to write engaging content

Use catchy headlines

Readers judge the quality of your content from the headline. People are scrolling fast and only pause when your headline tickles their curiosity.

Take your time writing your headline. Feel free to rewrite it as many times as possible. Let your headlines include Power words like simple, free, effective, etc.

Add statistics or numbers if applicable, for example, 5 simple ways to make money online. Such a headline will certainly cause heads to turn.

Moreso, headlines that show “how,” an example is the one used above: “How to write engaging content.” Remember, no matter the value infused in your content, your target audience will only click if the headline sparks their curiosity.

Tell relatable stories

Stories sell; use them if you can. A good story should speak to the emotion of your audience. However, keep the story concise, authentic, and straight to the point. Stories come off as a nice hook. Again, tell it concisely; you don’t have all day.

Use appropriate tools

In content writing, you need the right tools to improve your work efficiency and create high-quality content. Here are some tools that you can add to your toolbox.

Quetext to check for plagiarism — Grammarly or Hemingway Editor to improve your grammar and sentence structure. Hubspot blog topic Generator to generate topic ideas. Google Docs for easy writing, editing, and sharing. Canva for basic design when creating an infographic or a carousel post. Many other ones are out there, but I recommend you start here.

Invest in resources

As a beginner, you are on a good path but pay due diligence. Consume relevant resources. Attend free and paid webinars or boot camps on content writing. Take courses on Udemy, Hubspot, LinkedIn Learning, etc.

Read books on writing. Here are my two top recommendations: On writing well: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King and On Writing Well by William Zinsser.

Final words

Content writing is a craft you can master. As a budding content writer, network with other writers. Don’t allow impostor syndrome to keep you at bay. There is WordPress, medium, Linkedin, and many other platforms to share your writings. Choose your best platform and share.

All great writers once started like you. Nobody wrote intuitively without dedicating themself to the craft.

You are on a great path, and I’m rooting for you!

I hope you enjoyed this mini crash course. Kindly share with us in the comment.

Please, like and share this post.

Love and content funds,

Chisom from Upfolio.

Last year, we launched our official website, and it took a lot of work from our IT team, especially because most of the team members had little or no experience building a website from scratch.

I had a little chat with David, our I.T. manager, to discuss how his team went about building our website and the challenges they encountered.

How would you describe the whole website-building experience?

In a word, I'll say Adventurous. Sometimes you think you know stuff, but you don't. I had to learn a lot of things by immersion.

Did you have any form of experience building a website before this?

I knew Python (Django) to an extent, and I understood some stuff in HTML. But I knew very little about CSS and nothing about JavaScript.

How difficult was the process?

It wasn't easy. I'm more of a back-end person, so working on the front end with a close deadline was demanding. I had to watch many tutorials, and when I was done, I realized I had only developed the website for desktop mode and had to go back to adjust it for mobile view.

What were the skills you had before that you feel helped you to learn how to build a website as quickly as you did?

I'd start with knowing how to google solutions and previous basic knowledge of HTML & CSS. I also knew how to handle a lot of things in Django.

How did your team members help out in the website-building process?

My teammates were very helpful throughout the whole process. They kickstarted it with ideas for the home page layout, created a drafted sample, and those samples/ideas came together to form what's currently on the website.

I also got assistance with back-end issues from one of my teammates; an example was when none of the media/static files(i.e. images ) were being displayed. Developers who have deployed projects using Django can relate to this. My teammate had handled that issue in a previous project, so he helped me resolve it.

That bug was one of those issues that could keep you in a spot for days, so the help was much appreciated. My team is cooking up something better this year, though, so anticipate.

What was the most difficult part of this project?

That would be between getting humbled by CSS and deploying a Django project. CSS will have you going to find a tutorial to understand what exactly some things are meant for but deploying a Django project had lesser tutorial articles and videos to learn from.

There was a night I was about to close all the tabs and give up; then I saw one tab I had opened the night before. And the instructions on that web page worked. Apparently, I opened it nights back, but I was so sleepy I didn't understand what I was reading, and it was the answer to a three-day problem. I was so happy. The sleep that night was the best in weeks.

How do you feel seeing the website go live?

At first, it was satisfying that people liked the aesthetics, but there was a bug, the one I spoke about earlier, and it was the last thing left. People were sharing the link, but that feeling of guilt when deploying the project when a bug was there ate me up, so when I finally solved it, I was confident and happy to show my work. Felt pretty good.

