T-minus one week until my internship at The Hoffman Agency ends and I begin my journey as an associate account executive. PR got me, guys. I actually understand it now … for the most part. This summer I entered a behind-the-scenes world I didn’t know existed. Briefings, sourcing sessions, reactive and proactive pitches, tracking and flagging everything. I really didn’t know what PR entailed. I couldn’t even begin to tell you three months ago. I just knew I wanted to grow, learn and work at an agency that shared a work culture I envisioned myself in. Hoffman was just that.
Being an overthinker at times, I needed someone to tell me that we’re working in PR not the ER, and that’s exactly what one of my team leads told me during a 1:1.
That’s not to say I don’t still read emails before I send them. My attention to detail is off the wall. I’ve always been one for to-do lists and a cohesive plan for everything, but this summer I adopted new strategies and implemented them in my everyday life. My biggest takeaway is that so much can be achieved in 30 minutes. Whoever said time is of the essence was right.
As I reflect on the last three months, I know I’ve grown and become a much more organized person. I’ve made friends and connected with people over the most random things. My favorite week by far was when the global leads came to the Portland office. I loved experiencing an office filled with employees from various places worldwide. I loved hearing about the different approaches they have to PR, fueled by culture. The EU lead shared with us that in France, having an authentic connection with journalists is crucial. The APAC lead let us know that “OK” doesn’t mean yes but instead it means they are acknowledging the request. I think these social cues are so interesting.
From the very start, I was intrigued by the global aspect, so experiencing an office that reflected that was inspiring.
Despite all that I’ve done and learned, this summer has flown by. Tech PR isn’t what I thought it would be. I’ve enjoyed every project and am so excited to continue my growth here. I entered this experience knowing it would be a learning curve, and I tried my best to embrace that. If you’re starting your career in this field, my advice would be this: Take it one step at a time, write to-dos down, ask for help and communicate with your teams on where you’re at and if you need more to do.
