If you asked Heather Tansley what she wanted to do with her life as she entered college, her answer would have had no trace of the words “communications.” In fact, Tansley started school at the University of Delaware with a major in Neuroscience, planning to enter the medical field. 
So how exactly did Tansley go from budding medical professional to the Communication Specialist for her alma mater’s Career Services Center?
It all started after Tansley obtained her Master’s degree and landed her first job performing crisis work at a psychiatric hospital. As she watched the hospital’s communications strategists at work, Tansley thought, “That looks like fun…I want to do something like that.” Luckily, she got the chance to test the fun out for herself when a spot opened up on the hospital’s team, jumpstarting her career in the communications industry.
While Tansley enjoyed working at the hospital, she was looking to return to the culture of the Fightin’ Blue Hens. The opportunity knocked when a friend alerted her to a job opening at the Career Services Center (CSC) where counseling, marketing, and communications skills were required- the perfect combination for a woman like Tansley.
Flash forward to today, and Tansley is serving her UD community at the CSC, where she produces all digital and hard-copy marketing materials, manages the CSC’s social media platforms along with a team of student interns, develops the center’s web design. But her favorite part of the job is whenever “a student tells me that we made a difference.” Wherever her career took her, Tansley wanted to help the people around her, and through her work at the CSC she is able to do just that.
As Tansley looks to the future of her marketing efforts at the CSC, she sees social media acting as the game changer in campaigns. With the Millennial generation becoming increasingly social networking savvy, “I think [social media marketing] is just going to keep continuing to grow.” This is reflective in how Millennials are hired in today’s job market; Tansley notes employers don’t want to see a resume anymore, they simply want to see your LinkedIn profile.
So before immediately jumping to your LinkedIn profile to ensure it reflects your long-term goals, Tansley advises students to “take opportunities even if they seem outside of the direction you think you’re going.” Tansley changed her direction when she took a communications position out of her comfort zone- and she never looked back.
Tansley’s job might not entail practicing medicine like originally planned, but her story shows that by taking chances and being open to whatever is thrown your way, you may end up in a position where your passion shines through- and maybe you’ll even make a difference.
By: Paxton Mittleman
Paxton Mittleman is a sophomore Communications and English double major with an Advertising minor. When Paxton isn’t attending PRSSA-UD meetings or writing for the blog, she is volunteering with the sisters of Gamma Sigma Sigma, planning events with the UD Honors Program Senior Fellows, or tweeting up a storm on her Social Media Ambassador Twitter account. Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn!
(Heather Tansley photo: Her LinkedIn Profile)
(Tweet screen shot: @BlueHenJH SMA account)
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