I am finally out of the internship game. I’m done! I have just accepted a full time
junior
design position at Groupon.
For the past year and a half I’ve transitioned from student to professional. This experience has truly made me understand the difficulties and anxieties associated with finding employment after graduation. For those of you recently graduated or anticipating graduation, I know you have questions. I know how scared and confused you are.
For the past year and a half I’ve transitioned from student to professional. This experience has truly made me understand the difficulties and anxieties associated with finding employment after graduation. For those of you recently graduated or anticipating graduation, I know you have questions. I know how scared and confused you are.
Due to the ever changing economy and job market, there are very
few current resources available that can give you expert advice on how to
navigate entrance into any industry, especially the creative industry. But I am
here to tell you that, for me, internships were the perfect bridge from school
to work. Unfortunately, some internships are better than others and the word
“internship” has become an abused term. I want to share with you my experiences
with internships, how to not get taken advantage of, how to make the most out
of your internship, and potentially get a job.
First and foremost, I will briefly, and I mean briefly, dive
into the idea of unpaid internships. Let me begin by saying, never work for free. It’s poisonous to your work and our industry. It devalues our worth. Nonetheless, I worked
two unpaid internships. I justified that I would be getting paid with experience. The
cost of learning at an internship was less expensive than enrolling in another
semester of school. If you find yourself offered an unpaid internship, ask yourself, and
your potential employer, the following questions.
1- Is there potential to become a full time, paid employee?
2- Will your internship schedule conflict with more important
things i.e. school,
homework, networking opportunities?
3- Will the internship provide valuable networking
opportunities?
4- Will there be someone to teach and mentor me about things
I don’t know?
5- Will I leave the internship with valuable portfolio
pieces?
6- Will I be getting more from this internship than the
company will get from me?
It’s important
to remember that a lot of unpaid internships justify their lack of compensation due to the fact that they can offer school
credit. That’s fine and all but remember, not only are you working for free but you are also
paying your school to give you those credits. My unpaid internship credit cost me
$3,000. Not to mention that I had to forfeit time that took away from my paid part time job.
The word internship has become an abused term. My friends,
and myself, have had unpaid internships that give us real design problems to
solve but we are the only ones solving them. We aren’t
under any direction or mentoring. In most cases, we were the only designers on staff. This is not an internship. This is
a way for companies to get free work. They aren’t
intentionally trying to be “bad people,” they just don’t understand that an
internship requires that the student have a teacher. I am really good at
teaching myself things but one of the perks of being an intern is being able to
learn from yourself
and an experienced professional. I could go on and on about
unpaid internships and the pros and cons of them but I won’t. I want to tell you how to make the most
of your internship. The objectives you should be aiming for in an
internship should include:
1- Networking
2- Learning about the industry
3- Learning about yourself
4- Creating valuable portfolio pieces
5- Getting a job
Network.
As an intern at four different companies, I have had the
privilege to work with many different people in and out of the industry. I worked at the
Federal Reserve where I rubbed elbows with analysts and event planners. I worked at
a blog and online store where I got to learn about the blogosphere and e-commerce. I
worked at a studio that only employed student interns where I got to meet my peers
and the future shapers of the design industry. I’ve met people in the industry who have tipped me off about job opportunities, industry events, and new designers. I have
met people outside of the creative industry who have taught me patience, taught me to
look at the world differently, and have passed my name along to friends who
might need a designer. Your network shouldn’t
only include people who are doing the same thing you do. Your network should include a diverse group of people who have
different interests, professions, and ideas. Create a network that will prove to
your advantage when you
need a referral or research for a future project.
Learn about the Industry.
An internship is the best place for you to learn about the
industry. In the creative industry, everyone knows what it’s like to be a student. They were once in your shoes and everyone, for the most part, wants to help you. They
understand that you are a student and are still learning the ropes. They will accept
your ignorance and help you overcome it. They will be more patient with you because this
is your time to learn. Become an active learner. Ask questions. Be engaged. Be
curious. Be excited.
It’s important to
ask professionals the questions that weren’t covered in school. Ask how much
your design is worth. Ask about networking, contracts, notable designers that
you should be watching, events you should be attending. Ask about dealing with
clients, agencies, outsourcing, collaborating. It is impossible to
ask too many questions. You are a sponge. Soak up all this valuable and free knowledge.
Learn about yourself.
An internship is the best way to discover yourself. Take
time and discover your process and your style. My four internships were very
diverse. Working at these very different places, I got an idea of the kind of
environment and process in which I work
best. I got to try out different processes and discover what makes me work the
most efficiently and create the best
outcome. I discovered how I interact with people. Most internships are just a
few months and within a year and a half I got to work at 4 different places. I,
for the first time, realized that I am very shy but am quickly able to become
very open and friendly once I’m
comfortable.
