On judging an intern by her cover.

Know what's awesome? When people surprise you. 


I have a lot of really frustrating interactions with interns, potential interns, professors trying to get you to take their crappy students to be your interns...you get the drift. So I'm always really stoked when my fears about a student turn out to be wrong. 


At my agency, I'm lucky enough to be given pretty much free reign to select interns as I wish. I can take on one, or I can take on four. I can choose someone with the usual solid design background, or a more digital background, or I could probably hire an oil painter, if I really wanted to. I can take a local student, or some kick-ass crazy motivated student from a school in Tempe, Arizona. I'm even given the freedom to post openings in my own personal favorite places, like AIGA and the local Ad Club. 


But with all this freedom comes great responsibility - to interview thoroughly, trust my instincts, and not stick the team with a total dud. This semester, we had a few fantastic candidates - one of which was this super smart, friendly, interesting student who'd majored in fine art and english, had a masters degree in school psychology or something random like that, and is now studying in a super crappy digital program at the local community college to get a certificate in web design - which I'm pretty confident will be a waste of her money. 


But that last part aside, she was awesome. And she too was suspicious of her "certificate" program, not sure if would get her where she was hoping to go, which automatically bumped her back up in my book. And in her portfolio, though not the strongest book we reviewed, there a few glimmers of wonderfulness. A few thoughtfully selected typefaces, a few carefully kerned words, a few illustrations with a unique and appropriate stylistic approach.


I wanted to offer her an internship outright, I really did, but I've taken in "charity cases" before and it's been bad. Real bad. So, we had her come in and shadow for a week. 


And voila - she rocked it. She's smart, easy to talk to. She ate lunch in the commons with us every day and everyone loved her. She did a couple small projects and got them done well and on time. She caught on quick. She took direction like a champ. And now she starts the real deal on January 24th. Because she made me into a believer in less than a week. 


So interns, make this your goal. In the first week, wow your supervisor. Make them super proud they took you on. Dissolve that pit in their stomach that appeared the day they offered you the internship, with their fingers crossed, hoping you'd be as good as they think you'll be. Make everyone they talk to say, "Dang, your intern is great, good pick!" Make them wish they could offer you a position (because maybe some day they will).


Do that and other things will fall into place. Do that and your internship will be more fun, more fulfilling, and maybe even worth the imaginary paycheck. Here's to the spring semester!