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Am I to young to do an Internship?
I'm 13 years old, but I want to do an internship for interior design. Should I wait? #interior-design #internship
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14 answers
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TRACEY’s Answer
Check with your state to see if there are any age restrictions for minors. If so, try seeing if someone will be your mentor. It's never too early to start learning. Good luck!
Thank you! :)
Taylor
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Hannah’s Answer
I would check to see if your state has any age-restrictions for internships (for instance, when I was your age I had to wait until I was 14 or 15 to have a job) but in any scenario, I would start thinking about types of things you are interested in. Do you have any friends whose parent's have cool jobs that you would like to learn more about? My friend's parents used to work in the amusement park industry and would actually get to pick out rides for parks, which I thought was the coolest thing! People LOVE talking to, especially young people, about their careers and their paths so I would encourage you to start there (if you haven't already!).
Thank you!
Taylor
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Giovanni’s Answer
Hello Taylor,
I would check to see if your state has any restrictions when it comes to working. If your state doesn't allow an individual to work until a certain age I would consider the alterative in community hours. I would check to see if you can a job or activity that you can treat like an internship. There are many ways around.
If you aren't able to get an internship I would wait until 16. I started working at that age. I believe internships are open to for applicants of 16.
Thank you.
I would check to see if your state has any restrictions when it comes to working. If your state doesn't allow an individual to work until a certain age I would consider the alterative in community hours. I would check to see if you can a job or activity that you can treat like an internship. There are many ways around.
If you aren't able to get an internship I would wait until 16. I started working at that age. I believe internships are open to for applicants of 16.
Thank you.
Updated
Ruby’s Answer
Agree with the other posters here. Apologies if this was already mentioned, you may also consider contacting design firms and seeing if you can talk to staff or visit their office and see what a day in the life of an interior designer is like. Look for books on the subject- is there an interior designer you look up to? Maybe they have a book about their experience. Also find books about interior design and the industry. Can you see if any family or friends would be willing to give you a budget and do a room makeover? Take a lot of before and after pictures and write down the experience and what you learned. When you are ready and able to start working or interning these experiences will help set you apart from other people competing for the same opportunities.
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MacGregor’s Answer
Internship are for college students
Although many internships are designed for college students in mind, there are still plenty of other ways for younger students to get involved. Any helpful insight you could provide would be great!
Gurpreet Lally, Admin
I agree with Gurpreet in that many internships are established with college students in mind. HOWEVER, you are smart and resourceful and I'm confident you will find a way to connect with this industry long before you even start college! I'm guessing you have a lot of creative talent and probably have some design ideas of your own, so maybe you can attract some interest in some of your design/creations by way of social media. I see lots of young, creative teens, such as yourself, thinking outside of the box and making a name for themselves.
Best wishes to you in your endeavors!
Angel Rivas
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John’s Answer
You can learn a lot about interior design BEFORE you become an intern. The knowledge you build up will make you a better internship candidate and a better intern. As far as how old you need to be -- write to a few places where you'd like to be an intern and ask what their minimum age for interns is.
Thank you!
Taylor
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Riley’s Answer
Most people that I know waited until sophomore or junior year of college to do their internship because this is the age group that most companies would be looking for. This is because the company will want you to already have a good base of knowledge about the work you will be doing before joining the company because they will not have time to teach you everything there is to know. However, if you have already been accepted into some sort of position, then yes you should definitely take any opportunity that you can get!
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Anne’s Answer
I don't think 13 is too young, and I applaud you for identifying a career interest at an early age!
I recommend finding a local interior designer and ask them if you could shadow them for the day. You could also find a store that sells interior design services and see if you could spend a day there.
Since we are still under Covid-19 restrictions, why use You Tube to search out videos of 'a day in the life of an interior designer' or check out Coursera .. they are offering a variety of free classes now on many subjects!
Good luck!
I recommend finding a local interior designer and ask them if you could shadow them for the day. You could also find a store that sells interior design services and see if you could spend a day there.
Since we are still under Covid-19 restrictions, why use You Tube to search out videos of 'a day in the life of an interior designer' or check out Coursera .. they are offering a variety of free classes now on many subjects!
Good luck!
Thank you! I have been looking for online courses but have not found very many, thanks for the suggestion!
Taylor
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Gina’s Answer
I would check age restrictions in your state-- but it's never too young to job shadow. Great way to sample a couple areas and find out what interests you most. Also looks great as an additonal on college applications or when landing your first real paying job.
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John’s Answer
I think it depends on the company and the type of work that interest you. For example if you are interested in gaming and creating video games there may be programs / internships out there. My suggestion is to if you know of something that you are interested in go to Google and research and see what you find.
Thank you!
Taylor
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Terry’s Answer
I don't think you are ever to young to intern at something. If you know someone that is in the field, you can see if they will allow you to shadow them on the job to see if this is something that you truly want to do.
Thank you!
Taylor
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Brandi’s Answer
You are never too young to pursue your passions! While there may be restrictions on what you can do because of your age, pairing with a local interior designer for a mentorship is always a great option!
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Melissa’s Answer
I don't think you are too young for an internship! The more experience you can get the better. Now keep in mind, you probably will not get paid for an internship at your age; however, it can definitely lead to other opportunities down the road. The internship can be phrased as "volunteer experience." Many small companies need help with administrative tasks that you certainly could help with and get a taste of the "working world." I would start with places near where you live since you might need to walk or get a ride from someone to get there. Best of luck to you!
Thank you!!
Taylor
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Alexis’s Answer
It is never to young to follow your dreams, I would check to see if any age limits are set for your area and then start to work on a portfolio you can use home design apps as well as drawing home design sketches to show to the company your looking to intern with you have a eye for style and the initiative also it would look very professional.