Author: TszYin Tung (Alice)

One of the biggest learning experiences in this internship has been interacting with clients and understanding the business side of design. I never realized how much communication is involved in a design job. When I receive a project brief, I have to understand the client’s goals and preferences. I need to ask questions and make adjustments as I work. My supervisor helps me by guiding me on how to phrase questions and explain my design choices professionally. This has been eye-opening because we focus a lot on creating the work in school but less on how to communicate our ideas to clients. Another important lesson has been learning how to stay competitive in the design industry. I’m beginning to understand how valuable it is to be versatile. Offering a range of services helps our company stay relevant and meet more client needs, which is especially important in a market that is constantly changing and highly competitive.

Since beginning my internship, I have gained more chances to improve my technical skills in Adobe Creative Suite, especially in Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. I thought I knew these tools well, but now I realize there is so much more to learn. Each project I work on requires new techniques, like creating clean layouts, using layers efficiently, or adjusting colors for print and digital formats. Practicing these adjustments for different formats has really helped me grow. These skills directly relate to what I’ve been studying in my Communication Design classes, but this hands-on experience pushes me to apply what I’ve learned in a professional context. It feels very rewarding to see my skills become stronger with each new assignment.

Since the employees are working fully remotely, there is no formal office environment or specific dress code. I usually dress casually for meetings, wearing something comfortable but appropriate, like a simple shirt or hoodie.

Each employee works from their own home, so there are no cubicles or open office spaces. We communicate through emails and weekly Zoom meetings to stay connected and coordinate tasks.

The workday is quite flexible. We don’t have strict working hours, but we aim to complete tasks within the deadlines. Personally, I will get tasks done before our weekly meeting. Lunchtime is also up to each person’s preference, as long as the work is on track. This flexibility allows everyone to manage their time efficiently, especially across different schedules.

I chose this internship site because it aligned with my interests in design and provided opportunities to work on diverse projects. It has a flexible schedule so that I can balance my classes and work at the same time, which is one of my biggest considerations. My supervisor will be providing guidance and feedback to improve my work.

The interview was held on Zoom with three mentors and lasted 1 hour. I was asked about my portfolios, my strengths and weaknesses, and the reason why I chose to apply for this job. I also got to ask questions about the team and assignments. I received an email with the job offer about two weeks later.

My first internship was as a Graphic Designer for a public company that creates a variety of deliverables for its clients, including web banners, booklets, posters, and more. The company allows us to work remotely from home, which has been a unique experience for me.

Even though the team is small, we manage to handle many different tasks beyond graphic design, such as video editing and photography. This allowed me to explore new skills and collaborate with other creative professionals, which was very helpful for my growth.