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Job outlook for design interns in the United States
Design internship job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected design internship job growth rate is 3% from 2018-2028.
About 6,800 new jobs for design interns are projected over the next decade.
Design internship salaries have increased 12% for design interns in the last 5 years.
There are over 33,475 design interns currently employed in the United States.
There are 97,018 active design internship job openings in the US.
The average design internship salary is $45,791.
Are design internship jobs in demand?
Design Internship job and salary trends over time
Design Internship jobs over time
Design Internship job growth rate over time
| Year | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33,475 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 32,894 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 34,836 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 34,522 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 34,541 | 0.01% |
Average design internship salary over time
Design Internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $45,791 | $22.01 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $44,701 | $21.49 | +3.5% |
| 2023 | $43,209 | $20.77 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $41,776 | $20.08 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $40,867 | $19.65 | +1.6% |
Design Internship jobs by state
Most common states for design interns
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 130 | 19% |
| 2 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 464 | 11% |
| 3 | California | 39,536,653 | 3,449 | 9% |
| 4 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 692 | 9% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 635 | 9% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 56 | 9% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 112 | 8% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 77 | 8% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 384 | 7% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 368 | 7% |
| 11 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 265 | 7% |
| 12 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 218 | 7% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 73 | 7% |
| 14 | Alaska | 739,795 | 49 | 7% |
| 15 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 42 | 7% |
| 16 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 590 | 6% |
| 17 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 495 | 6% |
| 18 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 410 | 6% |
| 19 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 199 | 6% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 46 | 6% |
Most common cities for design interns
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankfort | 8 | 29% | $40,337 |
| 2 | Annapolis | 9 | 23% | $56,890 |
| 3 | Dover | 7 | 19% | $44,591 |
| 4 | Lansing | 10 | 9% | $39,211 |
| 5 | Springfield | 9 | 8% | $44,712 |
| 6 | Topeka | 7 | 6% | $39,796 |
| 7 | Des Moines | 8 | 4% | $42,978 |
| 8 | Little Rock | 7 | 4% | $41,603 |
| 9 | Tallahassee | 7 | 4% | $35,897 |
| 10 | Atlanta | 13 | 3% | $39,620 |
| 11 | Baton Rouge | 7 | 3% | $40,434 |
| 12 | Montgomery | 7 | 3% | $40,254 |
| 13 | Sacramento | 8 | 2% | $63,064 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 10 | 1% | $46,667 |
| 15 | Boston | 9 | 1% | $57,490 |
| 16 | Denver | 9 | 1% | $44,167 |
| 17 | Indianapolis | 8 | 1% | $42,296 |
| 18 | San Francisco | 8 | 1% | $64,253 |
Design Internship job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of design internship experts
Beloit College
Merrimack College
Louisiana Tech University
Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Highline College
Texas State University
Bowling Green State University
Belmont University
Eastern Illinois University
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Montclair State University
Seattle University
Kansas State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Millikin University
The University of Memphis
Providence College
University of Utah
University of South Alabama
Saint Peter's University
What general advice would you give to a Design Internship?
Shelbi Wilkin: Day to day work can vary when working as a designer for theatre. When not researching and analyzing plays, designers work on rendering designs, budgets, and sourcing materials. Designers can expect regular meetings with a production team and shop supervisors for their discipline. As a costume designer my role would be to meet with costume shop managers and drapers to ensure designs are realized per my vision, attend fittings for actors, tech rehearsals, photo calls, and strike for a performance. How much the costume designer engages with a shop or builds costumes themselves depends on the institution hiring.
What general advice would you give to a Design Internship?
Nancy Wynn: The foundational knowledge of Design is constant, but the technology changes at a fast-pace-one can love or hate that aspect. Additionally, some people love and hate aspects of working in the business environment. Since Design is interdisciplinary, it is best to approach the profession understanding that one needs to learn many things well, which requires continued learning and research; you need to embrace collaboration; and you need to learn how to articulate your ideas in writing and orally to small and large groups of people.
