A UMN Alumna’s Story of Switching Careers from Journalist to Social Media Marketer: Being Able to Adapt Really Matters!

Maybe the idea that we have to work in the same field we studied in is something we should start letting go of, bit by bit. After all, we can’t always keep growing on the same path. Sometimes we need a new challenge to raise our own game, including stepping out of our comfort zone and opening the door to a new career.

That kind of change is what led one UMN alumna, Wiena, to develop her skills from writing news into working in social media marketing.

Wiena, whose full name is I. A. Putu Wiena Vedasari, is a graduate of UMN’s Journalism program. She studied at UMN from 2017 and graduated in 2021. After finishing her degree, Wiena had the chance to work at CNNIndonesia.com’s international desk as a reporter (news developer).

From there, her career path grew. She spent time as a Senior Content Writer at USS Feed, an Instagram-focused media outlet, then moved to Bali and built her career in social media marketing at various marketing agencies. Today, Wiena works as a Social Media Marketer at Gaia Digital Agency, based in Ubud.

“Honestly, what made me switch careers from journalism to social media marketing was moving house. When I was still working in Jakarta, my world was limited to writing. But when I moved to Bali, I realized that the kinds of work here are different from Jakarta. And that’s where my interest in getting into social media came from,” Wiena told the UMN News Service team on Friday (25/09/2026).

So what’s different about working as a journalist versus working in social media?

Wiena says that working as a reporter and content writer draws on creativity in writing, while social media draws on creativity in photos, video, and design.

“Both jobs need creativity, really, but the creative scope is far freer when you work in social media marketing, because what you put out isn’t only written, but photos and video too,” Wiena said.

“That doesn’t mean being in social media marketing lets me shoot content like a pro, though. The answer there is no. Why? Because I have no foundation in that area, and a social media marketer’s job is mostly about planning the content that gets made. The workflow usually starts with giving a content brief to the graphic design team or the videographer, then it gets uploaded and the data is analyzed from Meta Business,” Wiena went on.

Comparing her experience as a journalist with her experience in social media marketing, Wiena says the biggest difference lies in the audience you’re addressing and the purpose the content is made for.

“When I worked as a journalist or a writer for a media outlet, my audience was the general public, people who were scrolling or curious about an issue. Meanwhile, my audience in social media marketing is fans of a brand, or people interested in buying that brand’s products or services,” Wiena said.

“And as a writer for a media outlet, it’s very rare for the content you make to be aimed at promotion, apart from paid content. But in social media marketing, everything you upload is aimed at promoting a business. So the purpose behind making the content is already different: one is there to give information, while the other focuses on raising awareness of a particular brand. Essentially, it’s how we position the content that differs,” she added.

UMN Supported Wiena in Leaving Her Comfort Zone

Studying at Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) taught Wiena to be braver in the face of a challenge and to try new things.

“I remember so clearly that when I was still a student, there was one course that ended up with me and my friends covering the Prabowo and Jokowi campaigns during the presidential election. It was an experience that really forced me to be brave, to be flexible and open up so I could get information out of a lot of different people,” Wiena said.

It wasn’t only the courses taught by her lecturers; studying at UMN also taught Wiena what discipline and punctuality mean.

“At UMN, it’s important to be able to divide your time between classes, doing your reporting, doing your online assignments, and taking part in campus activities. And the key to that is discipline and punctuality.”

Those experiences, Wiena says, are part of why she can now be more adaptive and more open to learning new things.

How Did UMN Prepare Wiena for Her Career Development?

“UMN has a lot of courses, and one of them teaches us how to make news content for social media, as well as how to write breaking news and soft news. I was also taught creative writing and news graphic design. All of those classes became what I drew on while working as a reporter, a senior content writer, and a social media marketer,” Wiena said.

Through the range of courses UMN offered, Wiena learned not only about writing but a little about design and communication too, which meant the scope of her career wasn’t limited to being a writer and a journalist, but could grow toward digital marketing.

Wiena’s Message for UMN Students Starting in Their Careers

“It’s so important to be able to adapt and stay open. Don’t get fixed on one skill, because you never know which field is going to carry you forward. Don’t be afraid to learn and try a lot of things, because the more knowledge and experience you gather, the more your own value grows,” Wiena said.

Check out Wiena’s written work for CNN Indonesia and USS Feed.

English translation by Levina Chrestella Theodora

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