In this episode of Women in Steam, Khaerat Alaran, a student at the University of Ilorin, discusses how she balances her creative career in social media management and video editing with her law studies. The final-year law graduate said the creative industry offers freedom.
PT: How do you balance your creative career in social media management and video editing with your academic pursuits in law?
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Ms Alaran: I don’t think there’s a balance in my career and my academic pursuits; there’s no way one won’t suffer. I try to set my priorities straight and make sure that one doesn’t suffer great damage over the other.
I create and adhere to weekly lists that encompass both my professional and academic endeavours.
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PT: What inspired you to pursue a career in content creation and social media management, and how do you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices?
Ms Alaran: Content strategy success is largely defined by its metrics. I evaluate metrics not only by likes but also by comments, bookmarks, reach, and impressions. From the reach, I also check to see how many non-followers saw it all. If my content strategy is successful, it will be known through the metrics.
Khaerat Alaran)
PT: Can you share some of your most memorable projects or clients, and what made them stand out?
Ms Alaran: I will say my first content creation gig has to be my most memorable one, and the current job I am doing. They allow me to have my creative freedom, to be able to pitch in ideas and also a lovely working environment and culture. They made me feel at ease and didn’t make me feel out of place either.
PT: How do you approach video editing for different clients and projects, and what tools or software do you prefer to use?
Ms Alaran: I use CapCut for video editing, but I am trying to look into using tools like After Effects and Premiere Pro.
With different clients come different styles and deliverables, I try to ask as many questions as possible so that I can be able to use my skills to achieve what they want. So each clients have their goals and what they consider in their videos that stand out to them, so I try to edit based on all this information.
PT: What advice would you give to young women who are interested in pursuing careers in STEAM fields, particularly in creative industries like content creation and video editing?
Ms Alaran: Any skill you want to learn has to be of pure passion before you think about the money you can make from it. Also, don’t compare yourself as a beginner to someone who has started 10 years ago or even a year ago.
Be consistent, take courses and make sure to implement them because that’s the only way you know what you learnt. Have mentors or people who can help you in terms of learning and reviewing what you have learnt.
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PT: How do you see your law background influencing your approach to business and entrepreneurship, and do you think it gives you a unique perspective in your creative pursuits?
Ms Alaran: I think my knowledge of the law of contract comes in handy when I am trying to approach business because one issue that is very common with beginners is that they don’t sign contracts. And this wasn’t an issue when I started because I already knew the importance of a contract in any business I venture into.
I don’t know if it gives me a unique perspective, but I am sure it intrigues people when they get to know all the skills I have, plus the course I am taking.
PT: What are your long-term goals for your career and personal brand, and how do you see yourself continuing to grow and evolve as a creative entrepreneur and law student?
Content creation, SMM (social media management) and video editing are something I see myself doing for a long time because it’s something I genuinely love doing.
Maybe I will eventually niche down and stick to one at the end of the day, but for now, I enjoy doing all three since they are sort of intertwined.
And as for my law career, I will find a way to merge my skills with my career. I could be a virtual assistant for a law firm or a corporate role that aligns with my creative skills because I don’t plan on doing litigation.
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