By Megan Hernbroth
The Hoffman Agency, San Jose
It’s amazing how quickly 12 weeks can fly by.
In June, I began my journey as an intern here at Hoffman. It was my first official experience at a PR agency, and I was excited to dive in to multiple accounts instead of specializing in a single market, as I had at previous internships.
That is one of the great opportunities that PR offers to students, such as me, who are still trying to get their lives in order before graduation. We can hone our writing skills, gain valuable experience and figure out if this is the career path for us.
Interning at a PR agency is like sampling all the ice cream flavors before deciding on your scoop. You have the opportunity to be exposed to markets that you would have never otherwise considered — just like trying pistachio for the first time and realizing you love it.
I am not a science girl by any stretch, but here I work with technology clients, which gives me an understanding of industries that were foreign to me even a year ago. By practicing PR in these new markets (at least, new to me), I can digest technical details and gain a clearer understanding of various technologies.
The tech sector — especially within Silicon Valley — has the fast-paced, ever-changing environment I’ve always wanted to work in; but I never would have known this without working in PR.
I’ll be honest: an internship in PR was not always on my radar. As a journalism major, I thought I should be copyediting at my hometown paper. It wasn’t until I stumbled into a PR writing internship the summer after my sophomore year that I realized the opportunities that lie in PR.
At Hoffman, I focus on the storytelling aspect that first drew me to journalism, and I broaden my knowledge of communications and the tech markets. I realize that PR is not just about bylines, but also about discovering new industries and the knowledge that comes with working with them. At any internship, this type of exposure is a great way to promote yourself in the post-grad job market because it opens doors that you didn’t know existed.
I think Goldilocks said it best: “Always try it out before committing.” That’s how internships are marketed to students. Through blog posts, social media monitoring and media lists, I have learned what I want out of a full-time position after graduation.
Tech PR is just right for me.