Thank you for your time, David. Looking forward to everything your team will be cooking this year!

❤️

Jesutofunmi from UPFOLIO.

"Where did all my money go?" Unfortunately, that line has become a monthly mantra for some. They just can't explain the technology behind their money developing wings.

Then there are the big boys. These, their song is "Sapa Sapa no fit catch me...." They have something "hoooge", and the only problem now is how to spend it.

Which group do you belong to? Both groups have a common problem: how to get the best value for their money.

Before you start accusing your "Village people" (who are innocent, by the way) of tampering with your finances and trying to inflict poverty on you, here are four ways to make the most of your money.

Create a practical budget plan

A practical budget plan helps you to plan what you spend according to their order of preference. Having a budget of #100,000 on a monthly income of #60,000 is utopian.

You may have other unwritten sources of income like your family, friends and partners. But it is wrong to depend entirely on them while drafting a budget. Work with what you earn.

Be careful not to make the budget outrageous. If you can draft a practical budget and strictly follow through with it, you are on your way to financial freedom.

Have an emergency fund

You don't need to bind and cast every spirit of emergency.

Who said emergencies could only be negative? Some of them may be in your favour. Assuming your uncle who promised but failed to give you a job after National Youth Service Corps(NYSC) finally sent you something from the US and you need money to claim it and get it running. This is where your emergency funds come to play.

You do not have to empty yourself whenever an emergency arises. Keep some percentage monthly to that effect.

Make smart money moves

One of the tested ways to get more value from your money is to invest and save a portion. Stop asking to be counted out of savings and investments because you earn little.

First, let's debunk this myth. You don't need to earn millions before you can save or invest. It's not exclusively reserved for high-income earners.

If you cannot save while earning little, you will have a problem saving when earning millions.

Now that you've agreed with me to save, don't make the mistake of allocating too much to this and becoming broke before the first week of the month is gone.

Say, on a monthly salary of N100,000, you decide to lock N90,000 in a savings app just so your monthly interest can increase. You will be left with N10,000.

Do you plan to spend N100 a day, or what exactly? Truth is you will be forced to break your savings.

This way, the purpose of saving is defeated. Be realistic.

I recommend dollar investment apps like Rise vest. It is an investment platform that allows you to start with any amount in naira, and it changes it to dollars but invest at your discretion. This way, your money is not losing value but beating inflation. Make a smart money move today.

Track your spending habits

All those weekly Asoebi may be why you are usually broke before the month's end. You don't always have to buy everything that comes your way.

With your planned budget, you must be aware of what you are doing with your money. Be sure to cut your coat according to your material. Wahaluur no dey finish. If you are always trying to Buga, there's no way you are landing on a sofa floor.

You can't want more value for your money and not be conscious of where every penny goes.

You will get a better-paying job soon and have multiple income streams, but if you still carry the same old money behaviour, you may never attain financial freedom like you ought to.

You've got this!

I'm rooting for you always.

With plenty of love and jollof,

Chisom Okoye from Upfolio.

So, you’ve gone through the hassle of registering and starting an online course for whatever reason you decided, and you persisted through the challenging or dull parts. We have some helpful advice for you on what you can do now that your online course is over.

1. Celebrate Yourself

No matter why you chose to enroll in the online course, it's important to celebrate yourself. Post about your accomplishments, tell people about the core things you were able to learn, and if you have plans that you like to actualize, influenced by the online course, add that too.

Outside of that, you could also treat yourself to something nice. If you are a foodie like me, buy yourself something delicious to celebrate your accomplishment. You deserve it!

2. Don’t Pressure Yourself (Yet)

I know it’s easy to want to go straight to work now that you’ve learnt the basics or a lot from the online course that you took, but you mustn’t pressure yourself into anything, at least not after you’ve just completed the course.

Breathe for a moment and focus. Reflect on the things you were able to learn. Ask yourself why you decided to take and complete that course, and align your plans towards reaching your initial goals. I promise you that taking baby steps won’t hurt your feet at all.

3. Practice! Practice! Practice!

Let’s face it, we as individuals probably don’t just want to work; we also want to be an influence. We want to be known by our industry or at least by our future employers that we are the ones that can get the job done.

We want to be recognized for our skills and rewarded for our efforts because we’ve worked hard. But that’s only possible when we’ve taken enough time to practice what we’ve learnt.

