Returning to Silicon Valley after graduating with a degree in creative writing seemed intimidating, so I took a job with the Disney College Program (DCP) in Orlando instead.
Working in the most-visited theme park in the world taught me a lot about leadership, teamwork and upholding world-class standards. It also taught me that fellow DCP alumni are always happy to talk about their experiences.
When my contract ended, I found myself back in San Jose on the hunt for a job where I could solve puzzles, tell stories and help other people be seen. I hadn’t had much previous luck cold-messaging people on LinkedIn, but there was one Disney alum at Hoffman’s San Jose office whom I hoped would be happy to talk about her transition from hospitality to PR.
I was right.
There seemed to be a cultural overlap, I realized, as my contact passed me along to another Hoffman employee after our friendly and informative chat. Each interview felt like a conversation. Each person I talked to seemed curious about me and excited about the possibility of what I might bring to the team.
I kept asking, “What drew you to Hoffman?” and “How did you get to where you are now?” No matter the tenure, the answer was the same: the people and culture. Hit the ground running, don’t be afraid to pitch in, your work and input are valued at every level, and the people around you will support you.
When I read up on Hoffman’s mission to do great work in finding and sharing the story at each client’s core, I discovered another overlap: I already had the skills I needed to get started in PR.
From years of sharing writing in workshops, I have experience in digging for the meat of a story. From my long-time hobby of solving logic puzzles, I know how to think from different angles when one solution isn’t working. From my time as an assistant stage manager and as an intern at a music management firm, I understand my value in helping other people’s work be seen by the right audience and how that exchange can transform the lives of everyone involved.
Having a lot of different interests can feel like a double-edged sword, especially during the job search process. The trick, especially during that process, is finding the roles, industries and companies where those interests overlap.
For me, that intersection is in PR at Hoffman, where I can also pursue my curiosities about how perpetual technological advances impact us all every day, often behind the scenes.
It may not be the same kind of magic as supporting family theme park vacations, but the values of care and collaboration and the goal of helping clients achieve their own goals make me think it’s not so far off.
