Design Student Internship Guideline

We have been working with students in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of Interior Design Degree programs since 2015. We have had amazingly determined students who’ve worked well and had hands on opportunities in various design projects. I am sharing this note in the hopes it will help students and aspiring designers to prepare for their internships and eventual work: Keep in mind that this is your learning opportunity. Don’t waste your time and others’ by not taking this chance seriously. What you have learned in school is the basic academic knowledge for interior designers. The real hands on learning and practical application starts in the workplace. Interior Design is an ongoing practice to provide high level design solutions through a thoughtful process. You are taking your first steps in the interior design profession with the internship opportunity. The more determined you are to learn from experienced designer(s), the quicker you will become one yourself. More directly, you may get offered a junior designer position if you learn quickly and work well with others.

Professionalism is highly valued from the Design Office’s perspective. Arriving a little early so you’re actually working (and not just walking in) at start time does not go unnoticed. Be consistent with working schedules. Taking random breaks or spending a lot of time looking at your phone or not focusing on given tasks could undermine your work.

Punctuality is not something the employer / supervisor can teach or ask of you. It should be a part of your own motivation to naturally keep you going until the job gets done. Work ethics set the tone to develop the habits needed to be professional and consistent during working hours.

Employees with strong work ethics tend to follow or develop daily tasks. These are often in order and organized so that s/he is able to devote and schedule the required time for any one task. Most design offices have a weekly or bi-weekly internal meeting to see how everyone is progressing with their assigned tasks and to coordinate schedules and projects accordingly. It means you will be challenged with tasks and expected a number of hours to complete them. More organized staff will manage the time to not only meet deadlines but to also achieve higher quality design results. Unlike other jobs, design work is often viewed with company standards which could be very different than your own standards. For instance, if you had been graded a “B” from your school and questioned why not an “A” the very answer would be because your assignment didn’t meet the “A” standard set by the marking professor. The same idea applies to your work at a design office. Though your work performance will not be marked, your opportunity to continue as a designer will be determined by your supervisor by reviewing your overall performance. Having a high standard and aligning yours to the company’s, is therefore critical for maintaining a level of high performance.

Part of having a strong work ethic is understanding that you are part of an organization, whatever the size, you have your role in it. It could prove essential to the overall operation so don’t take it lightly. Doing each task properly will affect the end result of the projects you are involved with. Being more productive and efficient over time, will earn you more responsibility.

Although design tasks cannot be judged by quantity over quality, you should be able to see where you are at with a given job and try to meet the expected timeline without losing the quality of your work. A person with a strong work ethic isn’t looking only at what needs to get done but is looking at what needs to get done for it to be a success. Someone who tries to achieve above and beyond is always recognized and appreciated by their peers.

Having an internal drive to succeed is key. This attitude is evident in everything the employee does. It could be a simple computer issue that is causing frustration; an employee with a strong work ethic won’t wait for someone else to deal with the problem. S/he will call the right resources, search online for remedies and work the problem until it is solved. A good designer carries a strong determination to complete what was started.

With proper scheduling, anticipating setbacks, determination to succeed and a high standard of professionalism, the work produced should be consistent and of good quality. Not only is work presented in a neat and professional manner, it often exceeds what was required initially. For example, you might be asked to organize a section of the design sample materials library. One could not only sort the samples but also label them by category and thereby make a better system for the designers to select samples. The differences between these types of workers and others are noticeable and evaluated by your supervisor / employer undoubtedly.

A person with high potential to become a successful designer should know to take a supervisor’s comments positively and constructively. Be open minded to constructive criticism. Don’t take it personally, but listen well without talking back (too much) or being defensive. They’re not personal attacks so just listen, acknowledge, learn. Every designer learns from seniors and peers. Knowing less than your co-workers especially early on is nothing to feel bad about; be motivated to learn as much/ from them. No Interior designers in the field just became designers overnight. They were challenged and overcame obstacles, learned lessons along the way, eventually developing themselves into senior positions. Their strong will, work ethics and ongoing passion for interior design and love of learning perseveres. What they have learned is valuable and should be respected. That perspective and attitude will take you further on your own journey in the interior design profession.