Tom Futrell
Associate ProfessorLouisiana Tech University
Design And Applied Arts
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Tom Futrell: Building a killer portfolio is the baseline for students entering the design field. However, to boost earning potential, designers must go beyond the basics and set themselves apart from their competition. This may involve showcasing additional interests and skills, emphasizing design systems thinking, or excelling in presentation abilities. Successful designers won't settle for mastering software alone or consider themselves artists - they will be dedicated problem solvers and visual communicators, capable of connecting diverse ideas with diverse audiences.
Mary Miller
InstructorOklahoma State University Institute of Technology
Graphic Design Faculty
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Mary Miller: The skills that will help you earn the most money throughout your career as a graphic designer are people skills and business skills. It's expected that you must have the design skills to be a long-time creative employee, but to rise to the top of the field, you have to be savvy with people and business decisions. If a designer works in the industry for several years and starts their own studio, they obviously need business knowledge to run and grow their business. Many designers who follow this career path move out of the creative work and concentrate on client relations and acquisition, managing their employees, and running their business. The owners of agencies and studios can earn large, six or seven-figure incomes. The designer who doesn't want to own their own business but would rather be a creative director and/or VP in a large agency will need great people skills. They will be responsible for developing their creative teams and managing people. As VPs and creative directors, they will have more administrative responsibility for the agency, but they don't have the full responsibility an owner does. These positions earn six-figure incomes.
In these creative positions, the portfolio is the most important thing to get the job. It's not as important to have advanced degrees as it might be for accountants, engineers, or other fields. Even job postings that say they require bachelor's degrees will enthusiastically hire someone with a portfolio that showcases the right skill set, regardless of their education. The creative department ultimately decides who they want to hire, not the HR folks who typically can't assess a creative portfolio, so degree requirements are generally not as important. HR people will screen resumes for certain words, which is not necessarily the most effective way to hire creative people. The portfolio is the best way to determine the candidate's ability. The post-pandemic economy has forced companies to change some of their hiring practices. There are so many open jobs that companies realize that they can't use some of the tired strategies they used before the pandemic. They are less concerned about degree requirements now as more Americans are questioning the expense of 4-year degrees and fewer people are willing to go into deep debt to buy one.
More Americans realize the value of industry-focused, technical degrees in higher education and seek less expensive ways to ensure career success. (ABC News did a recent series on this subject. It was broadcast on KRMG radio a couple of weeks ago. The series was all pandemic recovery, "how have we changed" type of reporting.) Associate of Applied Science degrees can fill the void for many. People are doing their homework and looking for programs with great track records and successful alumni that prove it. OSUIT's graphic design program has been around since 1946 when the school was started and has lots of examples of graduates who hold associate's of applied science graphic design degrees, and nothing more, who are successful agency and studio owners, VPs of Creative, Marketing Directors, Design Directors, Executive Creative Directors, Creative Directors, Associate Creative Directors, Sr. Art Directors, etc.
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Diana Boyd: -Originality/Creativity
-UX/UI design
-Branding
-Marketing and Advertising
-Illustration
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Diana Boyd: -Collaboration/Teamwork
-Interpersonal
-Reliability
-Ethical behavior
-Self-starter
What hard/technical skills are most important for Design Interns?
Diana Boyd: -Adobe Illustrator - Vector drawing skills
-Adobe Photoshop - Working with raster images
-Adobe InDesign - Layout skills
-Adobe Animate - Animation
-Adobe XD - UX/UI prototyping
-Wordpress/Adobe Portfolio/Adobe Dreamweaver - web design/development
-Microsoft Word /PowerPoint
Holly Sterling
Associate Professor of Communication Design, Internship CoordinatorTexas State University
School of Art and Design
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Holly Sterling: - Strong communication and problem-solving skills - not only in your design work but in your day-to-day job.
- Being able to work collaboratively and be a responsible team member (i.e., productive, organized, respond positively to feedback, adaptable).
What hard/technical skills are most important for Design Interns?
