Through the Eyes of an Intern

I am currently undergoing an internship at a print shop called PDQ. This internship gave me a different look at the advertising world. Throughout school I learned all about design and the Adobe suite, obviously being a creative director. However, when I began this internship I learned very valuable lessons. Dealing with customers was one of the biggest hits of reality. Yes, this is a privately run business (a print shop), but it is as much like the real world as being in an agency. I get to deal with clients directly throughout the entire process of creation. I learned to work backwards rather than design blindly. By this I mean I learned important things for the finished product. Just because I chose a color that looked black, doesn’t mean it’ll be the black I’d prefer for the finished piece. Most of the time, clients would send over a .pdf file they need copies of. Without the clean up of the file, most of the time the colors print and look very weak. Instead of just making a design, I am learning what work in the industry will really be like. I also learned a lot about paper quality and the difference in weight, color, etc. Therefore, working backwards is a mental thing when I prepare any of my designs anymore.

This hit of reality isn’t very surprising, but these are the things we should be aware of as students. Not every internship will be like this, however preparing for these kind of things can make your life a whole lot easier. It is best to ask as many questions as possible because the only way to look dumb is to mess up, which ultimately loses money for the business. The more you ask, the easier your life can be as an intern entering the real world.

From the Mouths of Babes: What the Interns Think

-I found this article on Ad Age and it gives a different perspective to the intern world. It’s cool to get a look at the internship process through the eyes of a person in charge.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT! Break away from the typical intern life.