How to Fascinate

Kim Haller

A soon-to-be college senior, I mechanically perform the motions of student life. Attend class, do homework, eat, sleep, repeat. Like a robot, I struggle to break the mold of conventional routine. When faced with the task to search for the perfect summer internship, I feared I would be overlooked. What made me unique? My life consisted of textbooks, Pop-Tarts and exams. How was I supposed to stand out amidst a sea of students? 

Sally Hogshead’s speech “How to Fascinate” presented by the TEDx campaign teaches us to capture the attention of others by harnessing our personal strengths. This 20-minute video shaped my perception of professional engagement. If you have a chance to watch Hogshead’s lecture, I promise it’s entertaining! Her charismatic traits aside, Hogshead delves into seven key triggers that, when controlled, leave a lasting impression. The seven traits Hogshead describes are power, lust, mystique, vice, passion, prestige and trust. Though we embody all seven, we relate better to certain characteristics rather than others.

In public relations, image is everything. Harnessing your personal strengths asserts positive confidence in the workplace. I take my triggers – trust and passion – everywhere I go. Yet, how I work best is not the only facet. It’s important to recognize that co-workers and clients identify with various triggers, as well. Learning to adapt your personal strengths to serve a client is vital for success. Not everyone is like you. Like a chameleon, a practitioner must be flexible in different situations. Hogshead’s words inspired my jolt of positive energy during last spring’s interview with Obsidian’s Dallas Division. 

As a student, I assumed the challenges were over after accepting my internship offer. However, I missed the memo about the night-before-your-first-day-at-real-life jitters! After a few deep breaths, I remembered the fascinating messages from the video. I needed to understand myself in order to shine. My favorite message offered by Hogshead was “Make people fall in love with your ideas.” PR practitioners are not just representing a client’s brand; they are simultaneously representing their own. Positive personality and individual brands are crucial to ensure success in the field.

I am beyond excited to begin my summer internship with Obsidian PR in Dallas. I look forward to jumpstarting my training in the public relations field. And, I’m quickly learning that working with a variety of clients requires time management and organization skills! With Obsidian breaking into the Dallas market, I anticipate (and already am experiencing) a fast-paced environment, which I am eager to take part in. Knowing my personality and understanding my co-workers’ and clients’ triggers is of the utmost importance to ensure harmony and success this summer.