“Practice makes perfect.”

Want to show the world proof of your skills? Now’s the time to put in the work by practising until the results show.

4. Get Connected

This is 2022, and trust me when I say that no one gets to the top alone; in fact, no one builds alone. In practically any industry, there are at least ten online communities where people may exchange ideas, information, or opportunities. Join the communities or follow people you think could add value to your progression. Follow people that have gone ahead of you in the field of your study, and reach out to them for tips, resources and opportunities.

Ask questions. Learn more about how your industry is in the work environment. Join sessions (offline/online) or twitter spaces. Engage with people in similar fields. Reach out to the people, lecturers, facilitators, organisers or colleagues that handled and took the course with you. Try to be vulnerable sometimes; relatability gets people closer, and it allows you to be open to criticism, which helps you improve. You don’t have to struggle all by yourself.

5. Apply for Internships or Jobs

So soon? No, remember, we are supposed to take things one step at a time. Celebrated yourself? Pressure down and steady? Practised a lot yet? Made some new friends or learnt a lot from the communities or people you’ve followed? Yes? That’s awesome. It’s time to apply for that internship. Yes, please apply for that job. You get to learn better because now there’s pressure, external pressure.

There are also several activities to attempt and people around to help you understand your tasks better. Don’t feel intimidated. Puff out your chest. You’ve got the skills that deserve a position at the companies you can apply to, and even if you get rejected, don’t give up. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

6. Keep Going

Keep learning, continue building connections, and take breaks when you should. Learn more about your field and take more advanced courses. Follow up with communities and engage people. Find a new hobby and rest when your body tells you. Only a well-rested and healthy mind can dream big.

7. Continue to Believe in Yourself

A bit cheesy, I know, but it’s essential for us to always believe in ourselves. No one can do for you what you should do for yourself, and that’s why it’s you that has to be your biggest fan.

Believe in your efforts, skills, experiences, and achievements. Not to brag, but to constantly be confident and to remove any doubts or noise that may surface. Believe you belong there. Fail a thousand times, and make it work one more time. You’ve got this!

I hope you found this article helpful. If you liked what you read and wish to see more content like this, follow us here on Medium and our social media platforms. We wish you the best!

Seun from UPFOLIO

Ever felt like a fraudster at the mention or remembrance of your accomplishments?

Perhaps, reluctant to call yourself by the new name you just earned. It sounds too good to be you, right?

Deep down, you feel you owe those distinct milestones to mere luck and coincidence.

What you are experiencing is called "impostor syndrome".

Don't be beguiled to brand imposter syndrome as "humility". Humility shouldn't make you feel like a fraud while finally working on your dream job.

You must recognize this mindset and nip it in the bud to avoid feeling like an impostor amidst your accomplishments.

What is Impostor Syndrome?

The English dictionary defines it as "a psychological phenomenon in which a person is unable to internalize his or her accomplishments, remaining convinced that he or she does not deserve any accompanying success."

Sounds familiar, yeah?

When I started as a Copywriter and Content writer, I would shudder when someone read my work and applauded me as a content guru. Me? A content guru? LOL.

With all the glowing commendations, I was scared I might be unable to keep up with writing great content and was merely lucky to have written those first few.

It took a while to get past the fear and admit that I was a brilliant writer and then introduce myself as one. You can also overcome this feeling of self-doubt.

This is how you can get started:

1. Acknowledge the problem and be open

You must acknowledge that there is a problem that needs to be addressed urgently. Trying to suppress the feeling of guilt doesn't stop it from popping up after a while. You shouldn't continue to live in oblivion.

While applying for that job, you bragged about many things you had little knowledge of during the tete-a-tete. Yeah, I was there.

Now, you finally have the job of your dreams, but you feel a little uncomfortable because you don't think you deserve the job.

Instead of acting like a fraud that crawled their way in, it's better to speak to someone about it immediately.

Let it out of your chest. You would be shocked to hear the person share a similar story.

2. Change your mindset

Motivational talks and affirmations may not be your thing, but a little of that will go a long way to help you. You need to talk yourself out of this impostor mindset. With a mindset of self-doubt and fear, you might lose your job early.

What transpires in your mind has a way of determining your physical outlook, deposition and energy level. Start to see yourself worthy of your accomplishments. Own it. That was you, you did that great thing, and it wasn't a lottery you won.

