By Cheyenne Shen, Intern (Taiwan)
I can still recall how excited and clumsy I felt when I learned I was accepted to the internship program I’d applied for – and even more so when I embarked on my 12-month expedition at The Hoffman Agency Taiwan office.
But face it — back then I had no idea what tasks PR interns perform. I was still confused even when I supported my first on-site meeting. All I could do was quickly develop a thick skin and ask for as much feedback as possible. Take it as another lesson learned, and move on.
Time flies, certainly, like the blink of an eye when every day promises new challenges and fresh insights.
Aside from the team-oriented culture and compassionate people, I quickly found myself drawn to the Hoffman tenet of storytelling. While it might look like an empty platitude — and speaking of Hoffman — it’s not. We believe “The Story Is Always There” when it comes to business communications. CEO Lou Hoffman even built a periodic table for business storytelling as a guide for finding the right resources and potentially a touch of inspiration. By embracing the techniques of storytelling, we set ourselves apart from other agencies in tech PR.
As a complete novice to the industry, I’ve come to realize that PR is not just about media gatherings. For clients with global needs, we spend our days learning and becoming experts in their fields. While we might do similar tasks for our clients, every business and every market has their own approach for doing things. As public relations practitioners (interns included, for sure), it’s our job to quickly absorb the knowledge that comes from working with them.
It’s not easy. Still, this dynamic, cross-cultural environment never fails to amaze me.
I’ve learned that being armed with an ardent curiosity is never enough to be an aspiring intern. A number of skills are vital to surviving in the PR industry. It’s seems cliché. But for those who are eager to kick off their first official PR experience, here are some of the tips I’d like to share —
Internship at a tech PR agency is like sampling pizza toppings before baking the pizza. You always have the opportunity to dive in to multiple accounts that you would have never considered — just like trying pineapples for the first time and realizing you love it. For those who find themselves hurtling with trepidation into the real world, this is the chance you won’t want to miss.
Needless to say, the hands-on experience is the most valuable experience The Hoffman Agency can offer to their interns.
