Glow is passionate about helping young creative talents gain valuable work experience – to enhance both design and commercial skills. It’s a key thread of our nurturing strategy, and every year we invite interns into our busy studio, to work on live and exciting design briefs.
Ensuring you’re intern ‘match–fit’ and ready for selection, there are a few things you can do before you apply for an internship or work experience in a design agency.
We asked Lisa Lavis, Glow’s Managing Director, what tips she has for interns looking for experience:
Do I need a CV?
Yes absolutely. This is your golden opportunity to show off your design style. Anything goes for CVs and while it’s useful to review other examples, don’t be afraid to go off-piste. It can be printed, digital or a creative mock–up. A key piece of advice for your CV is to make sure you include all your contact details: email, mobile and social media handles.
What about social media platforms?
Again, yes. It’s the first thing prospective employers do – check out a persons’ online presence. First off, check your privacy details. If your Facebook account is personal to you then make sure it is just that. We all need a private life so be mindful of who you want to share it with. Secondly, get your ‘professional’ social face primed. You’ll need a LinkedIn account and Instagram, as a minimum – we’ll be looking to see examples of your style and portfolio pieces from Instagram. With LinkedIn, more of a professional, written profile, and an extension to your CV is key. Make sure you have a good profile photo as well!
Should I have a website?
If you have a good online CV, you won’t need a website but make sure that any online portfolio is easy to access by all users. I, for example, do not use a Mac (the designers won’t let me near 😉). So, it will need to be PC compatible and easy to navigate.
How important is the copy (words) as well as my designs?
Incredibly so. Nearly all pieces of design are accompanied by copy; together they bond to tell a story in a compelling and engaging way. In fact, text on its own is used massively in our agency – when adding annotations to concept presentations, explaining ideas and, of course, in email and online communication every day. If grammar or English isn’t your best skill, make sure your CV or email is proofed. A good tip is, if you don’t know how to spell a word or unsure of its context, use another.
Can I contact the studio for more information about work experience?
Of course, we welcome it. If you’re unsure about anything or want to ask the studio any questions, please feel free to contact us. You can call, email or send us a message via social media, and we promise to reply. All we ask is for you not to just appear at the studio door. We are often in meetings or busy working on projects and need to plan in our / your time.
Are there any other things that will help me stand out?
Integrity. Working in a busy studio requires brilliant design and creative flare but perhaps even more important is integrity – doing what you say you’ll do, on time; being honest and having strong moral principles. If you can demonstrate where you have applied these traits we’d love to know.
Personality. Being you is important, so be authentic. Be honest about who you are and what you believe in and like. Don’t make up things to appear more ‘cool’ or current. Even the perceived coolest of people, aren’t really as ‘cool’ underneath 😉.
