A Journey of Resilience: From Developer Dreams to SEO Realities ??????

My career began in July 2007, full of excitement and ambition. I had landed a job as a software developer, and everything felt like it was falling into place. I loved coding, problem-solving, and creating something new. But then, just six months in, the IT industry was hit hard by a recession ???. December 2007 marked the start of an 18-month downturn, where development jobs became rare, and my dream career started slipping away.

I moved between a couple of companies during this period, trying to stay afloat, but opportunities were scarce. Many companies seemed interested but always ended with, “We’ll get back to you when projects come in.” It was disheartening, but I kept pushing forward.

One day, after several interviews, I was selected by a company. I remember sitting outside their office, waiting for my offer letter. My friend and I had both been chosen, and we were excited, ready for this new opportunity. As we waited, something happened that left a deep mark on me.

While we were sitting there, three girls walked in. One of them worked for the company, and the other two were her friends. Soon, they were chatting with the HR manager and then went into a room together. I could see everything from where I sat. The CEO’s office was right in front of the main door, and I saw him watching them, too. Suddenly, the HR manager came out, called one of the girls in for an interview, and what happened next shocked me ??.

She deliberately adjusted her blouse, revealing her chest as she stood in front of the CEO and HR manager. I watched in disbelief. The whole situation felt wrong. After a brief conversation, the HR manager came back out and told me, “We’ll call you later.” I didn’t argue. I knew what had just happened. I simply told him, “This isn’t good for your company,” and left. The HR manager smiled, knowing I had understood, but that didn't make the experience any less painful. What I thought was going to be a life-changing opportunity turned into a bitter 10-minute lesson on how the world can work sometimes.

That day broke my spirit a little. For the next few days, I felt lost and defeated. I had put in months of hard work, hoping to revive my career as a developer, only to be sidelined by something completely out of my control.

Around the same time, SEO was gaining traction in India. I had no idea what SEO was, but I kept hearing about it from friends who had started getting jobs in the field. After trying for months to get back into development without success, I finally decided to shift gears ??. I thought, If I can’t do what I love, maybe I can learn to love something new.

I threw myself into SEO, and it wasn’t long before I started seeing results. My clients were happy, and I was learning new things every day. Over the next several years, I moved through different companies, taking on bigger responsibilities and helping businesses grow their online presence ??. I even got to use some of my development skills by building websites on WordPress and Shopify, which gave me a little taste of my old passion.

But no matter how successful I became in SEO, part of me always longed to go back to development ??. Unfortunately, every time I tried, no one would give me the chance. I had built a strong career in digital marketing, and the industry didn’t seem to want to let me leave. So, I continued in SEO and digital marketing, and I came to love it. I worked with great clients, delivered excellent results, and built long-term relationships ????.

Fast forward to the last three years, and things took a challenging turn. There’s one website that has been a constant source of frustration for me. No matter what I do, the keywords refuse to climb higher than the second page of search results ??. I’ve applied all my experience, tried every strategy in the book, and still, I can’t get the results I want. I’ve even taken paid courses and webinars from SEO gurus, but 80-90% of what they teach, I already know. The few new strategies they shared? I applied them, but still no success.

Today, on September 6, 2024, I find myself questioning everything. Every day, I see posts on LinkedIn about SEO success stories, people sharing tips and steps to guarantee results. But here I am, following those same steps, yet still struggling ??. I don’t want sympathy—I just want to know why my efforts aren’t working.

After 15 years in digital marketing, I’ve built a solid career. But this one failed project makes me wonder: Am I in the right field? I’ve come so far, and I’m proud of everything I’ve accomplished, but I can’t help but feel that part of me still longs for the path I couldn’t follow all those years ago. Despite all the ups and downs, I’ll keep pushing forward, but I’m still searching for the missing piece of the puzzle ??.

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