Welcome to my Virtual Portfolio!
There are some people who find they get what they go after with relative ease. I've been lucky enough NOT to be one of those people. I've been afforded the opportunity to work hard for my achievements, which has only benefitted me.
People often fall into one of two categories: Creative or Critical thinkers. I'm a unique breed that seems to walk the line between the two. I find deductive reasoning comes naturally and analytical thought is comforting in routine and reliability, but there is such wonderful energy and outcomes from divergent thinking! Who knows what might not be if not for out-of-the-box thought. The ability for me to process information and brainstorm in both fashions allows me a great deal of range.
My jobs have ranged from retail to administrative, and while certain skills have proven more useful than others depending on the position, there are basics that I feel are crucial to success across the board.
Some of these skills include:
- Recognizing client need and delivering the desired outcome
- Maintaining composure in a fast-paced environment
- Delegating tasks and following up on progress
- Building professional relationships with team members and clients
Most recently I was the administrative assistant at Altair Advisers, LLC. Altair is an extremely prestigious financial advising firm catering to high net worth clientele. As the administrative assistant I had dual roles. I was assistant to the office manager as well as the marketing manager. My primary duties consisted of maintaining the client and professional contact database (via Microsoft Dynamics CRM), granting website access to clients and their liaisons, producing and sending performance reports that were mailed to clients, posted to the client website, or used in client meetings, and producing and mailing the monthly portfolio standings. I also aided in writing proposal requests from potential clients, as well as producing the informational materials presented to them.
As the marketing assistant, I researched and applied for various award opportunities. I corresponded with multiple promotional vendors to create and deliver different types of promotional materials, ranging from golf balls to water bottles. I also brainstormed with the director of communication, marketing coordinator, and investment communication analyst on how to improve the brand image and social media presence.
I was second-in-command to the office manager in answering phones, distributing mail, and greeting clients.
Working for Altair was a wonderful opportunity to see first-hand how a small office (approximately 35-40 full time employees) were able to create a successful business that catered to a global network.
While employed at Starbucks I had the opportunity to get to know a lot of our customers personally. One person that I made a connection with was Tricia Montgomery, co-founder of MontgomeryDay. Tricia told me that they just picked up a big campaign for the first Chinese citizen to circumnavigate the globe and, after learning of my educational background, offered me an internship as her assistant. In the following year I gained invaluable experience drafting and editing press releases, media alerts, media lists, and scheduling appointments and travel. MontgomeryDay has since disbanded, and Tricia has pursued her passion for fitness and animals by founding the successful and expanding K9 Fit Club.
I am a graduate from Purdue University. I have a Bachelor's for Communication and minors in English and Sociology. My concentrated study was in Public Relations and Rhetorical Advocacy with a specialization in Pubic Relations & Advertising.
In Spring 2010 I received a taste of what it meant to be a working PR professional. Six classmates and I formed JumpStart PR--a student-run agency that oversaw and completed a campaign for the real-life local organization Our Kids Are Our Community.
At Purdue I was an active member of PRSSA. This involved participating and aiding in the setup of our annual Com Day event, in which we hosted a series of seminars by both local and visiting professionals.
In Fall 2007 I participated in the Disney College Program at Walt Disney World. My internship involved me working at the World of Disney store in Downtown Disney, as well as opting to take a weekly organizational leadership class. This highly competitive program was easily one of the highlights of my life. While the hours were long and the work at times tiring, I was rewarded with not only the ability to work with one of the most prestigious companies in the world, but also the opportunity to make friends from literally all over the world--friendships that I've maintained for the past 8 years despite thousands of miles of distance.
At Disney I learned the importance of company tradition in creating loyal employees and guests. Disney knows that God is in the details and executes everything to the highest standards of service, whether you are managing an entire entertainment park or are sweeping the streets of Magic Kingdom. The wonderful thing is it doesn't matter what role you're playing; you're excited to be part of "making the magic!"
My favorite task at the World of Disney was when I was prompted to "Make a Magical Moment." This involved taking a game or activity to a Guest, usually a child or family, and engaging with them. Maybe we played a game of Finding Nemo tic-tac-toe or Disney Trivia. They left with a certificate and hopefully a memory that they will treasure for a lifetime. I know I will.
I am very familiar with social media and networking. In addition to having my own accounts, I set up and maintained Facebook and Twitter accounts for the restaurant I worked at throughout college.
Thank you for taking the time to review my portfolio. I hope the information I've provided is useful. If you have any questions about my resume or would like to arrange an interview, pleasecontact me by email at laura@laurascheu.com.
