We are so thrilled to launch our brand-new interview series featuring young professionals and recent graduates who launched their careers right here in Philly!
Up first: Camellia Brown! Camellia is a young, Philly-area professional who found career success in the region post-grad. We had the chance to sit down with Camellia and learn more about her and the launch of her career! Check out our interview below.
Tell us about yourself, your Philly “story,” and your current role at Vanguard.
I was born and raised here in Philly, and during my time here I moved around between North and South Philly. I also went to high school here, and during my time in school I got involved in social advocacy with a non-profit called “College Possible.” This motivated me to continue advocating for what was right no matter where I go in life!
After high school, I went to Temple University (Go Owls!) to study Public Relations with a strong interest in social media.
I currently work at Vanguard as a Writer through a program called MAP, which stands for Marketing Apprenticeship Program. It’s a brand-new program that provides exposure to the various divisions within marketing at Vanguard, along with helping to develop program participants into future writers for the company.
How did your education, courses, and network prepare you for your career?
I feel like the courses I took at Temple have really helped to give me the exposure to what the PR and Communications industry was like. I really feel like the connections that I made were worthwhile, because I had the ability to gain more inclusive insight into the field of work that I was interested in.
A lot of the opportunities that I got were from networking with professors, or reaching out to people who were well-experienced in the industry. I stayed connected with some of the various people I met, and have fostered a relationship with them that led to me receiving some really dope opportunities! Leveraging LinkedIn and networking with people from all sorts of backgrounds is very essential, especially within communications as a whole.
How did your experiences at past internships and jobs prepare you for your career?
My past experiences gave me the ability to have hand-on experiences with real clients in real time! I learned about time management, seeing the bigger picture with projects—and even the smaller details—and learned how to deliver improved projects based on the feedback that I received.
It’s pretty crazy that the past projects I’ve worked on have helped to make me more marketable for a series of roles, but especially for this current role that I have.
That’s why people say that regardless of your experience, you’ll always be taking something with you to your next job!
What was your “aha!” moment? When did you know you wanted to work in this field?
My “aha!” moment was when I discovered what PR was all about! The storytelling aspect of PR is what really drove me to want to get into the field. Learning how to be able to shape a story in a way that can be impactful to the masses in fruitful ways, was really interesting to me. The funny thing, too, is I used to write and read a lot when I was kid and I grew out of it… but somehow, someway, I found myself ending up doing work that revolved around writing, researching, and reading. That’s when I recognized that maybe this is the field I’m supposed to be in.
As a recent grad yourself, what advice would you give a rising senior who is looking to launch their career in Philly in the coming year?
I love this question! My first piece of advice to rising seniors would be to always remember that the world is yours. No matter what anyone says, you determine your own path and you can find success within it.
My second piece of advice would be to always make sure you’re building up your personal brand. This is very essential because it tells everything about who you are, what you do, and what you can bring to any role or opportunity that comes your way. Everyone has a story to tell, and as you move through school and your career you will surely learn a lot about yourself, which can then help to shape your story. Connections are truly everything nowadays. You can know a lot, but if you have relationships with people who work in the fields you’re interested in, it can sometimes help you get a foot in the door!
You’re going to rock it this year and the next! I believe in you all, and I want you to remember that each day is a day to become a better version of you.
We love it. What’s one thing you love about being a young professional in Philadelphia?
The one thing that I love about being a young professional in Philadelphia is the fact that the opportunities and connections that you can make here are endless!
Whether you’re a Philly native or out of town, the chances of you coming out of here with a polished resume and a handful of connections is highly likely, and there’s always things to do or cool events to go to!
*Hint hint* Campus Philly is a great place to find events and networking opportunities, where you can make new friends, connections, and discover all of the amazing things Philly has to offer.
Okay, last question! Where can we find out more about you?
Connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram! I’ve also included some articles about my story—check them out below:
