Paris Kim: Content & Social Media Manager

Name: Paris Kim

Age: 26

College & Majors/Minors: B.A. in English, concentration in Creative Writing

Current Location: San Francisco, CA

Current Form of Employment: Content Management for Wish, Editor-in-Chief of Marjorie Magazine

Where do you work and what is your current position? 

I currently work in content management for the Ecommerce app Wish, a growing shopping platform with over 150 million worldwide users. I am also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Marjorie Magazine, a vintage lifestyle magazine coming onto its third print issue this spring.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different). 

My first job was a lucky break after just graduating from the University of San Francisco. I spent all summer indulging myself in creative DIY projects with designing notebook covers and typewriting my own prose, and it was put to great use during my time as a creative workshop captain for Paper Source's Fillmore Street location. All of us who worked there even got to design and display our own greeting cards made in-house, and shoppers were always asking about them. A year after working for Paper Source, I wanted to move up into the field of marketing, where I landed an internship with a small web interface startup called myWebRoom. Six months after writing copy for their products and their blog, I was approached by my current company, Wish, to help build and moderate the content on the app as well as launch and moderate their social media.

Having worked in San Francisco and surrounded by tech-talk for four years now, that is when I decided to create in March 2017 my own online publication and print magazine, Marjorie, devoted to vintage lifestyle in the modern world. I love vintage, from fashion to music and design, and naturally I wanted to find an outlet to write about these passions while connect with other like-minded creatives. When there was none to be found, besides small niche communities on Facebook and Instagram, I realized that I had to make it myself.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career? 

Freelancing in between my time at Paper Source and myWebRoom really helped propel me into the right direction in terms of what I wanted to achieve with my writing. Simply looking for opportunities on Craigslist opened doors into what sort of writing jobs were out there and which ones made the most sense for my style and background.

For a time, I also branched out to open mics across San Francisco and connected with poets to share my old typewritten prose, to which I realized that was not for me. I also found out about the incredible world of self publishing and began to publish my own books via Blurb featuring my poetry and personal essays. I still use Blurb to this day for Marjorie. It's a great start to building your portfolio and learning design, or just getting your work out there; you don't have to wait around for the big publishers at Penguin or The New Yorker to deem your book readable—if you have a story and you put social media and your networking to use, you're always guaranteed devoted readers, no matter how big or small, that will want to read, that will want to buy and invest in your talent.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life? 

I landed an exciting opportunity to intern for McSweeney's, reading submissions and fact-checking articles for their sister publication The Believer, while also volunteering as a tutor for grade-school students over at 826 Valencia. The interns even had monthly meet-ups with Dave Eggers himself—it was quite surreal! I was given the chance to pitch my own stories for both McSweeney's and The Believer, for the latter actually being commissioned to interview my favorite band, The Airborne Toxic Event, who happened to be in town that spring. Even though the editors ultimately passed on the final piece, they were helpful in providing alternative places to get it published and even referred me over to editors at The Rumpus. All of the ups and downs in my internship and college years spent as an English major were documented in my personal blog at the time, Paris Kim Writes.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree? 

My advice is simply to put your passions to paper, write it out, whatever IT is. A small idea, random words, just as long as you're still devoted to your words and ideas and never lose sight of these things that make you unique as an English major. And take charge of your resources. In just a few years from my Craigslist-surfing days I discovered a multitude of places to connect with other writers and find new opportunities for work. There's Shut Up and Write on Meetup, which are weekly sit-ins with other local writers at a cafe or elsewhere to just sit together and write; there's plenty of Facebook groups advertising freelance work and great media to apply to and get feedback; and of course, there's always open mics, for you never know who might be lurking in those crowds. The support is there, and I've listed a few, and it's there for you to take and know confidently that there is always something exciting waiting for you and your work on the horizon!