3. Avoid the trap of comparison

Comparison is a trap you should avoid. When you pay more attention to yourself, you will not only be more grateful, you'll see yourself in a better light. You are not your friend. Their failure at something doesn't mean your failure is an event about to unfold. In all, don't compare in any form. Be you and save a little grace for yourself.

4.Upskill

There will always be room for improvement. Not making efforts to improve your skill level would eventually make you feel like an impostor.

Meanwhile, if you continue to master your craft with a positive mindset, you won’t be prey to impostor syndrome. The key is a positive mindset that doesn’t think inferior of its accomplishments.

Impostor syndrome is not insurmountable. It can be a thing of the past if you are ready to lead yourself the way you ought to.

I can't wait to hear how you dealt with it.

Till I write to you again,

With love and laughter,

Chisom.

“An exciting idea that required massive work to pull off”

That was how my brain interpreted the Upfolio Internship Program(UIP) when I heard about it.

While the program’s objective is simple– to help youths secure paid internships roles in different organizations, the process of achieving this objective didn’t appear so simple. It looked like there were just too many walls to leap over.

But thankfully, members of the UIP team are probably more optimistic than the average Nigerian, and that’s why you are reading this today.

This article is to help you understand:

• The intent behind the UIP and what it’s all about
• How the UIP can benefit you as a young person and
• Guide you through the application and selection process of the program.

Suppose you want to be an intern or have applied already and are wondering why you haven’t heard from us yet. This guide is for you.

What is the Upfolio Internship Program?

The Upfolio Internship Program(UIP) is a program that seeks to provide highly motivated youths with opportunities to gain valuable work experience through a three-month-long paid internship program.

This program seeks to provide a viable solution to the “chicken and egg” situation that has haunted young persons in the early stages of their careers.

The goal of this program is to help as many young people get out of this tight race, so they can gain valuable work experience in their prospective area of interest that can serve as a foundation for their careers.

We know we can’t do this alone, so we team up with partner organizations that would take in selected interns for three months with pay.

How Would the Upfolio Internship Program Benefit You?

The program is designed to provide an enriching experience characterized by measurable on-the-job training to help interns develop the necessary technical skills needed to thrive in their chosen work industry.

It provides an opportunity for selected interns to network and build long-term relationships with industry experts and fellow interns. They would also receive stipends to encourage them to perform their roles in the host organization.

Upon completion of this internship program, participants would be able to:

• Apply the skills they’ve learned during the internship in a workspace
• Update their resume(CV) to prove to employers that they have measurable work experience
• Present work deliverables and achievements to potential employers.

Eligibility Requirements for the Upfolio Internship Program

1. This is the pilot edition of this internship program, and to ensure a fulfilling experience for the selected candidates, the program is only open to residents of Ibadan in Oyo State, Nigeria.
2. Applicants should ideally be undergraduate or recent graduates in the early stages of their careers.
3. Applicants must possess some skills in their chosen field of interest.
4. Have strong communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a team.

How to Apply for the Upfolio Internship Program

Currently, we operate based on a waitlist. This waitlist requires that you fill in some information about yourself and answer questions that would help us make a sound judgment of your skills and level of desire for this opportunity. Interested applicants can join the waitlist here.

The Selection Process for the Upfolio Internship Program

Pre-interview Stage

We partner with organizations across different industries. The partner organizations are where selected applicants are placed as interns for three months.

This means the personnel needs of our partner companies would be a huge determinant of our intern choice.

After the UIP team secures a partnership with an organization, we communicate effectively with them to understand what they are looking for in a prospective intern. We use this information to filter out applicants that match this criterion.

For example, we partner with a design company, and their needs include a junior design intern who stays in Ibadan. We go back to our waitlist, use this requirement to filter through the list, and come up with a shortlist which includes as many people that meet these requirements.

Applicants that meet the required criteria are then notified and scheduled for an interview.

Interview stage

Every applicant that makes the shortlist is interviewed by the UIP team and representatives from the partner organizations where we are looking to place interns. This interview is supposed to help the UIP team, and the partner organization gain more insights into who is better suited for the internship role, focusing on skill level and work values.

After the interview, the UIP team and partner organization take some time to deliberate on who best fits the intern role.

A decision is made, and a mail is sent to the selected applicant(s) to inform them they’ve been chosen as an intern at a particular organization.

