Alli Kennon ‘20 never envisioned herself working in her current job when she graduated from Hastings College — simply because the job didn’t exist yet. As a TikTok specialist at The Knot, a popular wedding website and planning company, Kennon uses this emerging social media platform to create content that promotes the company.
Kennon found a passion for TikTok marketing while doing freelance social media work during the COVID-19 pandemic. She saw TikTok as an up-and-coming platform and decided to make an account for a small mocktail company. She grew this platform from zero followers to 63,000 followers in a week. That’s when Kennon knew she was on to something.
After receiving her masters degree from University of Alabama and working a marketing agency job, Kennon started seeking out opportunities to return to TikTok content creation on a more full time basis. Once again Kennon leveraged her social media knowledge, and connected with the social media manager from The Knot on LinkedIn, who also happened to be an University of Alabama graduate.
She went on to land an interview with the company, and eventually a job. Kennon credits this to the use of social media to advance her career, something she believes can benefit all college students.
“One of my biggest pieces of advice is to get on LinkedIn. It is the social network of the career world, and I would recommend getting involved and reaching out to professionals that you admire. You would be surprised to see who responds, or is even interested in meeting with you,” Kennon said.
Now, a typical day in Kennon’s life looks like filming videos, strategizing campaigns and analyzing TikTok trends to find what could best promote the company. Not to mention working with fun video subjects, such as TikTok comedian Erica Priscilla and several couples from the popular reality show Love is Blind.
These opportunities bring out her ultimate passions: telling stories and solving problems
“I love figuring out how to make content blow up on TikTok, which really brings out my resortitive strength. I do this through sharing stories and finding what resonates with people, which has always been a passion of mine as a former collegiate speech team member,” she said.
Her experience as a member of the forensics (speech) team at Hastings College formed Kennon’s ability to tell compelling stories, something that she credits a large part of professional success to.
“I leverage what I learned from Hastings College Forensics team in every single job and job interview I’ve ever had. Knowing how to give a presentation and back up my ideas with arguments has really helped give me confidence while working in the corporate world,” she said.
Not only did her extra-curricular experience at Hastings prepare her for the professional world, but also the academic portion of her education. As a Communications Studies major, Kennon learned how to effectively engage with people in a variety of settings.
“I always tell people that you can literally do anything with a communications degree, which is what makes it such a great degree,” she said. “You will be communicating with people in every single job you have, and it is so beneficial to truly understand how to do that.”
While Kennon is currently living her dream working at The Knot, and living in Boise, Idaho with her husband, she hasn’t stopped dreaming yet. Her future aspirations include eventually moving into a creative planning role at The Knot, and coaching collegiate speech and debate. In every aspect of her life she continues to strive toward learning and growth.
“I’ve learned to never put limits on yourself,” said Kennon. “You might end up working in a newly invented role, and you may even fall in love while doing it.”