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Links:

• Marjorie Magazine: marjoriemagazine.com
• Print publications of Marjorie: blurb.com/b/8048276-marjorie-magazine; www.blurb.com/b/8253300-marjorie-magazine-fall-winter-2017
• My interview with the band The Airborne Toxic Event: oneweekoneband.tumblr.com/tagged/the_airborne_toxic_event/chrono
• My essay "Unseen" on Harness Magazine: harnessmagazine.com/unseen-car-crash-taught-people/
• Instagram: @ParisKimWrites

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Kim Askew: Director of Content at FIDM & Author

Name: Kim Askew

Age: 46

College & Majors/Minors: Mount St. Mary’s University, M.A. in Humanities with an English Lit Emphasis, California State University Fresno, B.A. in English Lit

Current Location: Los Angeles, CA

Current Form of Employment: Director of Content at FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles). Co-author of the Twisted Lit novels from Merit Press.

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I manage all the content for the college’s marketing efforts, such as websites, email campaigns, social media, ads, brochures, blogs, press releases, and the college catalog. I developed and oversee FIDM’s brand strategy and voice/style guide which ensures that all designers, writers, and marketing coordinators stick to our brand attributes and competitive positioning. I directly manage a team of writers, and approve all copy generated by the Marketing department. I also launched an Employee Engagement team to encourage an optimistic and collaborative company culture. We do everything from hosting coffee and Ted Talk viewings to raising funds for charitable organizations. My office is at the college’s main campus in Downtown Los Angeles.

In my spare time, I write (with my friend Amy Helmes) young adult novels inspired by Shakespeare’s plays. Our fourth novel, Puck, came out in November. I love to work in cafes or on the sofa with my dogs, Macbeth and Dolce.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I don’t remember how I found out about my first job after college, but I can still remember how excited I was on the first day. I was hired at a computer textbook publishing company in the San Francisco Bay Area, and at the time, it truly felt like a dream job to be working in publishing. I had the Chicago Manual of Style and Strunk & White’s guides on my desk. I was promoted a few times, and when I left, three years later, I was the editor of computer gaming guides.

I found my current job through my writing partner, Amy. She knew someone who was leaving the position of Writer for FIDM. I was hired as her replacement, and thirteen years later, here I am with a window office and a director title.

Could you share more about the process behind writing and publishing your novels, and how you found other publishing opportunities?

My writing partner and I had finished an entire book and had a rough draft of a second book before we got a publishing deal. A friend of mine knew Jacqueline Mitchard, the author of Oprah’s first book club pick, and she was at the helm of a new young adult imprint. She read our manuscript and offered us a two-book deal on the spot, with a third book deal quickly following. Our fourth book, Puck, is in stores now. In addition to working with Amy, I have my very own noir/detective/sci fi novel that I’m working on and hope to finish by this summer.

Co-writing has been incredibly fun and rewarding. My writing partner and I take turns, writing a chapter each and then editing each other’s chapters. Once we decide on the voice of our narrator, the rest really just flows.

““I try to remember that most authors, including some of the very best, were rejected numerous times. It keeps me going!””

My advice for getting published, whether it’s books or articles, is to submit, submit, submit. If you don’t put your work out there, no one is going to see it and publish it. It’s as simple as that. I have to override my self doubt every time I send something out. Sometimes it’s rejected, and sometimes it’s accepted. I try to remember that most authors, including some of the very best, were rejected numerous times. It keeps me going!

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

As an undergrad, I (unfortunately, perhaps) didn’t spend much time thinking about my career. I was living in the past—and by the past, I mean the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. My mind was happily focused on the literature of those periods and working many part-time jobs to pay the bills. I think all of the part-time work I did, while mostly unrelated to my future writing career, helped me develop a really strong work ethic and also gave me (an extremely shy person, back then) confidence. In grad school, I was already working at FIDM, so I had to juggle school and work throughout.

““Be bold (even if you have to fake it) and apply for writing gigs or jobs even if you don’t think you’re “good enough.” You’re probably better and more qualified than you realize.””

