Leslie Lund

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

My career choice didn't pop into my head overnight, but I always knew I wanted to write and edit at some point in my life. My parents were very involved in my education (I'm glad for that!), so when I told them I wanted to change my major from finance to English, they said "What, exactly, do you plan to do with an English degree?" I've always loved to write and edit and would spend hours every weekend as a kid pretending I was a famous author and in the middle of writing my Next Big Novel. So, I graduated with a BA in English (minored in business administration so I'd have the basics of accounting, econ, and finance), and, after a few years of searching, found an editor who would take a chance on me. He asked if I'd ever written professionally, and I answered him honestly: "No." He said, "You can start Monday." My first gig was writing biographies and company descriptions for a marketing firm. When my department was eliminated, I found another writing job as a proposal manager. Let's stop there...what in the world is a proposal manager? No, sorry I don't help people write engagement letters to their beloveds, although that would be really fun! Proposal managers/writers work with the sales department and help those salespeople sell! Truly, that's what I do. I build proposals that include a cover letter, executive summary (win themes/value proposition), and answer any questions the (potential or existing) client wants to ask us about our services and products. My goals are to help the sales team figure out the benefits to the client of working with us and to make the story we're telling compelling enough that the client wants to discuss how we can help them do business better. It's a challenging job and I LOVE IT! My degree is used every minute of the day because I'm constantly reviewing the proposals to improve the story. I read, edit, write, and create graphics all day, every day.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

In layperson terms: I write, edit, and create graphics for use in proposals to sell my firm's services. I answer emails constantly, talk on the phone with my teams and colleagues, work on my proposal drafts, and make sure my teams are staying on task. My days are built around getting people to complete their assignments before the deadlines I impose so we can keep our proposals moving along and not miss a client's deadline. If you miss a client deadline in my line of work, you don't get another chance.

What is the biggest challenge you had to overcome to get to where you are now professionally? How did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge I had to overcome was convincing an editor to give me a chance to prove I could write and edit well enough to work at a marketing firm. I proved myself well enough to this editor that I received a quality assurance (QA) bonus each month I was eligible. My work was 99-100% error free each month. Writing and editing are skills you use every day. You need to be able to write effectively to communicate effectively. Push yourself to do well in your English and literature classes and to read every day. Doesn't matter what you read, just read for at least 30 minutes daily.

Did anyone ever oppose your career plans when you were young or push you in a direction you did not want to go?

Yes, I had people telling me everyday that getting a degree in English was a waste of time unless I wanted to teach. I didn't want to teach, I wanted to write and edit. I was encouraged, starting in high school, to pursue finance or some kind of career dealing with money b/c that's an easier way to make money and keep the money coming in for a long time. Only, I don't get along with numbers very well, so math is a struggle for me. Does that mean I gave up? NOPE. I had to work extra hard in accounting and finance classes, but I still took them.

How did you start building your network?

You start building your network when you graduate from university and get a job. I have a LinkedIn account and check it regularly b/c it's one of the largest networking sites out there. If you decide to join LinkedIn, build a robust profile and update it at least annually. Most of your coworkers will be on it! There are networking events everywhere that you can attend, as well. I'm not much of a social butterfly, so I tend to stay away from those, but, if you go, make sure you're doing more than simply grabbing business cards from people. Actually take the time to make a connection that you'll both remember (in a good way!) Follow up via email or phone call and connect online via LinkedIn or another networking site.