Are you a student who is planning to do internship this summer? Here’s our guide on what to look for to have the best experience!

Finding a good summer internship is difficult, especially if you’re an interior design student. Trust me – I’ve been in your shoes! Sure, doing an internship for a Well-known brand is always a pretty badge in your resumé. But what if you can’t get in a well-known establishment? How to distinguish a GOOD boutique from a GREAT one? In soft furnishing and curtain & blinds industry is very important. Read more, and find the best company in the market!

1. Find companies that outsource their designers

Most of the time, companies that outsource their designers usually are involved in really interesting projects. If you’ll do your internship in a company that hires freelance designers, and you’ll become their apprentice, consider yourself to be the luckiest star in the sky.

Freelance designers don’t go to clients just to measure windows or install the curtains. They go to clients to do it all! You’ll get to see the whole designing process from the moment the foundation of the house is being built, to the point where all there is left, is to hang the curtains and bring in the furniture. This way you’ll see the big picture of interior design, rather than just from one angle!

2. Ask the curtain stores, how many types of curtain designs they offer

The more different curtain designs the curtain & blind shop is offering to their customer – the more freedom for creation you’ll have. You’ll be able to include more different fabric options, mix in various colors and unleash your creative ego that is deep within you! 

3. Do your research - find out how many different labels and suppliers the company is working with

If the company has various well-known suppliers that provide their fabrics for them, this will be of great benefit for you during your internship. First, you’ll get to know tips and tricks of the craft from all parts of the world. Second, this will be a great intercultural experience both educationally, and emotionally. You won’t need to meet the world, the world will come to meet you. And lastly, this will be great practice for stock ordering and B2B communication – inevitable part of designers life.

4. Do your research - find out, if the potential employer does consulting at home

Some interior design salons that work with soft furnishings and window coverings sell only pre-made curtains and blinds, what does it mean? They do consulting at their locations only. They don't need to go to take a measurements or consult their clients. And some actually go for appointments at their potential customers home as well. This, alongside to B2B communication, will be very valuable communication skills that are a routine to an everyday interior designer! 

5. See if the salon has automated their order calculation process

This should be a no-brainer. If a curtain & blind store has not automated their calculation process – you do want to think more before choosing to work there! Doing curtain order calculations by hand is boring, it takes HOURS of time to complete, and DAYS, and sometimes even WEEKS to learn it! That means, if you do your practice at a store that has not automated their window covering calculation process – you’ll probably won't even get the offer to do an internship there. Because companies that still do calculations in the old fashion way, with a hand and ordinary calculator, usually focus not on creativity but on calculations. And you do not want to waste your time on processes that doesn’t create much value for you as a young and creative designer.

Also, you’ll get in trouble for making basic, inevitable, human errors, and won’t learn anything else but calculations! If a company you wish to work for has not yet digitized their order calculation process, be the voice of reason, and send them our way! We’ll create the workplaces of the future with Curtains Calculator app!

We hope, that these tips will get you where you wish to be! And if you are a window covering solution company, that wishes to hire young, ambitious talents, that are full of youthful creativity and ideas, Sign up here for a FREE demo, where we’ll show you how you can bring new energy to your business!