Vanessa Teo

I am a creative individual who always takes initiative and works hard at everything I set out to do. I believe in seizing opportunities not only for success, but for learning and growth as well. I am disciplined and always strive to set a good example for the people around me and the team I work with. Where I lack experience, I make up for in proactivity. I am always willing to ask questions and do whatever I can to improve and gain more knowledge. I make sure to keep ahead of deadlines while always maintaining a good quality of work, and I grasp every opportunity to learn a new skill or upgrade myself.

I value independence and am able to work alone effectively, but also understand how to work well as part of a team. I work together with my coworkers in order to present the best possible solutions and outcomes to any challenges or tasks we face. I make sure to maintain a constant stream of communication with my supervisors and other coworkers to ensure everyone is up to speed on the projects I work on, even while working independently.

During my Undergraduate studies between 2019 to 2022, I took up a job as a barista which allowed me to express myself creatively through flavor profiles and latte art. Learning about coffee and its complexities has been a personal hobby for me and during my time at that job, I gained many experiences that opened my mind. It was not only a creative outlet for me, but also one that helped me work on my interpersonal and management skills.

All the experiences I’ve had in both work and school have expanded my horizons and taught me valuable lessons that I hope to be able to carry with me throughout life, and in everything I do. The most important things to me regarding anything I do are the values and reasons behind actions, and I always keep my values in mind in every class, workshop, activity, or job that I take up.

Jan 2023 – Current Marketing Executive, Epigram Books

As a marketing executive, I frequently spoke with authors and external organizations in order to push forth promotion and marketing efforts for both new and old titles. I would be the main point of contact for authors regarding any queries they had, and often provided advice and assistance on any activities they had relating to their published titles. I familiarized myself with our full catalogue and ensured our authors and books were highlighted at relevant events, even reading through upcoming manuscripts so that I can better plan and seek out opportunities. I also planned and executed all book launches and subsequent events, making sure to coordinate all activities and book sales in an efficient manner. In addition, I managed our key social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, as well as our corporate website, making sure it was frequently updated and current.

Nov 2022 – Jan 2023 Senior Project Executive, Visibility Design

As a project executive, I handled business development, project management, and advertising/marketing assignments. I created and executed project strategies as well as made revisions when appropriate in order to meet changing needs and requirements. I served as a project lead, managing and coordinating project plans while ensuring all team members were up to task and deadlines were met. As the contact point between my team and clients, I was responsible for making sure all collaterals and submissions were of good quality before relaying them to the appropriate channels. I wrote grant proposals to Enterprise Singapore (ESG) on behalf of clients and worked alongside them through the application process.

2020 – 2022 Copywriter/Editor, Freelance

I have done freelance editing for clients as well as work on my own writing for publication. Some examples include a working autobiography, brand book, and self-help finance book. As for my personal writing, I am writing a collection of poems/prose which I intend on submitting for publication after completing final edits.

Dec 2020 – Current Barista, The Coffee Academics

I worked part-time as a barista while I completed my Undergraduate studies, taking it up full-time when my curriculum converted online. I prepared mise en place items biweekly and 300-600 cups of coffee a day after memorizing over 50 food, drink, and retail items. I provided exceptional customer service with a professional, friendly, and patient attitude and addressed customer concerns or complaints, all while upholding all COVID-19 protocols. My superiors gave me the opportunity to lead a team of 4 to 8 people daily and train new hires on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), company policies, coffee preparation, and customer service. I also created a more organized, clean, and efficient workspace while creating guidelines and schedules for other team members to follow in order to maintain it. Since graduating from University, I have converted back to a part-time role to hone my soft skills such as people management, as well as to keep a creative outlet.

Nov 2018 – Jan 2019 Intern, Ethos Books

I took up an internship at Ethos Books, working mainly on marketing projects which involved collateral designing, photoshoots, copywriting, and event planning, as well as transcribing interviews on occasion. I also had the opportunity to do editorial work and held a large role in editing the book A Place For Us by Cassandra Chiu. I was able to develop my creative designing, marketing, and advertising skills. On top of that, I gained essential skills for editing, such as how to aid readability without compromising the integrity of the author’s work, under the guidance of my supervising editor. I was also fortunate enough to visit the book printers and learn about the printing process after a manuscript is finalized.

Sept 2017 – Feb 2018 Station Manager, Klix Photography, m:idea

As a part of my final semester in my diploma studies, I was the station manager for the photography department at m:idea. I covered photography and videography for both internal and external events, as well as supported other departments in m:idea. As the station manager, I reached out to potential clients and collaborators in order to build Klix’s portfolio and client base.

Sept 2017 – Feb 2018 Production Manager, CTV Productions, m:idea

I was in charge of contacting clients, arranging, and planning for video shoots. I covered both internal and external events, and was responsible for filming and editing. I managed ongoing programmes such as Tastebuds, the food review programme and Cinemania, the movie review programme, making sure we had a constant stream of content to produce and release. As the production manager, I maintained current partnerships and attracted new ones in order to obtain better brand recognition.

2019 – 2022 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Singapore Institute of

Management – University at Buffalo

Apart from Sociology core modules, I also took modules in Psychology, Statistics, History and other related subjects. In addition, there were a number of modules that sharpened our writing and editing skills through literature review and research paper writing. They also gave me the opportunity to get peer reviewed as well as to peer review our classmates’ student research papers.

2015 – 2018 Diploma in Mass Communication, Ngee Ann

Polytechnic

I was offered a large array of modules including journalism, photography, marketing, production, and more. As a project-based programme, I learnt to work effectively in teams and together with my teammates, we brainstormed, created, and completed projects according to requirements. I was able to hone my creative and critical thinking skills while also building on technical skills such as Microsoft and Adobe programmes as well as professional writing skills.

2011 – 2014 GCE ‘O’ Levels, Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School

L1R5: 14 points, L1R4: 11 points