Name: Vanessa Van Petten
Age:Â 26
Job Title and Description:Â Writer, Author and Professional Blogger
College/Major:Â Emory University, International Studies and Chinese
Website:Â ScienceOfPeople.org
Twitter Handle:Â @vvanpetten
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Her Campus:What does your current job entail?
Vanessa Van Petten: Although my schedule changes constantly, as a writer, I typically wake-up and do emails for about two hours, then write before lunch, do business meetings after lunch and write into the evening! On exciting days I have radio interviews, news segments and get to interview people for my articles and books.
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HC: What was your first entry-level job in your field and how did you get it?
VV: I actually started my company while I was still in college. I self-published my book with my allowance when I was a teenager, so I never got to experience the typical entry level job.
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HC: What is one thing you wish you knew about your industry when you first started out that you know now?
VV: If you want to be a writer, writing is about 15% of what you do and the rest is marketing and building your brand. If you do not like marketing yourself and your work, don’t be a writer.
HC: Who is one person who changed your professional life for the better?
VV: I met Pamela Sellers, one of the producers at CNN, a few years ago and she gave me the chance to get into traditional media and gave me so many wise tips on how to build my brand and expertise.
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HC: What words of wisdom do you find most valuable?
VV: Dream big, work hard and you will get there.
HC: What is one mistake you made along the way and what did you learn from it?
VV: I think it is great to partner up with people, but think about those partnerships very carefully. I partnered up with some not-so-great people in the beginning and I wish I had listened to my gut from the get go.
HC: What is the best part of your job?
VV: I love talking to interesting people and meeting with all kinds of people on a daily basis.
HC: How important is it that college students engage in philanthropic work?
VV: I learned a lot about others and myself through volunteering. I did a lot in high school and college and the skills I learned putting together charity events helped me when I had to put together book events later in life.
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HC: What do you look for when hiring someone?
VV: I look for passion and honesty. Again, I trust my gut so if any red flags come up for me about the person not being authentic, I do not take any chances.
HC: What advice would you give to a 20-something with similar aspirations?
VV: Write, write, write, write, and write. Then write some more. The more practice you can get writing, the better you will be later. If you can write poetry, non-fiction, self-help and fiction, this will also help expand your repertoire.
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Co-Founded by Natalie MacNeil and Scott Gerber, Y.E.C. Women is an initiative of the Young Entrepreneur Council (Y.E.C.), an invite-only nonprofit organization comprised of the country’s most promising young entrepreneurs. The Y.E.C promotes entrepreneurship as a solution to youth unemployment and underemployment and provides its members with access to tools, mentorship, and resources that support each stage of a business’s development and growth.
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