Orientation/Training Stage

Once the successful applicant accepts the internship offer, they are to take compulsory orientation training to help them get familiar with soft skills and other interpersonal attributes they would need in their new workplace. Now the focus is less on the technical skills they require but more on the people skills and learning about work values.

After completing this training, the intern is placed in the partner organization for three months. During this period, constant follow-ups will be made by the UIP team each month to know how well the intern is handling the responsibilities in the workplace.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs) about the Upfolio Internship Program

How many times can I apply for this internship program?

Once. Multiple applications would be considered void.

Who pays the interns during their internship period?

Our partner organization pays the interns for the three months.

Is the internship remote or physical?

The nature of the internship is entirely down to our partner organizations.

There you have it. That’s the behind-the-scenes process that goes into the beautiful announcement pictures you see on our social media.

So far, we’ve partnered with Toast Creative Studios and Pottv Media in Ibadan and placed three interns in these organizations.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter to get updates on the Upfolio internship program.

Jesutofunmi from UPFOLIO.

There is every chance that seeing someone celebrate a scholarship or Fellowship win triggers you to either conduct some little research or send a direct message to get some information about the process.

Hours later(or even days), your message is being aired, or even worse, you’re lost in a sea of information from Google’s search results.

Don’t worry. I’ve got your back!

This article covers a fundamental overview of fellowships, fully funded programs, their advantages and disadvantages, and other relevant information about the programs.

Table of Contents

• Fellowships Definition
• Benefits and Drawbacks of Fellowships
• Types of Fellowship
• Application Process for Fellowships
• What are Fully Funded Programs?
• More on Fully Funded Programs
• Fully funded Application Requirements
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Fully Funded Programs
• Where and how to apply for Fully Funded Programs?
• Recommendations to get you started

Fellowships Definition

Fellowships are merit-based awards given to students who seek to advance academically in a particular field. They are short-term programs that usually run for a few months to several years.

They are generally available to graduate and doctoral students but are not as accessible to undergraduates and non-students who wish to pursue a serious academic career.

These fellowships are programs often focused on ‘professionally’ developing successful candidates known as ‘fellows’ and are usually sponsored by schools, non-profits, companies, foundations, governmental agencies, and any legal entity such as media houses.

The primary difference between a scholarship and a fellowship is that all scholarships offer financial assistance, whereas some fellowships may not always provide financial support. Fellowships are often associated with status rather than financial support because they require significant devotion (developing skills), resources, and experience.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Fellowships

There are many benefits of being involved in fellowship programs. Some of them include:

• Support for graduate studies in a certain field, the formation of a new community-based group, research work, training to help the fellow improve, and incentives to explore a specialized career field even further.
• Cost-of-everyday-living stipend, health care, housing, and conference fees depend on the fellowship program.
• Development of new skills, fellows would be exposed to a lot of professional experience and access to mentors.
• Professional support and resources to help fellows achieve several career goals and achievements that may not be available to entry-level professionals and interns.
• An additional field can be added to your CV to help boost your chances of getting a job.

The benefits mentioned above are the major benefits many fellowships offer. There are still several benefits that could be gotten from getting a fellowship, but that depends on the fellowship program.

Some of the drawbacks of obtaining a fellowship are:

• Although this is not always a drawback, fellowship programs are very competitive and demand a lot of commitment. It is not recommended to apply to any unless you are prepared to see it through to the end.
• Most stipends available are generally not great compared to full-time working salaries, and not all fellowships give financial aid. Some fellowship programs still help fellows with a generous amount and other resources.

Types of Fellowship

Generally, there are three major types of Fellowship concerning academics, as most fellowships are for people who want to further their graduate and postgraduate studies.

1. Graduate Fellowships: They are fellowships meant for graduate students to help them reduce costs, e.g., tuition fees, living allowance, etc.
2. Medical Fellowships: They are fellowships meant for medical students who have graduated and completed their residency in their specialty. These fellowships are for doctors who want further training to become more specialized in a specialization (Sub-specialization). For example, a recent dermatology student may want to further studies to specialize in paediatric dermatology.
3. Postgraduate Fellowships: These are fellowships for people who have finished their doctorates and wish to continue learning and researching. These fellowships may support courses in a specific academic area, lower the cost of an ambitious and focused project, fund both, or assist fellows in becoming specialists on an important topic. Many additional programs may need fellows to teach classes and undertake research.

