Can I include 'internship experience' as working experience?

Design Discussions design employment
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  1. I have 4 years working experience from oversee before going to grad school in US, and I have worked for some design studios in NYC as intern and part-time for 1 years while I was in school.

In this case can I include my internship experience as an experience on my cover letter? Can I say I have 5 years experience?

  1. Since before going to school, I had worked as a fulltime senior designer, however, after finishing school I still continue working as an intern for another company again for a while, in this case is it reflects to the position that I would like to apply next or not? Will they (HR) put me back to start from the junior-level designer position queue again, or can I apply as a mid-level or senior-level designer?

I know finally portfolio should be the most important thing. But in this case I am just concerned about human resource point of view. :stuck_out_tongue:

Thanks

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You are right that portfolio is most important.

I wouldnt be so worried about what HR thinks, although a prescreening could hurt if they dont consider it.

From my perspective as an employer, I consider the internship as work experience depending on the internship and portfolio.

not all internships are equal.

Some are glorfied coffee fetcher, pencil sharpener gigs.

Others work on real projects and contribute actual deign work.

Also an internship with a small company may not be same as one with a top firm.

length also matters. 5 2month internships is not the same as one 10 month experience.

sorry if this doesnt answer your question exactly.

I would say you can say you 5 yrs. experience. the rest is up to your folio.

R

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rkuchinsky,
Thanks so much for you answer, this’s very helpful :smiley: