This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bloom U chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Melissa Trabbold
Age: 22Hometown: Downingtown, Pa.Graduation year: 2014Major: Mass Communications—JournalismHC Bloom position: Senior Profile Editor + contributor
Her Campus: During your time at Bloomsburg, what activities were you involved in?Melissa Trabbold: I was mostly involved with Bloom’s media outlets. I started contributing articles to the student-run newspaper, The Voice, and soon became a staff writer. Then, obviously, when I found out about Her Campus, I immediately knew I needed to write for it—the content was right up my alley! It was really fun to come up with my own story ideas, especially because I could relate to everything I was writing. I was also involved in Bloomsburg’s chapter of Best Buddies, and was a member of Bloom’s acro dance team!
HC: What is your current position?MT: Well, right now I am doing a little bit of everything—trying to find my career path. So I just finished an internship with Small Girls PR in Brooklyn, NY, and am now starting a new job back in Pa doing copywriting/marketing at The Institutes in Malvern. I also write blog articles for a new fashion startup, VèVèlle!
I chose to
With VèVèlle, I get to work remotely, and utilize my love for fashion—yay! In my latest work, my friends and I have been wear samples of VèVèlle scarves to feature (here). Stay tuned to see more blogs J
HC: What led your to your current job?MT: Just a lot of
HC: What was your hardest transition from Bloomsburg to the “real world”?MT: Definitely just committing to working a real-time job and putting yourself out there. It was hard for me to find a job right away, you really need to believe in yourself and have confidence in what you are capable of.
HC: How has your experiences at Bloomsburg helped you in the professional world?MT: In particular, my experiences with Her Campus and The Voice have really helped to portfolio my writing, which is really important when employers are reviewing your past work experiences. Also, just living on my own and sorting out my priorities during my four years there has really helped me to be more independent and dedicated in what’s important.
HC: How long did it take you to find your new job? And do you have any helpful suggestions for the soon to be college graduates?MT: I’m not going to lie; it’s really stressful trying to find a job as a recent graduate—especially when you’re not sure what you want to go into career-wise. I decided to work my typical summer job waitressing at a restaurant in Margate, NJ, living at my beach house the summer after I graduated. Then I started applying to “big-girl” jobs around September. A lot of jobs are very competitive, so you really need to have relevant work experience, and sell yourself. It’s all about exposing yourself to the field you’re interested in and getting any kind of experience you can. I’d definitely recommend building some type of portfolio of all the work you feel is most valuable to show potential employers.
HC: We hear you’re living in New York City now – what has been the biggest change from living in Bloomsburg?MT: I was only there three days a week for two months, staying with my cousin. But the entire nature of being in the city is totally different than a small town like Bloomsburg. Everyone is fast-paced and really passionate about working. It was a lot to adjust to, but I liked experiencing something so different than what I was used to.
HC: Have you noticed any differences in your relationships now that you’re out of
