Remember in college when everything was new? You were just starting to dig in to the industry you hoped would one day offer you a job. You were doing everything you could to absorb all the information that you could fit into your 3 ring binders. Learning was top priority.

For quite a few of us that was a long time ago…10 years? 20?

Are you still learning?

Really?

In the beginning I’m sure you took risks, pushed yourself hard. Getting your business started was difficult and took a lot of time and energy. And, like hard work often does, it payed off. Now it may not seem as necessary to run quite so fast or push so hard.

Unfortunately sometimes success can make us a little lazy. We know we should continue to learn and keep up to date on programs and trends, but somehow these things get pushed to the back burners. Until something changes. Like the market or our clients. As we all know, things do change, and quickly. So having resources you can tap into on a regular basis (even when things are going well) for information is increasingly important.

We have found that keeping up to date on technology and trends keeps your ideas flowing, helps you work more efficiently and allows you to offer clients more.

It’s true that you can’t possibly know everything, but you can figure out what you are interested in and what is important to your area of expertise and follow it like a stalker. If you use a certain program on a daily or weekly basis, get to know what it can do. Chances are you will find out something that will make your work faster and easier.

It is so easy to fall behind on program capabilities or trends due to the fact that they both change so rapidly. To make sure you are on top of the things you need to know it becomes increasingly necessary to keep a few resources in your tool box that you can check in on regularly. Try building at least a half a day each month to update yourself. You’d be surprised at what it could do!

Here’s our list. We’d love to hear from you! What resources do you have, or what keeps you from falling behind?

INSPIRATION/TRENDS:

• HOW magazine
• Communication Arts
• Print
• Computer Arts
• AIGA Inspiration resources
• AIGA Design Archives

HOW-TOs:

• Adobe TV (training for Adobe programs)
• Online Video Training, both paid and free: Lynda.com
• Computer Arts Projects Magazine – in-depth tutorials each issue + downloadable resources
• Make working in Microsoft Office less painful here

#50 Intern programs provide the ability to give back, stay current, see diff approach, teach, challenge yourself & always have fresh coffee.

When I was a junior, I worked as an intern for 30 days. I felt like I learned more in those 30 days than I did in 3 years of school. I promised myself that if I was ever in the position to provide that experience for someone else, I was going to do it. I’ve kept that promise, and I’ve discovered that internships are one of the best ways for me to teach, expand my own art directing, and help foster the future leaders of the design field. I’ve also learned to face the challenge of communicating with students who don’t know what they don’t know. You know?

Having students in the studio also inspires us to ask different questions than we normally might, and at times, try things we typically wouldn’t try – because sometimes that exploratory instinct gets lost. Overall, internships can be a really great part of your studio, giving you that extra boost of energy that comes from teaching and listening to a younger creative. But like anything, the more prepared you are, the better. Take it seriously. Have a job description. If you’re going to really put them to work, then pay them something. And in all honesty, have them get you coffee or run an errand for you now and then. It sounds silly, but I truly believe that younger generations have developed this horrible sense of entitlement. A little humility or humbling now and then will prepare them for the upcoming reality of what we all face when presenting our ideas and living our design life.

Have you had any internship pros or cons? Do you have any additional tips or advice?

PS: I wrote a similar post for the Notes on Design blog - read that here.