How I ended up at The Hoffman Agency is purely fate. I’m an ad girl, but I’m currently being converted to PR … maybe.
As a spring term senior, I was on application 30-something when I stumbled upon The Hoffman Agency’s intern program — sent to me by one of my good friends. I applied that same day and heard back two days later.
The response, clearly positive, felt personable. With such a warm first interaction, I needed to find out more.
I did a deep dive into The Hoffman Agency, and I liked everything I saw. The website layout stood out to me. The witty copywriting resonated with the environment I pictured myself working in.
So, I researched them a little more on social media and read through multiple blog posts. I didn’t know much about PR, but I was eager to learn. To be completely honest, I had to look up what PR entailed. Spoiler: Two days into the internship, it made sense. But leading into it, I felt like I needed to overcompensate for my advertising background.
After the positive responses I had received, like all unpredictable things in life, it seemed I hadn’t secured the internship. I believed everything happens for a reason. I had tried securing internships in New York, LA, Chicago and Portland, and it seemed like it just wasn’t my time. I couldn’t let it get to me. The last silly kid summer I’d have, I told myself. I would finally explore the U.S. and maybe babysit all while I virtually build connections with people in the professional field.
I decided to stop stressing about the future (I couldn’t fully stop thinking of the next step in my life) and enjoy my last two weeks of school. I was sitting in my final class when I got an email from Tori. My heart quite literally skipped a beat as I saw the preview on my screen: “Any chance you’re still interested …” Life was unpredictable once again. I accepted in 17 seconds, if even.
Now I’m sitting in the Portland office surrounded by big windows and a whole lot of typing. I’m just as excited to be here as I was when I first researched Hoffman.
In this place, I have already learned to reach out and ask for help. All the PR-anic that I felt leading into my first day has disappeared because of how supportive the people are.
Post-grad life has been an adjustment, but I’m so grateful to have this experience. I wouldn’t know what to do if I wasn’t learning something new every day.
Need to join a client call now! Be back with an internship update in a few months!
