Check Out Carley Prendergast’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carley Prendergast.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I became serious about writing in college. I first wrote a couple articles for my university’s newspaper, however, I also wrote for HerCampus at James Madison University, which was where I really found my passion for it. Around the same time, I also began a 2+ year internship at my local PBS station (Virginia’s home for Public Media – VPM PBS) as the digital and social media intern. This was followed by a year long stint as the Nickelodeon franchise intern at ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global). Both experiences were extremely formative and influential to me. I remember taking flights from a small airport near my college to New York City just for a day’s worth of coffee dates around the city with people working in media and more specifically, at ViacomCBS, more specifically, who were kind enough to meet with me. I worked so incredibly hard to get that internship and it was one of the greatest experiences I have ever had. Looking back, it really felt like my “big break” into the industry. I was able to create frequent social content for my favorite childhood show, SpongeBob SquarePants, among many others, as well as create social media strategies for both the reboot of Rugrats and the Kids Choice Awards, as well as provide social media analytics for many of Nick’s franchise accounts. While I loved and still love social media, I returned to my “roots” with my first job out of college being a staff writer at Pillar4 Media’s Sleepopolis. (I ended up having a hand in our social there as well, so it was the best of both worlds!) I spent about a year in that role. And for more than two and a half years, I’ve had the pleasure of being an editor at Forbes Health. I primarily work on dating and relationships content, including the world of online dating, which has become a passion of mine.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
While I’ve been incredibly fortunate in the opportunities I’ve had, I think one of my struggles was the initial hustling required to make connections in the media industry. I secured an internship at a global media brand, but it came with a lot of hard work. I would fly back and forth to New York City for coffee dates with media professionals, all while juggling being a full-time college student. (Thanks to my amazing parents who always believed in me and my dream.) I also realized that once I got my entry into the industry, I couldn’t just sit back and relax once I got the gig. It provided me with a realistic taste of the content world and I gave it 110%. It paid off!

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have bylines in Virginia’s home for Public Media (VPM) PBS, Her Campus JMU, The Breeze (James Madison University’s newspaper), Sleepopolis, Forbes Health and more. I started my career specializing in children’s and community content with PBS and Nickelodeon, specialized in primarily sleep content at Sleepopolis and at Forbes Helath, I work on dating and relationships content, as well as anything from mental health to healthy aging to dermatological conditions. I am most proud of my long list of content created for Nickelodeon’s social media accounts, as well as my campaigns and articles at Forbes Health. All my experiences are so special to me, but those take the cake. I truly believe in seizing the opportunity you want and never letting go. I did and here I am!

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I am definitely keeping an eye on the AI front. I think there will be an increase in content creation by artificial intelligence, removing the need for some of the jobs which do these tasks now. While AI does leave me a bit unsettled, I think it’s the world we live in and we will all adapt the best we can. (What I do know, is AI cannot replicate true human connection and boots on the ground journalism, such as reporters and those out covering stories that matter most in our communities and across the world.) I’m grateful for each day I get to spend amongst such intelligent colleagues in digital media and I’m along for the ride as long as they’ll have me.

Contact Info:

• Website: carleyprendergast.com (Password: Leopold)
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carrllz/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carley-prendergast?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_appI’m
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/carleyprend?lang=en
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@carleyprendergast?_t=8qOIqX18K0U&_r=1