Senior, Emily Williams completed an internship with the Spin350 Creative as a Graphic Design Intern. Read on to learn about her experience!
If you’re interested in doing your own internship but don’t know where to start, make an appointment with your Career Advisor by going to Handshake.
What was your internship? I worked as a graphic design intern with Spin350, a creative agency in Boston.
Why were you initially interested in this internship? I was looking for a remote internship where I could get hands-on experience in graphic design. After talking with the creative director, Joe, I was especially interested because this internship was more than just doing busy work. Joe assured me that he also wanted to set aside time to do “learning sessions”, where I could choose a topic related to design and he would answer all of my questions – we ended up doing this about every two weeks and it was a great addition to the work I was able to complete.
How did you find your internship? I began by researching design firms around Rhode Island and in Boston. I made a list of about 10 that I would be interested in working with, and sent emails to all of them, asking about any internship opportunities. For the ones in Boston, I also specified that I would be looking for remote work. I heard back from a few, and ultimately ended up working with Joe at Spin350!
What did you do as part of your internship? I met with Joe every week on zoom, where we would go over current projects that he was working on. I was given many tasks to do independently, and was even given opportunities to take the lead on a few projects to challenge myself. I designed things like banners, signage, logos, and more, all receiving feedback and guidance from Joe afterwards.
Has this internship helped you work towards your future career goals? If so, how? Yes! This internship not only helped me build up some work for my portfolio, but allowed me to learn about running a business and pursuing freelance design work. I hope to continue doing my own freelance work on the side of a full-time job after graduation, and working with Joe was definitely an experience that helped me prepare for managing my own freelance business.
What was your biggest lesson/takeaway from the internship? My biggest takeaway from this internship is how rewarding design can be – especially when you are in charge of what you do! Working in-house for a company is definitely in my future plans, but I also enjoy having the freedom of freelancing on the side. You can choose what projects you work on, how you want to run your business and manage your time, and you get to work directly with clients and expand your professional network.
What advice would you give to someone interested in a similar internship opportunity? Definitely reach out personally to companies you are interested in working with. If you do have to submit an application for an internship, also follow up with a personal email to the company, really expressing your interest and why you want to work with them specifically! A personal touch makes you stand out among other candidates that may be looking for the same position. You also never know what opportunities might be available, even if a company doesn’t specifically list an internship position directly on their website.
