By Megan Ryan, Account Coordinator
As I sit here writing this, I truly cannot believe how quickly the time has flown by during my three-month internship at The Hoffman Agency.
I’m beyond grateful to have joined an agency that is fun, supportive and (so) welcoming. The Hoffman Agency has a gift for bringing together authentic, kind and motivated individuals, which makes for a stellar team. The skills and knowledge that I have begun to acquire in such a short period of time are far beyond what I could’ve imagined.
For anyone considering an internship in public relations, The Hoffman Agency truly sets you up for success. They do so by allowing you to jump right in on pitching, media relations, content development, social copy, client calls and so much more. Every task you’re given at The Hoffman Agency prepares you for the next. The tasks that initially would take me an hour or more are now shrinking down to 30 minutes. I look forward to these wins daily.
I will say the transition from college to agency life can be a bit overwhelming. Taking the time to step back and just breathe in those moments of feeling overwhelmed is essential. It allows the nerves to subside and makes room for the drive that has gotten me to this point to kick into full gear.
I will also admit: I had a few moments where imposter syndrome crept into my mind, and I think that is okay. I allowed myself to sit in those feelings and then reminded myself that I’m an intern, and I’m not expected to know every finite detail about technology and public relations.
Overcoming the feeling of doubt within yourself is a learning experience in and of itself. It teaches you to trust yourself, and you become that much stronger. Accepting that growth is not always easy or comfortable has been my mantra throughout this internship and something I will carry with me into my new role as an account coordinator at The Hoffman Agency.
While college prepares you to meet the word count and deadlines, it does not prepare you for the fast-paced agency life which I have grown to love. As a recovering perfectionist, the fast-paced agency life, felt debilitating in the beginning, as you don’t have days to mull over your work — perfecting it before review. Now, I understand mistakes will happen, and that is a part of the learning process; knowing that I have a team right there guiding me and encouraging me makes it all so worth it.
If I were to give advice to someone starting a career in public relations, I would say come into it with an open mind. You can learn anything you set your mind to, so don’t box yourself in. Prior to my internship, my tech knowledge was limited to how to install the latest IOS update. Now I can spout off random facts about 5G, private wireless and the digital divide, all within three months of working at The Hoffman Agency. If I can do it, then anyone can.
