Are you eager to get involved in the creative workforce? Internships are a perfect way to get a taste of what your future career could look like. Not sure where to get started? Here are 5 tips to help land your dream internship from a current ST8MNT Design Intern.
1. Be ambitious
Just go for it! Take some risks and apply for your dream internship. Reach out to those places in your favorite city, an agency you follow on Instagram, or a cool company you’ve just discovered. The answer may not always be “yes,” but you could be pleasantly surprised.
2. The sooner, the better
Begin applying for internships as soon as possible. Whether you’ve just finished your sophomore year of college or have already graduated, there might just be an internship out there for you. Show initiative by beginning the application process early.
3. Showcase your passions
Your portfolio plays a huge role in landing an internship. Take a look through your work and pick out the strongest pieces to showcase. Include projects that demonstrate a wide variety of skills to highlight your strengths as a creative. Also, be sure to feature pieces that reflect the type of work you are interested in pursuing.
“So many design applicants try to fill their portfolio with work that they think will them will land them a job, rather than including work that they’re really excited about. This is problematic because applicants get considered for jobs doing things that they’re less than passionate about, and the lack of enthusiasm shows in the interview.”
-Parker Foote, Senior Art Director
4. Be open to feedback
Getting feedback is one of the best ways to improve your work. Often times, other people will notice things or have ideas you had never considered. Learning to accept and implement constructive criticism will help you find more success in a creative career.
“It’s always important to add a different perspective into the mix. It’s all about collaboration and hearing out what someone else has to say. Receiving feedback from others about your work might be challenging, especially if it’s a creative piece that you’ve poured your heart into, but the important thing to remember is that the people who take time to give you honest feedback are the people who care about you and want to help push you to that next level. Your work probably looks awesome as is, but there’s often a chance it could look even MORE awesome.”
-Abby Murdock, Designer
Emma Gustafson
ST8MNT Design Intern
ST8MNT