By Cierra Nguyen, Intern
After spending three years at community college and two and a half years at San Jose State University, I graduated in the middle of a global pandemic. My journey has not been easy, and post-grad life did not make it any easier. Before I continue, let me formally introduce myself: my name is Cierra, and I graduated from San Jose State University in December of 2020. Also, I’m excited to mention my newest title, an intern at The Hoffman Agency!
Before I joined The Hoffman Agency, I spent more than four months in countless interviews that resulted in automated emails that went a little like this, “We appreciate your interest in our company, but we’ve decided to move on with another candidate.” I was just about ready to give up … I felt hopeless and started to question my career choice and passion for public relations.
It was not until my interviews with Hoffman that I saw this agency as my light at the end of the tunnel. The interviews felt different in the best possible way. Almost five months after graduating — on May 18, 2021 — The Hoffman Agency offered me an internship. I was overjoyed – I was happy, yet nervous for what was to come. It also felt like I was hit with the same passion, drive and motivation that I had when I held my degree for the first time back in December.
However, a new journey comes with new challenges. While I went to school and earned a degree in public relations, if I’m being honest, I feel lost entering the professional world of public relations. You don’t truly know how to do something until you’re thrown into it, which is exactly what Hoffman is helping me to do. I love how hands-on this internship has been so far, and I am excited to be able to work on different accounts with my teams. In just two weeks, I was able to attend client meetings, work on my client’s social media channels, contribute to media lists, and so much more. I also noticed that as an intern, my opinions and voice matter. Even though my internship is currently virtual, I appreciate the lengths that the team at Hoffman goes to make interns feel like a part of the Hoffman family.
As I reflect on my journey to get here, I’ve learned a motto that I will always follow: “Embrace the journey!” I will embrace my journey as an intern by not being afraid to make mistakes, living in the moment and fully immersing myself in learning new experiences. I can’t wait to look back in a couple of months and reflect on my journey as an intern for The Hoffman Agency.