Holly Sterling: - Literacy in relevant software, written communications, design research, iterative design processes, presentation skills
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Holly Sterling: - If you're talking about hard skills, there's a run on "all things UX," and there are more positions to fill than designers to fill them. Also, strong visual designers who can do also do some illustration and motion graphics are in high demand.
- If you're talking soft skills, hiring managers frequently tell me that "who" the designer is every bit as important as what they can do, so be a good human that people will want to work with. This will serve you well throughout your entire career.
Jenn Stucker
Associate Professor, Chair of The Graphic Design DivisionBowling Green State University
School of Art
What skills stand out on Design Internship resumes?
Jenn Stucker: A BFA degree, a Bachelor of Fine Arts in graphic design or communication design are distinctive. It is a professional degree in the field. A BFA represents a concentration in growing creative skills through creative coursework. While technical skills earned in a technology or certificate program are valuable for producing design work, strong skills in visual design and creative thinking define how and WHAT work is worthy and necessary for people to experience.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Jenn Stucker: A good designer's soft skills include empathy, critical thinking, context, collaboration, leadership, networking, and the ability to present and articulate ideas.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Design Interns?
Jenn Stucker: Technical skills in the Adobe Creative Cloud are necessary as it is the industry standard. Additionally, good designers should know the basics of HTML and CSS and work in digital collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, Miro, and Figma.
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Jenn Stucker: Along with good visual design skills, creative thinking, problem-solving, and strategy will set a designer apart from others. These kinds of designers can understand the big picture of design in relation to context, culture, and meaning.
Doug Regen
Professor of PracticeBelmont University
Graphic Design Department
What skills stand out on Design Internship resumes?
Doug Regen: Ability to problem-solve with strong creative solutions. Innovative. Detail-oriented. Ability to design creative solutions based on research...understanding the target audience, trends, etc.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Doug Regen: Team player. Enthusiasm. Hark worker...willing to put in the time. Strong communicator. Openminded.
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Doug Regen: Brilliant Ideas are executed flawlessly. Team player. Ability to motivate and lead others. Strong communicator and presentation skills.
Samantha Osborne
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Owner, Samantha Osborne DesignEastern Illinois University
Art + Design
What skills will help Design Interns earn the most?
Samantha Osborne: An ability to effectively communicate, navigate creative resources, network, empathize with others, and come up with innovative creative solutions. That said, your work still needs to be stellar and consistently great if you're going to be a big earner.
What skills stand out on Design Internship resumes?
Samantha Osborne: Soft skills are equally important to hard skills. Graphic designers are visual communicators. Visual communication is a universal learned skill, vs. a linguistic capability. This means that graphic designers must learn to recognize and effectively utilize mood and tone in their own visual compositions in regard to color theory and psychology, gestalt principles, and font or lettering design. Essentially a well-skilled graphic designer becomes part psychologist in working through design problems and deciphering client direction, part problem-solver in developing an effective solution to the design problem, and part artist in bringing astonishing and original visual communication and graphics to reach a solution.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Samantha Osborne: Three soft skills stand out most: an ability to see the big picture, an ability to "read" people, and an ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s).
i. An ability to see big picture: there are an infinite number of details in graphic design, whether you work in website design on the front or back end, or in print media with physical outputs. It's easy to get caught up on the details, especially when clients are making specific demands about things such as paper type. A skilled designer must be able to see beyond the details and look at the big picture for an effective design solution. For example, a client may be asking for an invitation design for an up-coming event. A skilled designer will ask questions and dig in, eventually uncovering that perhaps for a successful event, the client also needs a splash page and social media, either in place of or in addition to an invitation. A skilled designer addresses design problems holistically, rather than minutely.
ii. An ability to "read" people: designers are trained in art-specific vocabulary. Hue, saturation, pixels, gestalt...most non-art folks don't use or speak that language. When clients are describing their goals, they aren't using art-vocabulary. It's a designer's job to translate what the client is saying into an advanced and effective creative solution. They must be able to speak and understand the language of non-creative folks, as well as the language of the broader creative industry.
