In April, I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. To be completely honest, post-grad life is hard to navigate. While a lot of the people I’ve graduated with have had set start dates since January, I’m continuing to search for a company that’s willing to get back to me regarding the status of my application. As I continue to scan LinkedIn for jobs, I’ve been keeping myself busy rolling pretzels at Hersheypark, working for Pitt as the Campus Recreation Social Media Marketing Manager, and building my various side hustles. Extra income is always a plus while working on expanding my portfolio and showcasing my creative abilities. I’m an artist on Redbubble and creating brand content via Instagram.
During the pandemic, I opened a Redbubble shop as a creative outlet. I started making designs out of words and phrases using Microsoft Word, then I finally graduated to Canva. After playing around with Canva, I began uploading dozens of designs at a time. I’ve created designs for phone cases, stickers, wall art, tote bags, and more. I have designed collections for Pittsburgh, Pitt, Taylor Swift, and more. My most popular works are the University of Pittsburgh stickers and overall Pitt designs. Feel free to check out my work here!
During my senior year at Pitt, I applied to a few social media networking programs through Her Campus Media. Through Her Campus, I had the opportunity to apply for various campaigns throughout the school year. I was a part of brand campaigns for Clinique, Samsung, and Dove; I handed out product samples, hosted events on campus, and posted photos and videos on my personal social media platforms. Since graduating, I’ve been primarily working on content from the user-generated content (UGC) perspective to showcase my videography and content editing skills. I’ve created content for Maison Margiela, The Ordinary, Sunday Riley, Nexxus, and more. Although the videos aren’t through the lens of “Get Ready With Me” or “Product Review” videos, I am conscious about my personal brand and style when working with brands and creating content. As I build my UGC portfolio I hope to continue to work with brands I love while creating new and fun content to showcase on my personal Instagram.
My biggest piece of advice to college students who love creating content, posting on social media, and networking with like-minded college students is to apply for the programs within Her Campus Media. At first, I felt so weird posting for brands and I worried about what my friends and followers thought of my posts. Since coming out of my content shell, I’ve been able to work with so many brands, receive free products, earn extra income, and gain hundreds of followers from my content creator peers. I highly recommend getting involved and building your personal brand. Below are examples of my UGC work and brand campaign videos:
I can attribute my entrepreneurial skills to a business I created during the pandemic called Olivia’s Customs. I designed custom shoes and sold them via Etsy and to my friends. Although the business was successful, it became overwhelming to paint several detailed pairs of shoes while trying to focus on classes and schoolwork. I built the entire brand, created logos and postcards, and advertised my business via Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. However, as my business was winding down, I was fortunate enough to be able to speak at a Women in Business meeting on an entrepreneurship panel with three other women who owned small businesses. Not only was I able to share my experience starting a business, but I was also able to gain valuable insight from my peers about their personal experiences in their respective business industries. I’ve been able to apply my previous experiences and advice I’ve gained from others when juggling my side hustles. Currently, my two jobs, Redbubble, and UGC work have become extremely time-consuming. I’ve learned so much about time management and networking in everything I’m involved in. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Instagram to check out more of my work. I’m also available to answer any questions regarding Redbubble, brand campaigns, and more!