Three months ago, Hoffman welcomed me with open arms and an internship that completely opened my world. Now, as my time as an intern comes to an end, I want to share the things I wish someone had told me when I was starting out.
If you had told me a year ago that I would be starting my career in tech PR, I wouldn’t have taken you seriously. Back then, I was dreaming about New York Fashion Week and a career path in that direction. But the more I thought about it, I quickly realized that wasn’t where I wanted to be, and to figure that out, I needed to try something new.
For me, that was tech PR. It was the perfect combination of pursuing a career in communications and working in a sector of PR that was completely foreign to me. So, when I got the opportunity to join Hoffman and support B2B tech, I was thrilled to explore a whole new side of the PR industry, and let’s just say every day brings something different.
It didn’t take me long to realize I was out of my element, but these are the things I told myself that made this experience worth it.
Don’t let the unknown overwhelm you.
When you’re stepping into an internship, there’s going to be a lot of things you don’t understand at first. In tech especially, it can feel like a foreign language you don’t know how to speak. There’s a lot of technical terminology and a million acronyms, and like any agency, everything is moving at such a fast pace.
It can be overwhelming to learn the ins and outs of tech while navigating client communications and adapting to agency life, all while trying to get it right. The key is to take things step by step, rely on the support around you and stay curious.
Educate yourself.
I don’t think this is talked about enough, but there’s a lot of power in being an intern. It’s a time where you can ask all the questions in the world no matter how big or small, make mistakes, try new things and grow from the experience. That kind of freedom doesn’t follow you as you climb up the corporate ladder.
So, while you’re an intern, take advantage of it. When times are slow, read the news, listen to podcasts and ask a million questions to familiarize yourself with the industry. There’s no handbook on how to handle multiple accounts with vastly different clients; all you can do is prepare yourself for what comes next.
And most importantly, don’t feel guilty when you make a mistake. You will mess up — that’s inevitable. All you can do is take it as a moment to grow and move forward. You won’t learn if you’re afraid of getting it wrong.
If someone told me about these caveats that day I started at Hoffman, I would have taken more advantage of my time and been easier on myself when I got it wrong.
My advice? Don’t be afraid to be the intern. This experience is truly what you make of it, so give it everything to show up, tackle new challenges, learn the nuances of tech and make your mark.
Above all, make connections with those around you. My experience wouldn’t have been the same without the relationships I’ve built along the way.
