5 Things I Learned Interning at Hanson

This semester flew by and I can’t believe that my time at Hanson has ended. I started working at Hanson as a Content Strategy and PR intern in January. Here’s what I’ve learned since then.

1. Places this cool exist.

What other offices can you bring a dog to work everyday, boast over winning a company chili cook off, and ride around on a Segway? Hanson is an environment that would make any artist, creative type or just about anyone feel comfortable. Because of Hanson, I also now really want a dog.

2. Collaboration is key.

I arrived with a false preconceived notion that everyone sits at their desk all day and works individually. But everyone here is always working together on projects or seeking opinions from other Hansonites. By the time most projects were completed, so many individuals had contributed and played a unique key role.

3. Textbooks and class work only teach you so much.

My PR and journalism classes helped me develop as a writer and learn the basic skills I needed, but you need to get out into the world and see it firsthand. Having the opportunity to come to a workplace each week taught me the most and gave me a glimpse into what working at an agency might be like.

4. You never stop learning.

It sounds cliched. But technology moves quickly, and so many Hansonites attended conferences, workshops and classes in the few months I was here in order to keep learning. As a digital agency, we were constantly developing and updating work, and people here have a real interest in bettering themselves in order to better the work they create for their clients.

5. Each day is different.

I liked this about the agency environment. One day may be filled with client meetings. Another day, you spend the whole day writing for one client, while other days you might be working on multiple projects for multiple clients.

My time at Hanson showed me that working at an agency can be fun, challenging and creative all at the same time. The skills I learned here will help me as I move forward in my career, and I am even more inspired to work in PR at an agency or a non-profit upon graduation in May of 2015.

Editor’s Note: We enjoyed having you on the team, Lisa. Best of luck with your senior year!