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

If you dream of being a writer, write every day and submit your work often. Be bold (even if you have to fake it) and apply for writing gigs or jobs even if you don’t think you’re “good enough.” You’re probably better and more qualified than you realize. Take every opportunity that comes your way, and be your own best friend. I don’t believe in writer’s block. If you sit down and write, something will come. It might not always be great, but it will be something you can build on. Good luck!

To learn more about Kim, visit her site at KimAskew.com. You can also connect with her on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram.

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Ayesa Lubag: Content Specialist for Trend Micro

Name: Ayesa Lubag

Age: 28

College & Majors/Minors: Bachelor of Arts, Major in Journalism / University of Santo Tomas

Current Location: Manila, Philippines

Current Form of Employment: Content Specialist for Trend Micro 

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work at Trend Micro Manila as a content specialist. We manage the content of our website and do a lot of writing, editing, HTML coding, SEO and proofreading for assigned products.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different). 

There is an assumption that you already know what to do with your life after graduation. But the reality is, some people don’t. All I knew at that time was that I had to use the perk of trying my hand at new things. 

Deciding whether to go with a large or small company may be one of the most important decisions that you make while job hunting. I landed a job in a relatively small public relations agency as a media relations officer. Some people prefer large companies over small ones, and that's ok. But as a fresh graduate without any work experience at all, I couldn't afford to be choosy. If an opportunity arises, I wholeheartedly grab it.

Working in a small company might appear to be lacking potential. But the truth is, the possibilities are endless. You need experience to get your dream job. You have to work your way up. After I gained work experience in the field, I moved to a multinational public relations agency.

It occurred to me one day that it was time for me to return to the Philippines after living and working in Malaysia. I found Trend Micro’s job opening online. The IT industry was something new to me.  But after working in public relations, media, and advertising, I was still open to be part of a different industry again. I’ve always believed that a broader work experience can be an edge. And for this reason, through the years, I’m able to distinguish a good workplace—one that has a mission-driven company culture, a great career advancement opportunity, and a wide array of benefits and perks. I’m grateful that I get to experience these things in my present job.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I worked as a copywriter for an advertising agency in Malaysia. My job was to write copy for clients’ ads and to develop creative ideas and concepts. Most of our clients were property developers. Writing real estate copy in a country that I wasn’t familiar with was challenging. I had to take note of the property’s location and the buyers’ culture and preferences. There were frustrations at first, but that didn’t stop me from doing what was expected from me.

Some of our clients, the property developers, submitted entries to the International Property Awards. This became the turning point and the most exciting part in my writing career when two of our entries, which I worked on, won some awards. I took it as a sign that maybe it was the right time to go back to my country and contribute something different.

The whole experience taught me that change is never easy when working abroad, especially when adjusting to a different culture. But getting outside of my comfort zone gave me the chance to see things from a totally different perspective. Adapting to a new culture became truly inspiring. It broadens your horizons like no other.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I did internships that covered TV (ABS-CBN), radio (DZBB), and print (Manila Times) during the summer and even when the academic year had already started. Internships are designed for career development and personal growth. I made valuable networking connections with professionals aside from gaining valuable knowledge, skills, and experience in the career field of my choice. 

““If you haven’t found your passion, let your strengths lead the way.””

I also invested in personal development by diversifying my experiences through travelling and trying new hobbies. I even travelled alone. Travelling allows you to discover so much about yourself and offers you a whole new perspective. Not only does travelling provide a sense of adventure, it also opens doors to cultures that can be totally enriching. Moreover, I also knew that I needed to prepare myself to the world out there by becoming a cultured person. I read voraciously, watched well-written films, listened to a variety of music genres and appreciated art. Above all, I told myself that I was young and I shouldn’t be afraid to take risks. I made a lot of mistakes but I don’t have regrets. They made me who I am today.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

If you haven’t found your passion, let your strengths lead the way. Trust your intuition, explore new things, and inspire others. Also, don’t forget to maintain a positive attitude in the workplace.

You can check out Ayesa's photography blog here, and follow her on Instagram here. 

