Meet Hanin Sukayri - world traveler, passionate poet, and consumer communications associate on SoFi’s public relations team. What truly drives Hanin is the power of storytelling to connect, inform, and inspire people, especially when it comes to financial literacy. This passion is what drove her to SoFi. Keep reading to learn more about her unique background and the skills she’s developed to be successful at SoFi, plus how her work helps drive SoFi’s mission of helping people achieve financial independence.
We love learning fun facts about our employees. So can you share three things that others may not know about you?
Hanin:
- The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was the inspiration behind my pursuit of a career in communications - Coming from a diplomatic household, politics was an everyday topic at home. Listening to my father analyze certain political events peaked my interest, but as a teenager, I always felt that some of the topics discussed were too complex for me to understand. I therefore turned to more lighthearted shows to break down these concepts to me. Once I started watching The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, I was genuinely fascinated by his analysis and delivery. All I could think of was the behind the scenes of it all. He knows exactly what to say and when to say it, evoking such a strong sense of conviction in his audience. At the time I didn’t know it, but what I was mesmerized by was one of the key elements of PR. I wanted to work behind the scenes and be able to help relay clear messages that are relevant to the times!
- A Rather Unconventional Upbringing - Due to my father’s nature of work, I have lived across three different continents and five countries! This was a pure blessing in disguise, it taught me a true sense of adaptability that then helped me get further in my career.
- I love writing poetry - From a very young age, I’ve used poetry as a form of de-stressing and self expression.
Tell us what drove you to SoFi, and what you do here.
Hanin: Spending my early adult years in the US, I soon realized how scarce financial literacy truly is here. Many people sign up for a credit card not knowing the true cost of it, ending up in debt, ultimately creating a barrier to their major life goals. I always thought this was insanely traumatizing and shouldn’t be the status quo. Financial institutions have a responsibility to thoroughly teach their customers about their financial products and financial literacy as a whole. I remember reading SoFi’s 11 core values, the different content on our blogs, and looking at the brand's overall tone, and thinking, this is where I belong!
As for what I do at SoFi, I am a consumer communications associate. I work to secure media coverage for our company across different consumer touch points, partnering closely with our Certified Financial Planners, career experts, and SoFi members.
My favorite part of the job however? Hearing our SoFi members' payoff stories and the role SoFi played in their journey. After every story I hear, I feel it is yet another reason I’ve found my ideal employer!
"I can argue that everything I do at SoFi, I have passion for! I love doing PR for SoFi because it's a brand that I truly believe in."
You have a really interesting background, what skills have you developed throughout your career that help you to be successful at SoFi?
Hanin: As I mentioned earlier, from the moment I graduated high school, I knew I wanted to be in PR and thankfully, all the roads I took led to it! Each role primed me with a skillset that I now use at SoFi. Compassion, empathy, creativity, and prioritization are by far the most useful in my role here.
When I worked in HR, for a while, I was actually the only HR person for a 60-person office. This meant that anyone who had a problem had to feel comfortable speaking with me. I learned very quickly that it was my duty to understand where others are coming from and show them compassion.
Fast forward to SoFi - We work with Members who are interested in media opportunities to share their stories (like Micah and Shawn). One part of my job is to listen to their story, explain each step of the process, and reassure them that their comfortability is our number one priority. Every time I do this process, I remind myself that this was a huge achievement for the Member and that by sharing their story, they have trusted us with their vulnerability and we do not take that lightly!
"Hearing our SoFi members' payoff stories and the role SoFi played in their journey. After every story I hear, I feel it is yet another reason I’ve found my ideal employer! "
A key component of our culture is our commitment to living our mission and values. How do you see our values playing out in your day-to-day life, and which resonate with your own personal value system?
Hanin: SoFi’s values and mission are the reason I’m here! After my first few positions, I was in a place where I could better identify what I wanted in an employer. My top priority was aligning with what my employers’ values are and to what extent they are applied on a daily basis. I asked each interviewer I had about the values and each person effortlessly spoke of them in depth. That’s when I knew SoFi was the employer I was looking for!
As for which value resonates most with me, it’s “Do the right thing. If you’re not sure, do the harder thing.” This value means so much to me because doing the right thing is oftentimes the hardest, but it’s what helps drive my decisions - being able to sleep at night knowing that I’ve done my best, both personally and professionally.
We’re committed to becoming a workplace where people can find their career passions. Have you been able to identify or hone any of those passions here? If so, what are they?
Hanin: Absolutely! I can argue that everything I do at SoFi, I have passion for! I love doing PR for SoFi because it's a brand that I truly believe in. I love being able to write to the media with extreme pride toward SoFi’s efforts and distinction in the industry. Working with an extremely skilled and intelligent team has also helped me grow significantly as a professional. From strategy to implementation, I’ve not only honed in on my passion for PR, but have the opportunity to learn more about the discipline everyday. In fact, whenever I speak to my friends about my job, they always comment on the level of passion I have for it!
Thanks for your inspiring words of wisdom, Hanin. Readers, if you want to be a part of our journey, consider applying for a role at SoFi today!
The individual featured is a SoFi employee. Their personal experiences, obviously, do not take into account your own specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. Results will vary.
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