I found the internship via an OpenLab posting. Shortly after sending my application, I got an email from the college’s AIR department asking for an interview. I agreed to come in on Thursday, and made sure to dress nicely. Although my resume contained a link to my online portfolio, I knew from past experience interviewers really liked looking at the physical copy. For some of the design work I did for past internships, I wasn’t able to obtain the original physical copies, so I had to settle for my personal print-outs.
On the day of the interview, I was greeted by one of the employees there, Isana. She took me to a small office, and discussed my skillset and what I had done during my past internships. Rachel also took a look at my portfolio, and was thrilled that I had brought physical copies with me. She was especially impressed with a small brochure I did for my Type I class. This took me by surprise, as I was extremely aware that the organization of body text still showed my inexperience when it came to type. She told me that my design style actually fit in very well with the department’s aesthetic, and took my portfolio to her supervisor. After a few minutes, I was told to come see her.
Her supervisor, Ms. Cumming, told me she was also impressed with my brochure, and that they were looking for design students to help them with their new handbook. It was at this point I realized they were willing to hire me. When I informed her I was also interested in web design, she told me that their website does need some tweaking, and I could work on that. Afterwards, we agreed that I would come in on Wednesdays and Fridays, as those were also the working days of their current graphic designer, who I would be working with closely.
