Societal expectations and the lack of relatable role models can cause people to limit themselves. We look at a career journey that was inspired by not wanting to settle for being part of a statistic.
In this episode of our Learn Better Podcast host, Stuart Pedley Smith, Head of Learning at Kaplan, discusses how networking, determination and not being defined by others can help you to succeed in your career.
Our guest is Gabriel Osamor, a Business Intelligence Analyst at Brown Advisory, an investment management firm in the City of London. Although he sees himself as ordinary, average and not a particularly good student, his grit, determination and aptitude for hard work are what sets him apart from the crowd.
After being unsure of what career to pursue after school, Gabriel found himself fascinated by the world of finance. Encapsulated by this industry, he took out a loan to support his education through the IMC and CFA qualifications to support his pursuit of a career in finance.
It was just me betting on myself.
Key topics
What does a Business Intelligence Analyst do?
A Business Intelligence Analyst supports both internal teams and clients in understanding data. For example, this could involve supporting the sales team with interpreting Google Analytics data into reports or helping a client to get to grips with how their business is performing.
You will often find yourself working with business leaders to build analytical dashboards to help visualise data and in turn help them to make business decisions.
A big part of the role is constantly looking for ways to make it easier for others to interpret data and make key decisions.
The importance of mentors and networking
Although Gabriel’s success can mostly be attributed to his hard-working ethic, he also highlights how networking helped him to get the opportunities he has been offered.
He took every chance to speak to people in the finance industry, whether it be an event or mutual connection, and actively sought relationships with key mentors. These mentors supported him in developing his understanding of the industry, finding job opportunities as well as his applications.
He found this support invaluable and refers to one of his mentors as his “Guiding Angel.”
Fighting imposter syndrome
Gabriel also tackles the subject of imposter syndrome, noting that without many black role models, he didn't know it was possible for someone like him to even get into finance.
He also mentions how, as a black person, you can often be underpaid and overlooked, but this only inspires him to prove to himself that he deserves the opportunities he has got, regardless of his background or education.
I do not want to be part of that statistic.