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Steffany Powell: Manager of Global Content Marketing

Name: Steffany Powell

Age: #oneoftheolds

College & Majors/Minors: University of Washington (UW): English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing / Masters in Communication in Digital Media

Current Location: Seattle

Where do you work and what is your current position?

Mondelez International (the makers of Oreos, to name a few). My title is Manager of Global Content Marketing.

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

When I graduated from the UW, I thought I could just get a writing job no problem. I had two issues when I graduated: 1. It was March of 2007 and little did I know that The Great Recession was weeks away from taking away most of my job prospects. 2. I had little or no technical skills when it came to working in corporate America. Long story short, there were no jobs and I did not know Excel. I finally settled on a job working at a small eCommerce company. There I wrote product descriptions, marketing copy and I managed the blog posts. It was fun. But it paid $18 an hour. Part time. No benefits. 

But I got scrappy. I took any writing job I could so I could fill my resume with writing jobs. I worked contract (fyi most of the best content writing jobs are contract) and I lived cheap. I learned new skills. I took classes. Finally, I went back to grad school to really focus on what I wanted to do: online content strategy.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I wrote horoscopes and event previews for a mobile site called Go2. This was pre-smartphone so it was pretty popular and had been around for about 10 years when I started. I was really able to hone my craft because no matter what, I had to produce 12 horoscopes (one per sign) every day of the year. They had to be short, insightful and most of all funny. It is not always easy to be funny, but I became good at it and actually enjoyed that job even though it paid nearly nothing. To this day, I credit that job and those strict deadlines with my success.

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life? 

I was a teacher’s assistant for one of my creative writing teachers. This actually showed me that I didn’t want to write books, at least, not right off the bat. He was/is a successful writer and I learned so much from him (especially that I did not yet have the ego to be a published author).

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

““Specialize in some aspect of writing or publishing. Don’t be a generalist.””

Specialize in some aspect of writing or publishing. Don’t be a generalist. Even MBAs think they can write. You need to distinguish yourself and be great, not just good. If you think of yourself as an editor you should know not just Chicago style but also AP and MLA. You should know how to write and maintain a style guide. If you want to be a copywriter you should learn how to write in many voices. Learn more than just one style of writing and if you need to make a living—learn technical writing.  Play with enough technology so you can speak to developers. Finally, learn localization techniques and get good at them. Get fluent in a foreign language. If you want to be an author, live. Get out of your hometown and don’t write about yourself for at least five years.

Please note, some of this advice was given to me when I was in school. Some of it is just stuff I know because I work in online content. But all of it I have found to be true. Don’t take my word for it, wait… do. That is my other advice to you. Be fearless, be arrogant, but make sure you can back it up.

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Rachel Grate: Content Marketing Specialist at Eventbrite

Name: Rachel Grate

Age: 22

College & Majors/Minors: English Major, Gender & Women's Studies Minor

Current Location: San Francisco, CA

Current Form of Employment: Content Marketing Specialist at Eventbrite

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I work at Eventbrite, a tech company in San Francisco, as a Content Marketing Specialist. The easiest way to describe my job is that I produce content for event organizers (specifically music organizers — think the people behind your favorite music festival or the owner of your favorite live music venue). The type of content is a lot more diverse than you might expect — I write blog posts and ebooks, but also produce infographics, podcasts, video, quizzes and more. The theory of content marketing is that by producing free content that helps event organizers, they'll later choose us to help them ticket their event. 

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I'm currently at my first full-time job, which I found by interning at the company before my senior year of college. I liked it so much — and they liked me — that I came back! 

It wasn't quite as easy as that might sound because they didn't have clearance to hire anyone in my role at first. My manager really advocated for me to be able to extend me an offer to come back as a full-time contractor after graduation — which proves how important your network is. (I also contracted for them part-time during my senior year of college, which probably helped me stay top of mind.) A few months after I returned as a contractor, I had proved my value to the company and was converted to a full-time employee.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I ultimately decided reporting wasn't for me (I wasn't a fan of the long hours and low pay), but I'm really appreciative of my background in journalism. It started all the way back in high school, on the school newspaper and yearbook. But as an editor in college and through one internship at a newspaper, that experience extended and taught me a lot about writing well, capturing attention, editing others' writing, and meeting deadlines. 

