College cannot replace real-world experience. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be where I am today without my college classes and training. However, even my professors know school can’t genuinely prepare students for working in the industry, so they actively encourage students to seek out internships. They know getting the first-hand experience in the industry will teach students things that cannot be taught in a classroom. All of my professors who are working or have worked in the industry share their stories and experiences. However, getting second-hand experiences will never compare to actually working in the field. Getting to be a part of a business and seeing processes in action quickly synthesizes all of those college lessons and catapults your understanding to another level. There are many things I am lucky to be taking away from my internship at Glint Advertising that a classroom couldn’t have provided. Here’s how they made it happen.
Unlimited Access to Knowledge
I was able to ask every question that came to mind; nothing was off-limits. We all know it’s important to ask questions, and that’s not what this is about. This is more about picking the brains of people working in the industry and working alongside them while doing it. This makes it so much easier to put the puzzle pieces together because there’s much less explaining to do. It’s also easier to know what questions to ask when you are in the midst of a project with someone. You might think, “Yeah, I could just ask my professor the same question.” But, how would you know to ask the question without the experience prompting you to seek out the answers?
Exposure to Creative Expertise
I got to build upon my creative process. As a graphic designer, the single most important thing is being creative. I always hear student designers ask the question, “What’s your creative process?” The person answering the question tries their best to explain. But, because they’re only using their words, it’s never entirely clear. There isn’t a class called “Creative Processes.” Thus, students are pretty much left on their own to figure out if they have what it takes to be a designer. At Glint, I learned to make it in this industry, I need to work much faster. While in the classroom, you may have a month, and many tries to perfect a logo. In the real-world, you may only have a few days. Craig taught me his creative process. And instead of telling me, he took his time and showed me. His mentorship has made a lasting impact on my creative process that will be with me forever. Getting that first-hand experience is truly something special; something that couldn’t have been found in a classroom.
Character Critiques
I got critiques on my character that I can use to make myself better. The focus of formal education is mainly on hard skills, so a character critique is rarely something you see in a classroom. You might occasionally see someone getting called out in college because they are overly talkative, or the opposite; not engaged and contributing. But, that’s not exactly building character. Hearing about things you need to improve on as it relates to a business environment, rather than a classroom, gives invaluable insight that will help me in my career. Employees have a short window of time to address issues at a real job before they could be let go. Having the grace to make mistakes, then getting critiques to make corrections during an internship can improve your professionalism. This will ultimately make you more hirable for an actual job.
Connected with the Team
The Glint team truly understands what interns need on an individual level. They take the time to work with each intern on their projects and personal growth. Interns are there to learn and work, and Glint provides a good mix of give and take. There’s no busy work. They really make interns part of the team and challenge you with real projects to complete. It’s a wonderful chance for you to grow your career beyond the classroom, and I’m honored to have had this experience interning for Glint.
Looking for an internship? Give us a call at 817-616-0320 or drop us a note at agency@glintadv.com and learn what it takes.
