Angela is a new homeowner, Minnesota enthusiast, former professional intern, extreme extrovert, and social media extraordinaire. The Minnesota native recently returned to her home after a six-year hiatus, much of which was in the Badger State. Angela spent the first half of her time at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse studying communication and Spanish. She then jumped to Marquette University in Milwaukee for the next two years where she continued her communication studies, occasionally pretended to be a teacher, and trained for a marathon.
Somewhere during that time people told her to get experience doing internships — so she went and got six. After working with nonprofits, for-profits, the university, and two baseball teams (go Saints and Twins), she landed a “doesn’t-exist-until-you-arrive” job working in social media at Andersen Corporation. Through her experiences she became passionate about connecting young professionals and helped start the Andersen Young Professionals Network (AYPN), which supports young company professionals as they network, learn, and grow.
Pollen: What are you most excited about right now?
Angela Swenson: My professional self is most excited about teaching people that social media isn’t just fluff and doesn’t just mean Facebook or Twitter. I’ve read predictions that social media will go away because it will no longer look any different than mass communication. When I see people start to understand the communication power that technology can give us, that gets me pretty pumped up.
My personal self is excited about Lowertown in St. Paul. I recently purchased a condo in the neighborhood and have begun to explore the area. Between the Penfield Lunds, the new St. Paul Saints ballpark that is under construction, great local restaurants and pubs, parks such as Mears Park and Wacouta Commons, and a vibrant arts scene, Lowertown is truly becoming a place where people live in community. I can’t wait to see the impact a quirky neighborhood ball team has on the area.
P: What’s the perfect weekend trip out of your area?
AS: I fell in love with La Crosse, Wis., while in undergrad and love taking trips down there. Highlights include: hiking to the top of Grandad Bluff, getting ice cream at The Pearl, grabbing a drink at Bodega Brew Pub, and walking down by the river when the Rotary Lights are lit.
P: What is the most underrated thing about your sector?
AS: When I tell people I do social media for a living, they say “So, you do Facebook and Twitter?” I say yes, but the truth is there is much more to it. Social media is no longer a cute side thing you do. It is truly something you must do. It is time to start recognizing that technology gives consumers a strong voice, and with this voice consumers expect companies to stop talking, start listening, and to continue that dialogue. That’s what social media is all about, and you can’t ignore it anymore.
P: How do you grow professionally?
AS: I grow professionally by asking other people how they grow professionally. Asking that question has given me some of the best knowledge I’ve heard on professional growth, such as:
- Remember that your career is a marathon, not a sprint.
- Make sure you identify three pieces of your job that must be there to fill your cup and never lose sight of those things.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions or make mistakes.
P: What two skills do you think are most important to succeed as a young professional today?
AS: I don’t think these are unique to young professionals, but the first is the ability to think strategically, and the second is to rally a crowd. Your idea will only go so far if it’s connected to just one piece of the business. When you develop the ability to stretch that idea out and consider all the different ways it could impact the business, then your idea becomes a valuable one. But even the best idea doesn’t do any good if you don’t have the ability to rally a crowd. Charisma, communication skills, reliability, and a strong work ethic all add up when convincing people to buy into your idea. Once you do both of these things, you’re pretty unstoppable.