iii. An ability to make a convincing argument for your design solution(s): many young and inexperienced designer tend to get their hearts broken when a client smashes one of their [very well thought-out] ideas. Rather than rolling over, a designer must learn to navigate how best to build support for their idea(s). That might mean in some instances you work more fluidly with the client throughout the design process, so that they feel they have ownership in the development of the solution. In other instances it might mean that the designer is presenting options, rather than a single solution, so that the client feels empowered to make choices throughout the design process. And in some instances, it might be a matter of better explaining and presenting your idea to a client; perhaps the designer needs to push back more, perhaps they need to provide more research as to why their solution is best, or maybe they simply need to present it with more excitement and enthusiasm.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Design Interns?
Erik Beehn: I do think there will be an impact on graduates who are going through programs in the midst of the pandemic mostly in the sense of community. I think one of the benefits of school are the conversations between peers, the studio visits and the group critiques. I think there are other benefits that have come from video conferencing and remote teaching but ultimately there is a bonding experience that comes from those experiences which helps foster community that I think is missing.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Design Interns?
Erik Beehn: I think one skill or class that may be useful for artists leaving school is a business in the arts class, something that may help with more than just building a portfolio and can give some insight as to how to manage a studio practice, how to submit grants and proposals, I think that is often information that is left out of a fine arts degree.
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Erik Beehn: I think again the most important aspect coming out of art school is community, and on top of that knowing what the opportunities are within your field. As an artist coming out of school it's figuring out a sustainable practice, and finding ways to support that practice which can include art handling, working for a museum or gallery, assisting another artist, or a fabricator. I suggest students think about access when finding a job, so to work at a frame shop where you may have access to the woodshop on lunch or after work, or working at a printshop where you may get access to print your own work as finding access to equipment is often difficult right out of school.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
John Luttropp: One of the biggest trends is the use of Zoom or similar videoconferencing for everything from interviews to presentations to clients. Graduates will need to develop a professional presence in their on-air persona, together with having good presentation and discussion skills over this medium, as it will most likely continue even after Covid-19 gets under control. Therefore, it is important that new graduates feel comfortable and competent with the medium.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Design Interns?
John Luttropp: Designers are evaluated more on their work than by certifications or licenses, so they must be able to discuss their concepts and be able to explain their work in detail, especially their process of development of any project. Most entry-level designers are evaluated more on their skills as a thinker than on technical skills, and good thinking skills will also prepare them to adapt to changes in the industry, which are happening at a rapid pace. Certifications may be helpful, but are not a requirement of getting a job in the field.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
John Luttropp: Salaries change based on demand, and current demand is in the areas of User Interface (UI) and User Experience (UX), as well as the growing area of Motion Graphics and Augmented Reality (AR). Even in more traditional print-based areas-many of which are evolving into digital formats-designers need to be have a broad vision that connects print to digital experiences. Another area of growing demand is design related to analytics-display of information by the use of easy-to-understand graphics such as charts and graphs, many of which are now interactive.
Morten Bustrup
Adjunct Professor of DesignSeattle University
Department of Art, Art History & Design
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Design Interns?
Morten Bustrup: Yes, based on the conversations I've had it seems like the new normal will likely be a hybrid model for everyone. It seems like people have learned to work as effectively remotely as they do on-site.
What's a day at work look like for a Design Internship?
Morten Bustrup: Based on the above, they will be in a hybrid setting, at least in 2021. They will engage through a variety of digital collaboration tools and will most likely go through on-boarding virtually for their first job, at least in 2021. Some might enjoy more focused design time in a remote setting. They'll also spend more time in building relationships with their colleagues in a virtual environment. Sounds like Naomi might have some more info here based on recent graduates.
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Morten Bustrup: In UX and design as a whole, not only is good design important but even more so their ability to back up they ideas by articulating their thinking and process in problem solving. They should also adopt a strong understanding and insight for the users for which they are designing. Proactively learning new tools and stay on top on trends will also be beneficial to them.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Design Interns?
