Reflections On My Time At Haj Media
As a student studying PR in Miami, I struggled because I wasn’t drawn to work in the hospitality and consumer spaces like many of my peers. I knew I was interested in working with professional services and non-profit clients, but I didn’t know how to take the next step.
I approached Professor Heidi Carr, who leads the University of Miami’s PR internship-for-credit program, with my dilemma. She told me about Haj Media.
I was captivated by their involvement in the Miami community and their variety of clients, which fell within my interests. I quickly saw this was an agency making a real impact with its clients, and I wanted to be part of that.
Working with the Haj Media team became more than I could’ve imagined. My first assignment was putting together a press release for a local community foundation. I was nervous, as it was my first press release assigned for real media distribution. I turned to my old lessons and assignments for inspiration and put my best work forward.
When I sent the press release for review, I was told most communications professionals take years to reach that level of professionalism in a first draft. I felt pride knowing that all the hours I had poured into my classwork had paid off.
Looking back on this experience, I still feel that sense of pride, but what I’ve learned since then is that there was no need to be nervous. It’s OK to be wrong, make mistakes and ask for help because that is the best way to learn and improve.
Everyone on the Haj Media team has been nothing but supportive, showing interest in helping me grow my skills, passing along their experience and involving me in the work they do.
One example was my experience when the Cadillac F1 Team hosted a fan event during the Miami Grand Prix. Instead of taking on a typical intern role for an event of this scale, which is likely crafting a media list, I was the one to pitch the event to reporters and be on site to guide them the day of the event. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I felt so valued by the Haj Media team for allowing me to take such a significant role.
From sitting in on client meetings to handling media relations and drafting content start to finish, my time at Haj Media has prepared me to take on the unknown and face challenges head-on. I’ll always be grateful for my time here, and I’m leaving certain that whatever success follows will trace back to this experience.
Haley Riggins is a senior at the University of Miami, majoring in Public Relations.
