It’s mid-July now and I’m about half way through my internship! I have worked so hard and learned so much so far and I can’t begin to explain how appreciative and lucky I feel for having this opportunity to work in a firm with such a talented and influential designer. As well as working with two other very talented interns who make even the most stressful days fun! As I continue ahead in my internship this summer I’m reflecting on my first day and how much I have learned since then. So I have compiled some tips and suggestions from myself and a few other interns on how to be a successful intern in the design world!
Here are some hard learned lessons from me:
Something I had to learn the hard way, get out of your “school mindset.” As a student we are so use to picking a concept and sticking with it throughout design development but in the “real world” you have to present the client with a ton of different options, supporting many different concepts and many different color schemes, until they find what works for them. I had a hard time with this in the beginning, but quickly learned that you have to have an open mind because you don’t know what the CLIENT will like even if it does support the concept YOU chose; yes there are real clients, not just your professor!
ALWAYS carry a sketch book with you, and I can’t emphasize this enough! I walked into the first day of my internship with only a sharp looking outfit and a ready-to-go attitude, only to find that my boss had a fairly lengthy list of things for me and my fellow intern to get started on. As she started telling me what all we had to do today she quickly interrupted herself by saying, “you might want to write this down.” I grabbed the first piece of paper I could find! The next day I invested in a small note book which I carry around everywhere, filled with sketches, notes, daily reminders because too often my boss will ask me about something I did two weeks ago and I always have the answer!
As many people who know me personally would tell you, I NEVER have my phone on me… Especially when someone needs to get ahold of me! This quickly changed when I started my internship this summer. My boss is constantly texting me and the other interns keeping us up to date about the daily schedules and when I don’t have my phone on me, well let’s just say there was a lot of instances of me looking clueless or showing up to work a little too early! Now I always keep my phone and my charger on me… Just in case!
You should always have an extra pair of shoes with you; this will really show your professionalism. Whether you work in a professional or a little more casual environment, the shoes you wear to work probably aren’t appropriate for all situations. I suggest all interns keep a pair of boots or tennis shoes in their car or at their desk, and if you work in a more casual environment you should also keep a dressier shoe with you. I attended a site visit not too long ago, not knowing what I was in for, and when I got there they actually wanted me to help move a large dresser. Unfortunately I was wearing open toe, open back shoes which are definitely not appropriate for moving furniture. Luckily there was someone else there who could help, but from there on I keep an extra pair of converse in my car!
Always dress the part! Fortunately I work in a more casual firm where a nice pair of dark jeans is appropriate but sloppiness is never an option. I’m definitely not the trendiest person, but this internship has really helped me step up my game because you never know what rep will stop in to update your library or when your boss will have you attend a meeting with him/her. I would suggest not being afraid to over-dress for the first week until you know what the dress code is.
Definitely don’t stress out if you don’t know something, after all we are interns and there to learn! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, it takes less time to do it right the first time rather than the second… or third.
Be there to absorb all the information you can, look at your internship as a learning experience, not just something to put on your resume!
Here are a few tips from other interns:
“Make everything you do seem like the most important thing in your world. Even if it's just getting coffee for someone, be enthusiastic. These are the moments that will shape an employer’s opinion of you.”
Jessica Frank
Indiana University
Interior Design, class of 2011
“Even if you don’t understand the reason your boss is having you do something, do it to the best of your ability because most likely you’ll learn from it!”
Ali Patterson
Ball State University
Interior Design, class of 2013
“Write everything down, so you don’t miss anything and you always have a reference to go back to!”
Morgan Dragoo
Ball State University
Interior Design, class of 2012
"Don't just sit around when you think you have 'nothing' to do. There's always something that can be done whether it's organizing the library or cleaning up the office!"
Heather Gershen
Indiana University
Interior Design, class of 2012
Be Inspired!
Savanna
Savanna
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