Georges Fares: The pandemic has impacted graduates in two different ways, the first of which being that they were forced to adjust in a very short amount of time to doing everything from home away from campus and the comforting presence and support of their friends and teachers. They had to reconsider and replan everything, from their schedules, daily routines and commitments that they had set in advance and that took them a year or two to finally adjust to. They basically had to start all over. I do think this has prepared them, in a way, to better face the professional world that is prone to sudden changes and discomforts. The second impact, in my opinion, has to do with the fact that they will forever remember this difficult time and that will ultimately shape them into a stronger and more resilient generation who is better prepared for difficult times. This generation will hopefully use this experience to become the kind of graduates with a unique perspective and a willingness to face any challenges head on.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Design Interns?
Georges Fares: Building a good resume is a great way to advance and stand out in our domain. But that doesn't mean it's all you will need to progress in the business. If there is anything this field has taught me it's that the biggest impact on our job prospects would be making yourself stand out as a job applicant by developing your skills as much as possible. Yes, you can get licenses and certifications in almost anything now, and some certificates you can even get from the comfort of your bedroom, but growing and developing skills takes time and patience; it takes effort and a will that is not reflected in those certifications. Such skills could be focused on technology, computers, learning new software, enhancing drawing skills, developing design thinking, so on and so forth. One can recognize such skills by sitting down with the applicant and speaking to them or seeing them work, and not necessary through their resume.
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Georges Fares: Interior Design intersects with and is influenced by many other fields. It's hard to be specific about what can increase the earning potential of designers as different firms and departments have different requirements, but if there is anything I am sure of it's that if students were successful in connecting to different fields and working on a multi-disciplinary level, then they can be a great fit anywhere which will make them a desirable asset to anyone. Interior Design can connect to all disciplines, such as psychology, medicine, education, and so on. And by working combining various disciplines or fields in your work, you can show that you are passionate about Interior Design and can work on a level that will definitely increase the success of the firm, and ultimately raise your earning potential and allow you to carry more responsibility that can definitely create a rapid change and development on a personal and professional level.
Noel Lorson
Associate Professor - director of Graphic DesignMiddle Tennessee State University
Department of Art and Design
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
Noel Lorson: Creative agencies-in-house through big advertising firms, will hire on a short-term contract basis. The emails that I receive requesting recent graduates and alumni back this up. Companies are hesitant to hire full-time, which is understandable, but work is picking up and they need assistance.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Noel Lorson: There are long lists and even sub-categories for soft skills, so it is difficult to pick only a few. I think confidence, social-ability and gratitude are some of the most important. Students have been so stuck with screens and in screens that they are not able to easily communicate in group settings, make quick decisions or be assertive. I have been working with my students via a series of quick exercises that we do weekly to grow these soft skills. I added gratitude because people should be kind, respectful and say thank you. And by thanks I don't mean send an emoji. Gratitude should be expressed by words or actions. I got a text from an alum yesterday and it alerted me that they got a short-term job with a great company that I had directed them to. The text read, "the two jobs I've gotten since graduating came through you", ending with the laughing hysterically emoji, sadly no thank you.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
Noel Lorson: I have been in the field for 25+ years so I have seen quite a bit of change. The biggest has been with the addition of Interactive Design. They make the bigger bucks. I lean towards print design, problem solving and ideation, so it baffles me why a genius idea that is carried out in print is not often given as much funding.
Jessa Wilcoxen
Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Arts Technology & AdministrationMillikin University
Arts Technology & Administration Department
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Design Interns?
Jessa Wilcoxen: As creative departments pivot to better serve industry needs, designers will be asked to also do creative media jobs outside of the one they were hired for. Small and medium size businesses will expect their creatives to wear many hats. For instance, they may have to build the website, run the digital campaign on social media, host the interviews or workshops, shoot photography or videography for the event and write about it afterwards. Employers will expect creatives to use a variety arts technology tools and that they enter the workforce with some breath in their training of these different mediums.
What's a day at work look like for a Design Internship?
