Name: Kristen Ruby
Age: 24
Job Title and Description: President and Founder, Ruby Media Group LLC
College/Major: Boston University College of Communications—Public Relations
Website: rubymediagroup.com
Twitter Handle: twitter.com/sparklingruby
Her Campus: What does your current job entail?
Kristen Ruby: My current job entails managing social media campaigns for my clients. This include creating content, writing status updates, editing posts, editing photo albums, engaging with fans, creating campaigns to increase likes/fans, as well as overall brand identity work and pitching. A typical day includes all of this for multiple clients as well as client calls, meetings and managing a virtual staff and interns.
HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
KR: My first entry-level job consisted of numerous internships prior to graduating. I started my company directly out of school 2 months after graduating.
HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
KR: I wish I knew that others in your industry are not necessarily your “friends.” When there is a new person in town, a lot of people in your industry will try to work with them or outsource them in the beginning or even acquire them to stop the competition. Once they realize that you still want to continue with your own business, they suddenly become your competitors. Be very careful whom you form strategic alliances with.
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
KR: One person who changed my professional life for the better? Esther Davidowitz, Editor at Westchester Magazine has coached me with my writing. The best piece of advice I got from her was “write as if you’re talking to a friend.” That definitely changed the way I write for the better, and I always like to pass that advice onto others that I work with now.
HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
KR: I am my own boss, but I would say that “one day at a time” is extremely valuable for dealing with clients and projects that seem insurmountable.
HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
KR: One mistake that I made along the way was losing site of the 10 to 1 ratio that comes with sharing in social media. As you gain more publicity, you lose track of this and what to share all of your press hits or accomplishments with people. However, this is not necessarily the best way to use social media because it needs to be less promotional. I learned that it is definitely important to take digital detoxes and if you find you are too promotional, to make sure that none of your posts contain the words “I” or “me” in them for 30 days to retrain yourself and get back on track.