Even though I'm in Marketing professionally now, they're more similar than you may think. (I also still do freelance journalism for a couple different online publications — I just don't like to rely on it for my paycheck.)

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

An easier question might be what didn't I do. At school itself, I worked for the school newspaper as the Life & Style editor, I worked as a writer for the Office of Communications & Marketing, and my senior year I was the Marketing & Communications Intern for our Career Planning office. 

I spoke up in class, and I've had coworkers actually compliment me on my confidence in meetings as a result. And I kept my grades up — recruiters may not care about the GPA number itself, but having "Dean's List" or "Cum Laude" next to your name is a quick way to prove you're a hard worker.

I also had an internship every summer since I graduated high school. Play around in your internships — I worked at a newspaper, a nonprofit, a tech company; I worked in reporting, communications, PR and marketing. It's a great way to find out what career is really right for you.

The first two internships were unpaid, but I learned a lot, got some bylines, and seriously improved my resume — and did babysitting on the side to make money. The next two internships were paid — and I was lucky enough to get an internship at a place I loved so much I came back post-grad.

““If you want to be a writer, you have to know what each writing assignment you take is worth. Early on in your career, that might mean taking on work for free, because the worth is in the education and experience. But once you reach a certain level, be confident in your skill and your own worth, and expect to be compensated accordingly.””

Finally — if you, like me, don't want to deal with a never-ending job search, it's best to get started early. I ended up accepting an offer at the place I interned at before my senior year, but I started applying to other opportunities over winter break. A lot of places won't be willing to wait for you to graduate — but some will. And it's always better to get the conversation started early. One place I applied took two months to respond to me — but they eventually did offer me a role.

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Don't let the Starbucks barista jokes get you down. I had what are largely considered to be some of the least useful degrees out there (in English and Women's Studies), and I had a job lined up before graduation. But don't get me wrong — it will take work.

If you want to be a writer, you have to know what each writing assignment you take is worth. Early on in your career, that might mean taking on work for free, because the worth is in the education and experience. But once you reach a certain level, be confident in your skill and your own worth, and expect to be compensated accordingly.

You can find me on LinkedIn, Twitter (@RachelSGrate), or check out my content on the Eventbrite blog or HelloGiggles and Mic sites!

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Samantha Enslen: President & Owner of Dragonfly Editorial

Name: Samantha Enslen

Age: 45-ish

College & Majors/Minors: Double major, English and Women's Studies

Current Location: Tipp City, Ohio

Current Form of Employment: President and Owner, Dragonfly Editorial

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I run Dragonfly Editorial. We're an agency that focuses on content strategy, writing, and editing. Writing and editing—those are pretty straightforward. Content strategy is more complex. It's about deciding what to write, how to write it, and who to write to—before you ever put pen to paper. 

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I found my first words-related role working in a coffee house: Jolt N' Bolt, on 18th Street in northwest DC. One of my customers owned a publishing house nearby. After a few months of making him lattes, I screwed up my courage and asked if he needed an intern. He probably didn't, but he let me come in every afternoon anyway and (literally) work in the mailroom. I took customer orders, packed up books, and shipped them out. This was in the days before Amazon. 

One of the editors must have felt sorry for me, because one day she gave me their holiday catalog to proofread. I'm sure it had already been proofed, and she gave it to me just to be nice. But I found some mistakes. The next day, she came right up to me as soon as I arrived and said, "This is what you need to do. You need to be a copyeditor." That's how I discovered my profession.

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

I don't know about the most important, but the most fun writing-related job I've had is with Grammar Girl. I write about the origin of various idioms, like "spick and span," or "off the cuff." 

Writing has always been a slog for me. I can do it, and I think I do it well, but I often find it onerous and stress-inducing. Writing these short posts has helped me experience writing for the first time as an exploration, rather than a chore. 

