How to get a web design internship or first job

I want to give junior designers all of my tips and tricks after four years of college and more than 250 applications. I have interviewed with places such as National Geographic and Discovery, had two web design internships and landed my first job just a few months out of college.

IMPROVING YOUR DESIGNS

Design has a way of always feeling like you need to push. On each project, you should be able to point to a skill you were trying to improve, from illustration to CSS. This is the only way to not become stagnant. However, copying trends will make your designs predictable.

The best way to improve is to look and learn. Spending at least ten minutes looking at your inspiration websites a day will help greatly. Ideas will stick with you and come out in your designs. For inspiration, check out my resources page.

Other mediums can also be inspirational. Personally, I love interior design and art deco. Going back to the basics such as design principles or Gestalt theory can also help fuel ideas.

Design critiques are also crucial. As a student, try to find others who will participate in informal design critiques every so often. They will be able to give you new approaches or catch errors.

THE PUSH

The next step is to practice as much as possible. Doing this enables you also find a specialty. In a competitive field, this is crucial. Become good at one design specialty (while of course also being good at the basics). Some designers only specialize in print, logos, UI design, UX design, web, etc.

Finding practice is easy when you are starting out, but it usually means working for little to no pay. I started by working for student media. I found my home at an online magazine where I did interactive infographics and websites while working with writers, photographers, and videographers. It may mean giving up part of your social life, but you’ll thank yourself later.

My state school had several on campus graphics jobs listed on the website

I also took different student jobs such as page design for the alumnus magazine at our university. Check your school’s student job listings.

My last resource was myself. Do buy books, take free online classes, and volunteer for design opportunities such as a friend’s resume or portfolio. If you are having trouble finding work at school, make sure to always be on the look out for projects. That preacher at your church? Yeah, they could probably use a website, brochure, or a poster. Propose an offer or do it pro bono. You won’t get jobs unless you promote yourself. If you absolutely can’t find anything, make up a project or website to do. An even better option is to search through websites such as Github for an open source project.

I wouldn’t recommend websites that use crowd surfing, such as 99designs, for beginners. Crowd surfing is where multiple designers enter into a contest to win money for their work. People who have been in the industry for decades also enter into these contests, so you could be wasting a lot time for your work. I have also had my ideas stolen on these types of sites.

IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

Getting experience is more important for the interview than it is your portfolio. Believe me, I’ve done my fair share of laborious free work just to get in another portfolio piece for an application for a company. To my surprise, almost every place I have worked at has come up in my interviews. Even the my worst clients have given me an anecdote for my interviewers. Experience is invaluable.

See below for some questions you should take time to prepare for at an interview.

1. Describe a time when you had a difficult client or a disagreement with a coworker. No trash talking here, but be honest. I usually talk about bringing others to vote on the argument or pulling rank if need be. I also may literally show the designer the two options side by side and why their solution doesn’t work. 2. Tell me about yourself. I usually stick to my design background with a short sentence at the end about my hobbies. 3. Tell me about your proudest work. Make sure to review your portfolio before going into the interview so this question is easy. 4. Technical Questions. This is especially true of places where you will be programming.

WHEN IT IS ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO

Oh, the dreaded portfolio. Just the thought of it used to stress me out. It’s important to remember that when looking at others portfolios, we are not only competing with peers, but every designer on the planet. Designers from some of the best art schools and backgrounds or designers who are art directors with ten years of experience. Try to focus on YOUR best. Easier said than done.

See how my portfolio has evolved.

When starting your portfolio, it can be very difficult to brand yourself. My best advice is to do what feels natural. If you love making logos, make the logo for your portfolio beautiful. If not, put less emphasis on it. Also, try to take a lot of time to find your portfolio style. Each time I rushed mine for applications, it turned out poorly. If you have no web programming skills (Start learning it!), then there are plenty of free template sites for your use with a quick Google search. I do discourage you to spend too much on a website theme. There are plenty of good options for around $30 or less. Also, remember you are trying to display your work. You don’t want a site that is too busy. Lastly, design your resume to match your website. Word files are unacceptable in the graphics field.

APPLICATION PROCESS

It’s never too early to start applying or researching. Each time I needed an internship or a job, I applied to over a hundred places. This game is about quantity over quality. To speed up the application process, I had three or four different cover letters, tailored towards a design studio, a branding studio, a nonprofit, and a media company. Each time I changed the letter slightly.

I kept a spreadsheet on Google Docs that included the name, date of application, and a denial or rejection status. Resumes that were sent were yellow, no listings orange, denials red, and interviews green.

I checked the job boards every day, and applied everywhere. It wasn’t until a week before one summer started that I got a great internship I never knew I could get.

I wouldn’t recommend calling companies at any point during the process. You will first send your resume, and most will not respond. Then, you may get an interview. After the interview, do send a thank you email or card. Other than that, the companies don’t need to be hassled.

Get ready for some rejection. It’s just part of the process. You are going to hear a rainbow of excuses. Unless you receive some concrete feedback, take each with a grain of salt and keep applying. Try to keep your head up because it can be very disheartening and stressful at times.

My favorite job or internship listing sites:

• AIGA (I never signed up and just tried to see what I could without being a member)
• Krop
• Behance
• Indeed
• Dice
• Authentic Jobs
• Internships.com

Other tactics I used included googling “cityName web design studio” or looking at the about or contact section on sites I saw through CSS galleries.

GOOD LUCK

I wish the best to all who are now looking for internships or jobs out of college. It’s a long and rewarding road. I hope these resources will help your search.

Remember:

The best way to find an internship or job is to start working now. You will gain experience and portfolio pieces through freelance or pro bono work found on campus, extra circulars or word of mouth. These experiences will give you an advantage when you start applying to dozens of places and have stories to tell interviewers. Keep track of your applications and follow up with places you get interviewed. Eventually, you will find an internship or job if you put in the effort. For more advice or questions, please leave a comment.