I can’t believe my internship with Hoffman is already over! It’s been a whirlwind of a few months to say the least. Thinking back to my first day, I was so nervous, wondering what the internship would be like. I truly had no idea what the next three months had in store for me.
I got to do so many things I never could have imagined as an intern. I pitched a journalist for the first time and wrote pitches, byline abstracts, and briefing documents. I went to the Hoffman spring holiday party and attended many client meetings, team meetings, and briefings. I was amazed that as soon as I started as an intern, I truly felt like I was a part of the team. I felt so welcomed and supported. While I was given work to do, I was also given the space to learn and grow.
Some of the most critical things I learned were the importance of communication and feedback.
Communication is vital, whether you’re in PR or not, but since working at Hoffman, I’ve been trying to improve on my communication skills even more. Communication is so important at Hoffman because you’re working on several different projects with various teams every day. So, keeping your teams in the loop about your availability and what you’re working on is very necessary.
This communication comes in many different forms: Teams and email, as well as client and internal calls. It can all feel overwhelming at first, but as I got settled, I learned to share what and how much information I should be communicating. The advice I was given, and what I would say to other interns, is to overcommunicate. No one will be upset with you for providing updates and sharing information, and it’s great practice. However, I’m honestly still working on this one.
Another super important skill set I honed throughout my internship was asking for, receiving, processing, and applying feedback. Getting feedback as an intern is the best way to improve. Whenever I get feedback, it helps me understand my work so much more.
As an intern, not everything you do will be perfect on the first draft, but the goal is to take feedback with grace, ask questions, and learn. Feedback is not something that ends after being an intern. People on my teams, from interns to account directors, ask for and receive feedback because it improves the work, so learning how to receive feedback is crucial. So far, my time at Hoffman has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to start my post-grad career, and I’m even more excited to continue my career at Hoffman and keep working, learning, and growing!
