| Advice on Finding a Job/Internship | |
The most important thing in finding a job or internship is one’s portfolio, and the second most important thing is a student’s connections. It’s important to keep in touch with your department head and see if she knows of jobs in the field that may be a good fit for you. Document your work as you progress through school so that you have a body of work to edit during your senior year. RISD Alumni and Career Services heads up most of the effort to find students and alumni internships, jobs, and information. They have a constantly updated database that may be searched for jobs or internships based on your student status, major, and location. You may also make an appointment for more acute counseling. Alumni and Career Services also provides a seminar and workshop series which provides sessions for nearly every students’ situation. These lectures are free and include topics such as: how to prepare a résumé and portfolio, interview tips for design students, how to start one’s own fine art studio, how to start and run one’s own gallery or business, and the list goes on.The third piece in a RISD student’s struggle to find employment rests with the curriculum of the major. Many majors have a class called “Professional Practice,” which is designed to aid students in assembling their portfolio, résumé, and interview skills, and then puts those students in contact with companies or individuals in the field. If students are not hired by these companies directly, they learn a great deal about the process of applying for a job and what will be expected of them, as well as what types of working environments exist in their fields, and where these jobs are.
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