Jessa Wilcoxen: For many employers having at least some of their staff work remotely may become not just a safety decision to prevent the spread of the virus but also a financial one. Smaller start-ups have been working with digital teams for years without the overhead of financing an office space. It is also reasonable to believe that while difficult for those with some family or life circumstances other employees enjoy working from home. This culture shift of expecting work flexibility will remain even as it becomes safer to work in person. Graduates will be expected to be adaptable to various work environments and to be able to use digital project management tools to provide updates on various tasks, show prototypes, and communicate with clients.
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Jessa Wilcoxen: One hard skill has always advanced the earning potential of designers is the ability to code at some level and to create interface designs. Employees that can design and code cannot only serve many needs themselves but they are also set up better to properly communicate with experts in those areas, lead innovation teams and more.
A soft skill to develop is an entrepreneurial mindset. Designers at their core are creative problem solvers. Graduates who can showcase design thinking and leadership skills will become critical members of entrepreneurship teams helping to create systems, products and services that solve real pain points for a group of people.
Portfolios have always been an essential tool in the job seeking process. Employers will still expect to see a high level of craft, creativity and technique but will also place value on samples that show a candidate's role on an interdisciplinary team. In a world that will continue to be impacted on many levels by the COVID 19 virus, there will be no shortage of problems to be solved. Designers should be a vital member of the teams working to solve those problems.
Leslie Luebbers Ph.D.
Director, Art Museum of the University of Memphis, Director, Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Museum StudiesThe University of Memphis
Department of Art
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
Leslie Luebbers Ph.D.: For museum studies graduates, the job market will be very tight in 2021. Covid-related closings have severely impacted museum revenues, which largely rely on gate receipts. Most museums have had to plunder reserves to keep their most important staff while shedding valuable personnel. The entire museum field is likely to shrink for the foreseeable future. The good, or at least better, news is that many laid off staff from the baby-boomer generation will not return, and museums are seeking younger employees. The entire profession has changed toward community engagement as a core mandate, and recent graduates are more equipped and eager to pursue this goal.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Leslie Luebbers Ph.D.: The most successful museum professionals must, in addition to content knowledge, possess essential soft skills required to manage the complexities of working with a variety of stakeholders to develop strong, productive community relationships. These same skills are valuable for resource development, which is certain to be an urgent need for museums. Empathy and imaginative program development, problem-solving and consensus-building are crucial.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
Leslie Luebbers Ph.D.: Museum salaries, like corporate salaries, have been characterized by huge disparities, especially in large museums, with CEO's making disproportionately more than middle-management and lower tier staff. That situation is much less prevalent in small, i.e. most museums. Across the entire field, museum salaries resemble those in education, which is to say that they are livable and improving, but museum work is still not an avenue to wealth.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
Eric Sung: There are some expected trend changes, and some were already in place but expedited by COVID-19. In the near future, in general, it certainly will be more challenging to find ideal jobs for all. The job market is driven by the market itself and with having a great pause caused by the pandemic resulted hire freeze for months. Of course, this is a generalized and simplified statement with multiple exceptions but in general, this would be an accurate observation. Now that the job market is slowly settling, it will improve but that does not necessarily mean that there will be more jobs created to catch up time of 'pause'. For the meanwhile, about the same number of college students graduated in the May of 2020 compared to the previous years and about the equal number of students are graduating in 3 months. The new wave of job seeks out of college and the ones who were recently released from their previous employment are all in the job market that already is bottlenecked.
For the process of interview, there will be greater interest for remote interviews by both job seekers and companies. Due to its benefits related to cost and time efficiency for the company looking to hire and job seekers, it will be the new normal for the interview process. However, with recognized lacking elements of remote interviews in general, both for the algorithm-based services and video conference call with an hiring agent, the trend will be to hire generously first with 'probational period' to evaluate the ones' performance based on real-world tasks.
Another notable trend in the job market would be transition from hard asset-based hiring to experience or performance-based hiring. In the time of uncertainty, hiring someone solely based on certificate or diploma creates a greater risk for companies so job seeker with relevant experience with proven performance would be preferred.
