My summer internship at Bright Bright Great began with a Tuesday night Taco party at Logan Square Design Bldg and ended with a company trip to Chicago Comic Con, so it was pretty much the best summer of my life. Beyond mass taco consumption and purchasing vinyl toys with my BBG buds, my internship entailed actually working with clients on real projects — no cleaning the bathrooms or making coffee here.
You’re expected to work like a pro and trusted to handle projects and client relations with tenacity and tact. From the first day, the three interns were totally immersed in projects, meeting with clients, jumping on conference calls, and working together to produce some killer designs.
Through the guidance of Jason Schwartz & Jason Gross, I learned the intricacies of business workflow and how to effectively interact with clients. Jason Gross taught me how to speak professionally on the phone and how to leave voicemails without rambling on with a three-minute goodbye.
(I’m notoriously bad at leaving voicemails). After graduating from a design program that was completely print-based, I had no real experience with digital and interactive design. While interning at BBG, I not only learned the basics of digital design (the 960 grid is your friend), but also how to carry out a project to beautiful completion, from art direction to finessing the fine details.
I learned more in my summer at BBG than I did in an entire year of undergrad. I have a solid understanding of how an agency operates, as well as experience working with real clients. These are things you can only learn on the job, and BBG was an amazing environment for learning.
I came in every day, hung out with the coolest people I know, and designed beautiful things all day. That’s the way life is supposed to be, right? -Amy @amy_nicoleee