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I did very little other than study hard and take my work seriously. I think that's your job in college. Screw partying. You need to suck up every ounce of learning you can. 

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

An English degree should teach you to ask questions, to read, to research, to synthesize information—and then to express what you've learned clearly, in writing. If you can do that, you'll be an asset in any workplace.  

So I guess my advice is to not worry about the "marketability" of an English degree. Rather, trust that it will teach you to think deeply and write clearly. Those skills will serve you in the long run, no matter what industry you land in.

Samantha's bookshelf

Check out Dragonfly Editorial HERE, and follow them on Twitter! 

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Sara Strickland: Adjunct Faculty and Content & SEO Strategist

Name: Sara Strickland

Age: 23

College & Majors/Minors: B.A. in Literary Studies from the University of Texas at Dallas, working towards an M.A. in English from Texas Woman’s University

Current Location: Dallas, TX

Current Form of Employment: Adjunct Faculty and Content & SEO Strategist

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I currently hold two very different types of part-time positions. First, I work at a digital marketing agency called BizTraffic as a Content & SEO Strategist. Before I started working for this company I didn’t even know that such a position existed, much less what it meant. The majority of my time at this job is spent writing content for blog posts, emails, ebooks, whitepapers, and website pages. 

Because I work for a relatively small company, I’ve had the opportunity to try a variety of things out during my time here. I’ve written instructional manuals for our company’s internal use, created and implemented social media strategies, and learned the basic principles of website design, just to name a few.

My second job is as an Adjunct at Richland Collegiate High School. I teach AVID (which stands for Advancement Via Individual Determination) to high school seniors. But my students are no ordinary high school seniors! They are all enrolled in approximately 15 to 18 college credit hours each semester, in addition to a few courses for high school credit. Most of our students graduate simultaneously with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree.

AVID is a course designed to prepare students for college by teaching them how to excel through note taking strategies, analytical writing, discussion groups, and study groups. This is especially important for our students because their course load is so intense. We give them the tools to succeed in a college environment, and give them a little push towards attending universities once they graduate from the program. 

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different).

I started working when I was 16, so my very first job was as a courtesy clerk at a grocery store. My older brother was working at the store and let me know they were hiring. It was not very glamorous and involved lots of hot summer afternoons clearing carts off the lot and bagging bloody meat for customers.

Both of my current jobs I found through job websites. I originally was hired as an intern at BizTraffic, and I’ve now worked there over two years, fluctuating between part and full time as my school and work schedule permits. When I applied for the adjunct position, I applied to teach Developmental Writing at the college and was offered a class. But my class didn’t make it. Fortunately, they liked my credentials enough to offer me classes at the high school, plus I’m scheduled to teach Developmental Writing in the fall. 

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

One of the most influential writing-related jobs I’ve held was actually an unpaid, volunteer position at a local homeschool co-op. I was asked to teach a high school level American literature course once a week for an hour throughout the school year. 

Because of this experience I began to realize that not only do I love to read literature and to write, but that I really love teaching them, too! This experience contributed to my decision to pursue a masters and pursue teaching at a college level as a career. 

““I took every learning opportunity that would work with my busy schedule.””

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

I did a few things to help me prepare for post-grad life. First of all, I never stopped working during my college career which has given me a strong work history and financial security because I have never had to take out a student loan, despite paying for my entire degree myself. 

I took every learning opportunity that would work with my busy schedule. That included volunteering to teach at the homeschool co-op I mentioned before, volunteering at a local museum over spring break, and taking the BizTraffic internship. All of these gave me valuable experience that contributes to the jobs I do now, and helped me craft my future career goals. 

I also took full advantage of my professor’s feedback by improving the papers I wrote and applying what I learned to future papers. I still think of advice I received from my undergraduate professors when writing my graduate level papers. Plus I always try to give feedback to my students that is as useful as that I received from my professors. 

