Gopika Chowfla
Gopika Chowfla

Seeking the Perfect Intern: Beyond Design Skills and Unconditional Commitment

It’s not about your portfolio or projects all the time, even what you read, watch or think and discuss can land you a dream position in one of the most reputed design studio. Gopika Chowfla, founder of GCD Studio (earlier Gopika Chowfla Design) highlights some of the key ingredients of her perfect intern!

What do I look for in a ‘perfect intern’? Aha! I am tempted to say ‘slave’! Someone who will toil unconditionally and uncomplainingly 24x7 on whatever is given to her (or him) to do (usually a task no one else wants to do). But of course that is not what happens in reality. The intern’s tenure in our studio is treated as a learning capsule and we try to make sure that they are given the opportunity to get the most rounded experience of a real project. In turn, what we look for (or at least hope to find) when we take on a young designer or an intern, is...

...Someone who is truly excited by and passionate about the whole process of designing, is curious and questions everything. Someone who reads, watches play, talks politics, sings, cooks, travels, knits and is interested in things which are not just about design. Someone, whose only window to the world is not Google.

Someone who is proficient in all the fundamental skills and software required to be a designer! Who has knowledge of history of art and design. Someone who goes beyond the prescribed boundaries and likes learning new skills. Someone who thinks design and can articulate his or her ideas. Someone who enjoys proactively expanding the scope of her assignment. Someone who never stops at the first idea. Someone who wants to get as much out of the studio for own personal growth, as he or she gives back in terms of talent, time and commitment. Someone who wants to become someone!

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