Some other types of fellowships include:

• Undergraduate Fellowships: These are fellowships meant for undergraduate students, mostly in the form of internships.
• Non-student Fellowships: These fellowships vary from helping international students to study professional courses in universities or colleges to obtaining professional development certificates and providing financial support for professional development in certain fields. They are mostly targeted toward international students or immigrants.

Application Process for Fellowships

The application process for Fellowship differs for each program; however, they all have the following prerequisites and qualities in common:

• The fellowship application process is extremely extensive. The fellowship administrators would receive and assess your application. They would like to know about the candidate’s activities (what you do), your knowledge (basic or comprehensive), and the available skills you have gained so far.
• It is always best to begin applying for fellowships promptly and consistently. The process is typically lengthy and stressful. To get an edge over other applicants, you must submit your papers on time and compose an updated and well-written personal statement that provides the administration with a summary of yourself, your accomplishments, and skills.
• The paper works to be submitted includes your resume, letter of recommendation and transcripts.
• You would also need to submit a fellowship proposal, which is the most significant criterion for receiving the Fellowship. The proposal is a statement in which you introduce yourself, describe your goals for the fellowship program, and explain why you should be selected. It should be concise, include your accomplishments, and be revised and proofread as thoroughly as possible. The fellowship proposal is often modified until the completion of the application process to reflect your ongoing objectives, plans, and aspirations.
• An interview is commonly included in the application process after you have been approved to be eligible (but not yet chosen) for the Fellowship. It is recommended that you review the available material on the fellowship program and your application before the interview, prepare for potential questions, and ultimately be yourself when being interviewed by the fellowship administrators and committees. Remember to be transparent and composed.

It is important to realize that the administrators responsible for choosing candidates are looking for:

• Leadership skills and qualities
• Impressive writing and interpersonal skills
• Self-motivation and integrity

What are Fully Funded Programs?

Fully funded programs, also known as fully funded scholarships, are degree programs or scholarships that offer full funding to applicants or students who get accepted into the programs. Full funding means that these programs majorly cover the entire school tuition and living expenses. They are generally more available to international students. Thus, lots of these programs cover additional costs such as visa applications, language learning programs, and flight tickets. They are also readily accessible to undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students.

More on Fully Funded Programs

Some fully funded programs can also be fellowships where only the top, usually 5–10% of the applicants, get awarded. Like fellowships, many fully funded programs offer their funding through Graduate Research or Teaching Assistantship, which are part-time jobs with the university for graduate students. The graduate assistant employed by the university, typically working 10–20 hours per week, will receive a stipend (pay) and complete tuition and fee exemptions as a perk of employment. While studying, they must also provide research, teaching, or administrative support to the university.

It is important, though, to understand that not all fully funded programs are available in every full-time, on-campus, or research-based graduate program. They are often offered in degree programs such as the Master of Science (M.Sc.) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), aimed at those who desire to perform research in their professions, and are known as Research-Based Graduate Programs. There are still some research-based graduate programs available options that offer full funding in disciplines like Law, Medicine, and Business. It is uncommon for professional degrees to provide financial support to applicants because the universities that offer these degrees profit frequently from them. However, pursuing a research-based graduate degree and a professional track is still possible when you finish either.

Research-based graduate programs are fully funded since they invest in students through fellowships, assistantships, and teaching skills that may also aid their faculty in carrying out their research and supporting the teaching of their classes.

Fully funded Application Requirements

Each program or scholarship has different criteria, although many need candidates to take and receive high marks on English Proficiency assessments such as IELTS and TOEFL and take tests such as ACT or SAT for undergraduate students and GRE for graduate students. It is also critical that candidates have outstanding references.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Fully Funded Programs

The main advantage of fully funded programs is the provision of funds for the student from schools to cover the complete tuition fees and the student’s living expenses. The living costs provided to students are typically sufficient to cover their living costs and are provided during their studies. The living expenses for graduate students could range from $15000 to $45000 per year. Other advantages include getting experiences such as working for the university to include in your resume or CV and enough motivation to get excellent grades to keep securing the funding.

The main downside of fully funded programs, like fellowships, is their competitiveness. Applicants must exert considerable effort and try to apply many times (to the same or different programs) to maximize their chances of acceptance.

Where and how to apply for Fully Funded Programs?

The internet is the ideal location to start looking for any available fully funded program. You may use keywords to look for fully funded programs on your search engine. Here’s how you search online to achieve excellent outcomes.

