I started job hunting and approached it very analytically, tracking every application I sent in Excel. I think it’s fair to say that analysis in Excel has already become second nature to me. After three weeks without any responses, my enthusiasm began to drop. I explained it to myself with the information that came in emails about the number of applicants per role. You might not believe it, but hundreds of applications for a single position are the norm. I even came across postings that had over a thousand applicants.
In short: I was either “too qualified” for the role, or I lacked a university degree, or I simply disappeared in the queue of applications and no one ever got to me. So I decided to look for any way into the industry. I didn’t have the time or the savings to keep sitting at home. I started considering less obvious roles — for example, a junior accounting specialist position where one of the responsibilities was analyzing book sales in Excel. You might think that sounds like a step down…?
In that moment, I reminded myself of the lesson I had just learned: no job is “less.” Having skills that go beyond a role’s requirements doesn’t mean it’s a downgrade. It can be an opportunity. Sometimes it’s exactly those roles that become the first step — the one that lets you enter the industry and start building experience where you truly want to be.
I was browsing job postings, reading role descriptions, comparing requirements. At some point, I came across e-commerce. I hadn’t planned to go in that direction. It just caught my eye — and something about it made me pause.
The more I read, the clearer it became that this was a world where things actually move. Fast. Decisions can bring tangible results the very next day. It requires planning, strong organization, and keeping track of deadlines — exactly the things that are completely natural in my everyday life. To-do lists, setting priorities, ticking off the next item — that’s been my way of functioning for years.
There was a bit of adrenaline in it, but also plenty of room for creativity. It wasn’t just about analysis — it was about having a real impact on advertising campaigns and the way websites look and perform. That’s what surprised me the most. An analyst in e-commerce can influence not only the numbers, but also the way a brand communicates with the world.
Suddenly, everything started to fall into place. It felt like an environment where I could use what I already knew — and at the same time keep growing. It wasn’t a “plan B.” It was a natural step that simply hadn’t occurred to me before.
You might not believe it, but within a week I learned Google Analytics 4 well enough to pass the certification exam with a 92 percent score. Could I confidently say, “Yes, I know GA4”? Not entirely. I knew where to find what I needed, but I couldn’t honestly say I was fluent in it. I didn’t want to walk into interviews empty-handed, yet I still felt slightly exposed. So I sent out a few applications — without huge expectations, more out of curiosity and a desire to see what would happen. And that’s when the interview invitation appeared.
I applied for a Junior E-commerce Specialist position. The entry requirements weren’t excessive. Excel and PowerPoint were more than enough. What they were really looking for was analytical thinking, independence, and the courage to take action. They weren’t searching for a finished expert. They were looking for a sharp, capable mind.
It turned out that I was an interesting candidate for them. But a natural question came up from the recruiters: would this role be developmental enough for me? I knew more than the job description required, and at the same time I could offer additional value — especially in automating data preparation and building reports in Looker Studio.
The interview, in my opinion, went very well. But I knew that now everything depended on the team’s decision. The very next day, my phone rang. I answered, and I heard:
“You know… we talked about you for an hour and a half.”
At first, I thought that was it. That the fact I’d been the topic of discussion for so long was just the prelude to difficult news. In those few seconds, I managed to brace myself for that kind of answer.
But it was something completely different.
“We’d like to consider you for a different position. One that’s more creative and would make better use of your skills. We’d like to set up another meeting with a larger group and talk again.”
Do you know that after that call, I cried? Of course, only once we had hung up.
On the other side were people who saw potential in me and wanted to figure out where I could bring the greatest value. They had the courage to change the plan, to adjust the role, to look beyond just the job title. They gave me a real chance to fight for it.
I didn’t yet know what they had in mind for me. I didn’t know what the role would be. But for the first time, I felt that someone was truly taking me seriously.
And that was incredible.
Based on real life
To be continued…
A cookie with your coffee?