In terms of the trend change for the kinds of jobs, it will take a long time for Job market in the tourism industry, transportation, restaurant, apparel, and beauty to come back to pre-COVID. But the job market for IT will continue to be strong certainly for awhile. Pandemic presented some profound challenges for us which obligated the market to address deeply foundational questions. What became clear from the recent experience is that the current job market model needs to change from the deeper level and the interdisciplinary as much as meaningful innovation are required for us to sustain. It will take at least a few years for this to be translated in the job market but it would be important for the potential future job seeks to know how the market will change in the coming years and how this change might be expedited caused by the pandemic.
Covid influenced the job seekers' interests as much as it did for job market. In the past, salary has been singularly the most dominating factor for job seekers for their search but now, more are interested in the quality of life, exposure to health risk, and possibility of alternative working method such as working remotely for the obvious reasons.
What soft skills should all Design Interns possess?
Eric Sung: Hard assets may assist job seekers to get one hired but soft skills are immensely critical for one to excel after once hired. Multiple studies confirm that higher ranking positions require increased portion of soft skills compared to hard or technical skills.
Considering the market trend change during and past COVID, where more jobs will require specialized skills with less human interaction, the needs of having someone with communication skills, conflict resolution and mediation skills, negotiation skills would be far more preferred. Knowing that large part of what some of the current jobs require us to do eventually will be assisted or entirely replaced by AI, the skills that may be unique to humans will gradually became more important. Other critical soft skills would be adaptability, foundational problem-solving skills with diversified perspective on matters. and relatability to the other thoughts.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
Eric Sung: Since my job and how I train my college students are not directly related to one specific occupation, it is rather difficult for me to present a pin-point answer for this question. However, I see that salaries in general are being more polarized. Entry-level jobs' starting salary changed to downward while management or higher ranking position salary have been increased in the recent years.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Design Interns?
Sonia Albert Sobrino: The long-term impact of the pandemic is certainly difficult to predict, some indicators foresee one of the worst job markets in decades, in many ways a reflection of the now omnipresent "job freeze" strategies implemented by large corporations and institutions. Young filmmakers and visual artists might see their careers take off later in life and/or at a slower speed, but we are confident that while financially hard, these experiences will enrich their art ultimately delivering a stronger portfolio; one informed by the human experience and with a deeper meaning. Resilience and confidence are key in reducing the negative consequences of the pandemic on the career of these young creatives.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Design Interns?
Sonia Albert Sobrino: Understanding how collaborative endeavors take off and focusing on entrepreneurship is fundamental. Any course, certificate or training that helps young filmmakers and visual artists understand the process of creation from a collaborative standpoint is going to be most rewarding. We are at the height of independent creation, recent graduates have the tools and knowledge to make, they just have to use those instruments to identify needs and satisfy them. In film, specializing in cinematography, be that, earlier on, through lighting or camera work; or on editing and graphic design can help proficient artists start joint successful endeavors and/or increase their hiring potential. Furthermore, interdisciplinary opportunities that put together specialized forces from different, but relating fields, will quite likely better their job prospects. Working together, expanding and adding on individual strengths is the answer.
What will help Design Interns increase their earning potential?
Sonia Albert Sobrino: Institutionally, financial help to support new endeavors. At the individual level, a proactive drive is a must. Rather than waiting or stalling for opportunities, it is important to create new ones. While risky, both financially and emotionally, it is the time to take action, try things and seek a break where others haven't ventured yet. Failure is a scary, sometimes incapacitating threat that, more often that not, stops promising endeavors from taking off. It's never too late to try new things, but the sooner we attempt those, the better. A failed endeavor, if anything, speaks of a motivated, bold and driven individual and those qualities are some of the most important things needed in any job market.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
Matthew Johnson: I believe the most obvious trend in Graphic Design is the realization that many of the duties carried out by designers can be performed remotely. Although there are many benefits of working in an office or agency environment, it is highly likely that you will see more and more individuals having the option to work from home. I have had the opportunity to speak with designers working through the pandemic. Many feel that working remotely gives them more freedom and a sense that their employers trust them to manage their time. Surprisingly, the majority of those I have spoken to have been more productive, doing their best not to let their employers down in such a unique situation.
