I have an interview coming up for an internship position and was wondering what are the key things I need to prepare in terms of the things I need to know, questions that might be asked, and also what should I bring? I’ve looked online for tips but they mostly are not specific to designers.
Thanks!
First it would be easier to direct you if we saw you portfolio and the type of internship you may be going for. We would then be able to give you ver specific feedback.
For an overall answer to you question… How do you prepare? You need to know as much as possible about the company as you can. Know their product, know their ways of working, and make a story around what you can bring to the company. Just because you are an intern does not mean you should take this any lighter that if you were applying for a full time position.
What should you bring? You need to bring what is best going to communicate you as a designer. If that is just a portfolio than go with it, but I have found that it is more than that. Remember you can never be too prepared. I normally take a book of sketches and samples that relate to the interview.
I hope this helps. Good luck!!!
Good advice by Justin.
I would like to add that you should really know your own work and be quick on the draw when certain questions come.
What might be a good approach is to present your portfolio to fellow designers, friends, students. Kind of a roll playing situation. Preferably people that might not necessarily know your work. They will point out aspects that might have slipped your mind.
This is less about you presenting a perfect portfolio and more about finding the right answers to the questions you will face.
This will help you to be confident in what you are showing. In my experience, it is how you carry yourself in the interview that will win the race for you. Being humble but confident goes a long way.
Other than the obvious of discussing the content of your portfolio. Some ‘soft’ skill things to weave in while discussing the content of your projects.
I recommend talking about about team dynamic, how successful partnerships were created because of (you and/or project). Both within the design team, as well as client and any kind of resourcing.
Discuss what role you played within the team- were you the one constructing actionable tasks? Great at detail? The eccentric throwing out crazy ideas? What ‘role’ you enjoyed the most.
Don’t feel ‘bad’ about saying you “didn’t make/do” an aspect of a project- but your teammate was responsible. Celebrate that and bring it back to you and what you brought to that project.
Know yourself. You should be able to tell me who you are, what you are passionate about, what you excel at, what you want to learn more of, and how all of that relates to the company I work for and the kind of work we do very clearly and in a concise manner. Most of what you show and say should support that story. Connect the dots.
Interviews go both ways. Do not forget that you are also interviewing them. You need to find out if this is the right company for you.