Tiffany Cooke, B.A.J. ’20, recently landed a position as the social media and content manager for the Greater Pigeon Forge (Tenn.) Chamber of Commerce. One of her tasks is to live-stream from attractions and events in the popular tourist town.
“It’s fun to be a part of the action,” she said.
We asked Cooke about her new gig:
1. How did you hear about and land this position?
“While at IUPUI, I had an internship with a chamber of commerce in southern Indiana, so I knew I liked the work and I wanted to move to Pigeon Forge to be closer to my sister. So, I thought I’d see what I could make happen. I reached out to the Chamber of Commerce directly, sent them my resume and writing samples, and told them to keep me in mind if they ever needed anything. A few days later, their social media manager put in her two weeks’ notice. They called me for an interview and I started shortly after.”
2. What do you like most about your new job?
“I have the luxury of getting to live like a tourist every single day. The best part of my job is the fun I have (and get paid to have)! Every week, I film at least one livestream at a Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg attraction. That means that I get to experience some of the fun first hand to share with viewers. My favorite so far has been riding the Rocky Top Mountain Coaster and filming live while I flew down the mountain!”
3. What is a typical day like for you?
“Every day, I interact as much as I can on social media. I scroll through the hashtags, reply to comments, and share content from business members. I also design posts and edit photos to begin scheduling social media posts for the weeks ahead. I spend a lot of time writing or updating blogs, too. When I’m not busy on social media, I’m reaching out to members to set up times to tour and film their business, or I’m just out exploring the area.”
4. What are some goals or plans that you have for this position?
“Our Facebook page is really popular, and the blogs and Facebook lives get a lot of shares. I want to drive this same attention to our Instagram page. I’ve been brainstorming new kinds of content, like Instagram Reels, that may help increase interaction. Right now I’m kind of in a trial-and-error phase on that. I think that younger people could really benefit from our page, and making our Instagram more appealing and interesting is a great step to increase that traffic.”
5. How do you think this position will help your future career?
“I eventually want to get into the publishing and editing business. Even though this position isn’t exactly related to that, I know it’s going to help me so much in the long run. People want to hire people that have strong written and verbal communication skills, and I’m working on those constantly at this job. I’m also taking on a lot of responsibility and independence in my work, and I know that will help me stand out. I’m lucky to have been given an amazing opportunity at such a young age, and I can’t wait to see where it takes me!”