• For PhD students

- You begin by searching for the programs you would like to study specifically by adding the keyword “full funding”.

For example

PhD chemistry “full funding”

PhD chemistry “full funded”

PhD chemistry “full financial funding”

Note that quotation marks are compulsory because they let your search engine know you are looking for websites with those exact phrases.

- Make sure to skip the ads on the search results page. They are usually for universities that don’t fund or require payments (Please do this for any degree you are looking for.)

- Examine university websites and websites that contain this sort of information (Fully funded programs list or recommendation.)

- Continue looking until you find what you aim for.

• For Masters Students

- You can search for the programs using this example:

Master’s chemical engineering “Assistantships.”

- Then repeat the last three steps mentioned above for PhD students.

For professional courses like Doctorate of Medicine (MD), Juris Doctorate (JD) for lawyers, Master of Public Administration (MPA), Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Fine Arts (MFA), some available funding programs mostly pay the accepted applicants’ tuition fee, and rarely others for full funding. They are far more competitive than normal fully funded programs.

Getting full-funded MD and JD programs requires applicants to apply for joint MD-PhD or JD-PhD programs.

• For MD-PhD programs

Applicants get evaluated for financing through the National Institutes of Health’s Medical Scientist Training Program, which pays full tuition, a stipend (allowance), and health insurance.

• For JD-PhD programs,

Applicants get selected for funding with the expectation that they would work in academia, teaching and conducting research.

• For MPA programs

As uncommon as it is for MPA programs to aid financially, some universities, such as Duke University and Princeton University, offer fully sponsored MPA programs and fund generously. Knowing that an MPA degree is not required to develop your career as a Public Administration student is also helpful. If you still want to pursue an MPA, try applying to fully funded research-based degrees to save money.

You could try to look for these fully funded MPA programs online by searching for them using this example:

Master’s government and politics “Assistantships”

• For fully funded MBA programs

There are several available, and they can be searched for online, just as shown in the MPA example. Remember to replace the program you want in the search phrase (after the master’s).

Like the MPA degree, it is not necessary to get an MBA degree to advance your career, and you can apply for research-based degrees or fellowships that can help with the funding instead.

• For fully funded MFA programs, they can be searched online like this:

MFA photograph “full funding”

Recommendations to get you started

If you’re still unsure about how to look for fellowships, fully sponsored programs, and other opportunities, you can start here.

1. Mandela Washington Fellowship

The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders is the flagship program of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). The Fellowship brings young leaders to the United States for academic coursework and leadership training and creates unique opportunities for Fellows.

The Fellowship will bring up to 700 young leaders to the United States in the summer of 2023 for a comprehensive executive-style program that will build skills and empower Fellows to lead in their respective sectors and communities.

The application deadline is September 13 2022, for the 2023 cohort; you can also read more details about the Fellowship here.

NOTE: Upfolio also has an information session facilitated by previous Fellows. You can listen to the recording here.

2. Imperial College London President’s PhD Scholarships

Suppose you are a high-performing undergraduate or master’s student and strongly desire to undertake a PhD programme at a world-class research institution. In that case, you could be selected to receive full tuition fees and a generous stipend for a PhD place at Imperial College London. The President’s PhD Scholarships provide up to 50 research students the opportunity to work within their chosen research field with the support of an excellent supervisor.

For the 2022–23 academic year, the earliest start date for funded places is August 1 2022, and the latest start date is November 1 2022. Both full-time and part-time study on the scholarship is available.

This program has higher than usual eligibility requirements, attracting candidates with excellent academic performance and promising research potential. They accept applications from talented candidates from Imperial College London, the UK and worldwide. There are no restrictions on nationality.

If successful, you will receive the following financial support for up to 3 years:

Full funding for tuition fees

A stipend of £21,800 per annum to assist with living costs

A consumables fund of £2,000 per annum for the first three years of study

There is also access to the full range of support available to postgraduates at Imperial, including tailored support for disabled and international students.

To find out more about this program, check out their website: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/study/pg/fees-and-funding/scholarships/presidents-phd-scholarships/

Honourable mention — if you have a Medium or Twitter account, you can follow @MomentswithBren. She gives a wealth of information about international prospects for Africans, including learning materials.

There are plenty of resources available to learn further about fellowships and fully funded programs, but I hope this post has provided enough information about these topics.

Thank you for reading.

Seun from UPFOLIO.