With my time as an intern at Hoffman coming to an end, looking back on these past three months has been inspiring. I have grown in ways I couldn’t have imagined, I completed tasks I once thought would be challenging, and I’ve developed relationships that I will always be thankful for. As I am about to embark on my new role as an associate account executive, I am eager to continue building on what I’ve gained.
So, let’s chat about what I’ve learned so far!
First, you can manage so much more than you think you can. Not only in your tasks in the workplace but also as you balance your daily life. With this position being my first full-time, “big girl” job, I was anxious about becoming overwhelmed and overbooked. But what the people at this agency have shown me is that your job doesn’t have to take over your life. In fact, ensuring balance helps you be more passionate and motivated about the work you’re doing.
Second, every team you work with has their own style. From edits to workflow to quick communications, each team has a unique way of going about their tasks. If that sounds confusing, it’s because it is. Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it. Plus, you can figure out your own preferences, and while you won’t be able to restructure the format, you can embed your own personality into your teams.
Third, you are allowed to be yourself. Growing up, I had this picture in my head of working in an office and sitting at a desk all day long talking to no one and doing nothing entertaining. That couldn’t be further from the truth. While the people at Hoffman are serious about the work they do, they are not afraid to let their personality shine. Almost every day, I learn a random fact about someone or have a silly conversation, and while in the beginning I was nervous to talk too much, I now feel so comfortable being myself in the office.
Finally, feedback isn’t scary; it’s essential. It is easy to be intimidated the first time you get a hefty number of edits and comments on an assignment. Especially when it took you twice the amount of time you think it should have. But these notes are what is going to help you improve. Without knowing what you are doing wrong, how are you ever going to get better? And when the day comes that you get very minimal edits on a task that used to be fully redone for you, you’ll be so proud of yourself that you do a dorky little happy dance (at least that is what I did).
While this certainly is not all I’ve learned in the past three months, understanding these concepts has made my experience go so much better than I ever could have imagined. I’m excited to take these ideas into my new role at The Hoffman Agency, and I never want to stop learning. I can’t wait to look back in another three months and see how much further I’ve grown.
