3 Things Woman Wishes She Knew Before She Quit Engineering To Be Influencer

Nimilolu Graub made the bold decision to leave a promising career in mechanical engineering to pursue her passion as a social media influencer.

The transition was not without its challenges, and Graub has now shared the top three things she wished she knew before making the switch, hoping to enlighten others contemplating a similar path.

Earlier this year, Graub, from Indianapolis, Indiana, opened up online and told her followers that she felt “embarrassed” by her initial underestimation of the difficulties involved in gaining popularity and securing a steady income through social media.

In an interview with Newsweek, the 28 year old, who left her engineering role in May last year, shared her experiences and the looming possibility that she might have to return to a traditional nine-to-five job.

1. The Waves Of Social Media

Graub explained that the industry is up and down. One week she could be riding the waves and the next, drowning. By this, she means that the engagement can come in thick and fast and then disappear for two to three weeks.

She told Newsweek: “I wish I was more aware that some months are quiet and discouraging.

“But the key is to stay consistent and continue to post daily, even though you may not see results for weeks on end.

2. ‘Brands Don’t Give You The Respect You Deserve’

Ahead of quitting her job, Graub thought her new venture would be a breeze and she would be raking it in. However, she soon realized that many brands wanted to pay her in products.

According to an in-depth article by the e-commerce platform Shopify, which analyzed the cost of influencer marketing, prices can fluctuate. Influencers with 50,000 to 100,000 followers, such as Graub who has over 66,000 followers, may earn between $125 and $1,200 for each TikTok post.

“I had a naive mindset and thought I would instantly be where I wanted to be,” she told Newsweek. “I thought I’d have an immediate title with it being my full-time job. It’s now my livelihood but brands don’t actually want to pay for content.

“Whether it was a brand asking for free work, or me doing the work and the brand going ghost and not paying me. It has been a continuous challenge to fight for myself as a content creator.

“Without an agency or a talent manager, it can sometimes be hard to get respect from brands. I feel like I’ve had to fight it.

“Thankfully, I have been fortunate enough to start connecting with brands that respect the work that I do and pay me fairly.”

3. ‘It’s a Controversial Job Title’

After spending five years earning a college degree in mechanical engineering and subsequently working in the aerospace industry, Graub transitioned to a tech career, eventually becoming a Director of Business Operations. Despite her successful trajectory in these highly technical and managerial roles, she decided to pursue her passion for lifestyle and beauty.

“Content creation is such a new field most people do not see it as an actual job to pursue. So quitting my full-time job to do something that people did not consider a job, I dealt with a lot of negativity, discouragement and disappointment from everyone.

“I had to stop considering what other people were saying about being a content creator, because I truly enjoyed the work.

“I enjoyed and was dedicated to my previous role but it was so overwhelming and draining.”

According to a 2019 Harris Poll/LEGO survey conducted in the U.S., U.K., and China, the allure of being an influencer extends beyond millennials and Gen Z to school-aged children as well. The survey, which polled children between the ages of eight and 12, revealed a notable shift in career aspirations. It found that nearly three times as many children aspire to become YouTubers (29%) as opposed to astronauts (11%).

When questioned about which careers contribute to space exploration, the majority identified astronaut (90%) as a key role, followed by engineer (58%) and computer programmer (52%).

Graub didn’t wish to share her previous salary, but a mechanical engineer in the U.S. can make $64,000 to $135,000 per year, according to employment website Indeed.

Engineering Skills Beneficial in Content Creation

While the two industries may be worlds apart, Graub was pleasantly surprised to see that her previous skills have been transferable, especially quality control, project management and critical thinking.

She told Newsweek: “A lot of brands provide detailed guidelines for their videos so being able to utilize my quality control skills means I’m always able to meet their requirements.

“My contract negotiation skills have been helpful when it came time to signing deals with brands. Project management has also helped me manage my content and create videos consistently.”

The Reality of Content Creation

In the viral clip captioned, “I’m tired of feeling unfulfilled,” she stated she has been consistent and achieved collaborations but “it is not enough to live my life like this.”

Racking up 1.3 million views, she explained what she thought her schedule would look like versus what it actually looks like.

“I am a very ambitious person and super hardworking, I always like having something to do. I really thought I’d have a collaboration, a job, a booking and photo shoot.”

She stated getting her nails done is the only thing on her to-do list but since uploading the clip, she has gained more work. However, she told Newsweek she hasn’t ruled out the idea of returning back to a part-time job.

“I am grateful to be a competitive content creator,” she said. “It’s not what I envisioned but it’s enough to encourage me to carry on for now.”

Have you had a workplace dilemma? Let us know via [email protected]. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.