At Groupon, it was my goal to become more friendly faster
and not be afraid of what my new coworkers would think of me. I learned that I don’t have to keep quiet during the first few meetings. I need to start making a difference the
second I start working somewhere. Employers bring me onboard because they see
something in me at the interview. Being quiet and a pushover at the beginning isn’t polite, it’s cowardly. Critique people’s work,
stand up for your design choices, don’t be afraid to draw attention to yourself, as long as it’s positive. I also learned that I sometimes tell my coworkers too much about my personal life. While I want to be friendly and
open with my coworkers, my relationship status and family drama is none of their
business. Keep that personal stuff to yourself and only vent about it when you’re out
with the girls.
Create valuable portfolio pieces.
One of the biggest perks of being an intern is being able to
work on real projects with real clients. At first, I was nervous about being too slow
and not making pieces fast enough. Employers realize that you are still learning and it
might take you a while to implement your process or get use to the company’s style guide. Take your time and make sure you are creating something that is valuable to not
only your employer but your portfolio. Don’t
just create something because your boss told you to. Go through your process so that you will be able to explain why you did
what you did. Any employer
will find this valuable in an employee. If you wouldn’t be proud enough to show it in your portfolio,
don’t make it. A lot of designers have a distinct
style in their book. Don’t be afraid
to try different styles. It’s good
to have a diverse amount of work in your portfolio. Sure, you might be very comfortable creating DIY inspired graphics but it might be interesting, and
important, to have something that looks a little more corporate in your
portfolio. Most of the time your aesthetic can shine through.
Get a job.
The only reason you would even consider being an intern is
because you want a job. Internships can give you experience and pad your resume so
that you will find your dream job. If your internship is at a place that is home to
your dream job, pay attention. Most internships say there is a potential for hire after the
internship is over. It’s important to
realize that a company must first have the money to hire you. All my internships
said they wish they could hire me but they simply couldn’t afford to hire a new salaried employee. Even if your
internship can’t hire you, it’s important
to follow the guidelines below because they will help shape
recommendation letters and referrals.
1- Clearly show your value.
Work hard and be on time. Make your company see why they can’t live without you. I was one of two designers at the Federal Reserve. The other
designer explained to our coworkers that having me there made her job easier. We were
able to take on more projects and explore new technologies and design offerings.
I was working on projects that didn’t only
make me look good but it made my boss and our department look good. While
the Fed couldn’t afford to pay me
salary, they found enough money to keep me as a contractor 6 months
after my internship ended.
2- Become a part of the discussion.
Pay attention and speak up in meetings. Make your company
see why you belong there. The Fed was a very different environment for me. I do
not understand economics at all. I started listening to Planet Money on NPR to learn about
the fiscal cliff. I was slowly learning my coworkers’ language. In a meeting, I probably had no business attending ,
the discussion of South Side Chicago economy came up. They were discussing the
benefits that a local economy would have on the South Side. A few days later, a
friend of mine posted a story about urban farms in the south side neighborhood
of Englewood. I read the article and found it to be on topic with the
discussion held at our meeting. I passed the article along to my coworkers. I
became a part of the discussion and the economists, for once, didn’t treat me like a “designer.” They treated
me like an educated part of the team.
3- Find an position that needs filling.
At Groupon, I discovered that a lot of my fellow designers
do not attend industry events. For me, it’s one of
my favorite pastimes. I started sending out invites to my coworkers for events I would attending. I continued to go alone. One
by one, coworkers started RSVPing to my calendar invites and attending events with me.
When I got offered a Position, I was told that becoming involved in the industry
is something that the Groupon Design team finds very important. My knowledge of events and
small network of professionals in the industry is valuable to Groupon and
they need me to head up all the
events that come up and make sure people are invited. This
was something I was already doing, I just get the opportunity to invite my coworkers
now.
I have a lot of friends who have worked at one internship already. They are neglecting the internship opportunities because they simply don't want to be an intern anymore. Believe me, I understand. But please use these internships as stepping stones. Don't take an internship that won't help you grow. When I was in my junior year I had the opportunity to hang out at the DDB offices in Chicago. I was able to talk to a copywriter and art director about their experiences in finding jobs. They advised me that I should aim for 2 internships. This allows you to be in a two different learning environments. I agree with this advice. It has helped me immensely to work in so many different environments. An internship lets you get these experiences with all the benefits that I have discussed above.
Edited by Cara Narkun @CaraNarkun
Edited by Cara Narkun @CaraNarkun