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Take every learning opportunity you can and don’t limit yourself! There are so many uses for an English degree that sometimes it just takes some time and a little bit of trial and error to find the right match for your personality and talents. And it’s never too soon to get started, or too late to learn something new!

You can connect with Sara on LinkedIn and follow her on Instagram! 

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Becca Wallace: Content Manager

Name: Becca Wallace

Age: 23

College & Majors/Minors: San Diego State University – Bachelor Degree in English

Current Location: San Diego, CA

Current Form of Employment: Full-time Content Manager

Where do you work and what is your current position?

I currently work as a Content Manager (or Content Queen as my coworkers like to call me) for an Internet Marketing Company. We have a few different names for our company depending on our client’s category of business; Dental Affiliate and San Diego Business Media are the two main ones. We create websites and manage marketing for dental offices, plastic surgeons, auto shops and a large variety of other businesses, but our primary focus is dental offices. 

My job is to manage all of the content that goes onto our clients' websites, including blogs and content on all of the pages. This includes lots of copywriting and copyediting and some SEO! I know way more than I ever wanted to know about dental procedures now that I am constantly reading and editing about them.  We usually send our content off to writers (I occasionally write it), and I am the one who edits and posts it on their websites. I also manage social media for our clients and our company. This will include posting links to their blogs and posting occasional fun things. One of my other duties includes writing for our corporate blog and whitepapers. This means I need to stay on top of what’s happening in the internet marketing world!

Tell us about how you found your first job, and how you found your current job (if different). 

The first job I got after college was as a Marketing Assistant for a manufacturing company. I found that one on Craigslist after applying like crazy one month before graduation. I went in for two interviews, and even though I had a degree in English, I had the skills and attitude they were looking for so they hired me. I stayed at this job for about six months and went in search of a job more relating to reading and writing.

I also found my current job on Craigslist (apparently it’s the place to go!). I sent in some writing samples and came in for an interview and was hired! 

What was another writing-related job that was important in your career?

The only writing experience I had outside of my current job and the endless amount of essays from my college career were these two groups I was involved with while I was in school. (See next question for more info).

What did you do in college to prepare for your post-grad life?

For my first three years of college, I really wasn’t doing anything to prepare for post-grad life other than working at my part-time job at the school’s dining hall. Although all I was doing was cooking and serving food, it really helped me break out of my shell and develop a more lively personality, which is something I think is important for people to have when they go to job interviews.

During college, I got involved with my school’s literary review (Aztec Literary Review). This is where students submitted poems and short stories for our semester PDF of student work. We had a team of about seven people who all worked together to spread the word to students asking for submissions, read the submissions, and create the PDF that contained the winners. I also helped manage our website and created the artwork for one of the semesters.

Another group I had in college was through my Publishing and Editing class. In this class, we formed groups based on our interests in books and made a website on WordPress where we would feature book reviews, interviews with authors and more. This was by far one of the most important parts of my college career because I learned how to use WordPress and Adobe InDesign which came in handy with both of my post college jobs.

On top of my work experience, I tried to read and write as much as possible, as well as learn anything that would help my resume stand out. I taught myself about HTML, CSS, and Photoshop. The more skills you have, the better your resume will look!

What is your advice for students and graduates with an English degree?

Don’t give up hope and don’t listen to people who tell you that you won’t find a job. My advice is to be open-minded about careers. Before I graduated, my heart was set on working in publishing, but that’s a whole lot harder to get into than you might think. Sit down and make a list of jobs you think you might enjoy, and apply to all of them. Your first job will most likely not be your dream job, so just think of it as a stepping stone and resume builder towards your career goals. If you can, get an internship or join the school newspaper while you’re in school! Any experience and extra skills you have will make your resume stand out more. There are two parts to getting a job: 1. Have a resume that stands out and 2. Impress your interviewers with your outfit, confidence, skills, and interpersonal skills. Finding a job can be extremely stressful, but if you are able to apply the skills you gained with your English degree, your career possibilities are endless.

You can check out Becca's blog here, connect with her on LinkedIn here, and take a look at the literary journal she participated in during college here. 

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