In addition to working remotely, I feel as though the pandemic will change the designer's portfolio. It's no question that between the lockdowns and social distancing, that there has been more of an emphasis on people coming together remaining hopeful. Optimism seems to be an underlying concept in many campaigns that have been rolled out in the past year. Moving forward, a designer's portfolio should change to reflect this new climate. The new portfolio will require more up-beat and positive design examples than ever before. It won't change completely, but I see a noticeable redirection coming. Besides, culture is what drives Graphic Design.
What technical skills for a Design Internship stand out to employers?
Matthew Johnson: Because Graphic Design is such a diverse field, the technical skills that stand out to employers depend on that employer's needs. However, the field is becoming very digital and UX/UI (User Experience/User Interface) designers are becoming very valuable. You see many designers leaning toward that area of design. Although UX/UI is a specialization, the background of the designer is often foundational Graphic Design. This tends to make those individuals stand out as a very versatile designer that can create at the print level as well as at the higher digital, interactivity, level. This gives them an edge over their more traditional, print-based, peers.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
Matthew Johnson: Although there are many variables that go into salary ranges, the average hourly rate/yearly salary for graphic designers has continued to rise each and every year. For starters graphic design is an ever-changing field of study. It models itself based on trends and technological advances. Design evolution tends to continually create new, specialized, areas in the field that keep the designer valid and valuable. This results in maintaining high salaries. Design is a value-based industry. Because it recreates itself regularly the value of the designer is steadily rising. Employers and clients see this value and are willing to comfortably pay designers for their skills.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Design Internship job market given the pandemic?
James Adler: The biggest trend in the music market, during and likely post-Covid-19, is towards streaming. While in-person concert bookings and Pop-field "gigs" are not happening in-person, more and more artists are turning to:
(a) Live streaming over YouTube, and other platforms
(b) Recording a concert, a solo work, a "pop" song, or chamber ensemble with a few, socially distant-sitting or -standing artists, then uploading that product to social media outlets
Some artists are offering their performances gratis. This is a good way to keep their audience (base) interested in their music. I've done that, several times, after my live concerts have been either cancelled, or postponed.
Some sources, such as The Metropolitan Opera here in New York, are streaming for a fee. The Met "On Demand" streaming service can run $14.99 per month. Apple, Amazon, Samsung Smart TV, make these concerts or operas available to their subscribers for less. Other performing organizations are offering shorter streamed concerts for a suggestion donation, or small fee of $10 USD.
The important take-away from this: Artists, as well performing arts organizations and concert booking folks, need to "think outside the [proverbial] box," a result of Covid-19's effect on the industry.
What technical skills for a Design Internship stand out to employers?
James Adler: Through my own company. AdlerOaks Music Library, I have engaged artists for concert performances, collaborations, and for recording projects.
(a) First, and foremost, is the quality of the artist to be engaged or hired
(b) Do they possess the performing "chops?"
(c) Has the artist or performer prepared and learned the music, in advance of the first rehearsal, or run-through?
(d) Does he/she/they show up on time?
As they say, one gets a first chance to make a "first impression." The above-listed components will go into a hire.
How have salaries changed over time for Design Interns?
James Adler: Absolutely! When I started out, fees were higher than they are today. Why? There is more competition. Also, grants -- national, local, and from individual sponsors or underwriters -- are more difficult to come by for the concert or "gig" presenter. So artists' and performers' fees may be out of the producer's or presenter's own pocket. Hall or rehearsal space rental is more expensive, now. On-site recording engineers are more expensive.
For songwriters, lyricists, composers, royalties will likely not be able to pay the rent. Certainly, not at first. So it's a good idea to have that back-up career, some way to make money. It will help support the dream, and provide that solid base.