I recently secured an internship as a product designer. The startup that hired me wasn't even looking for this position, but I still got the job. I created it. And here is why you should try this, too.
For the last year, I have been really into design. I have done a lot of reading and have participated in some courses - but they were disappointing. I wanted to work on something real. A project. Something that would have an impact. So I thought, why not look for a summer internship?
I had a few companies in mind that excited me. After browsing their job boards, I realized there were no product design internships. Then I remembered what one of my mentors said: Too many designers go out there and scream, "I need a job" or "I want to work for you." Don't be passive like that. Most of your opportunities will emerge from actual people and your network, not job pages.
He was right. There is a chance that the company you want to work for isn't actively looking to fill the position you are curious about. The fact that there is no specific job posting doesn't mean the company has no challenges. They have plenty of challenges. It's up to you to discover them. In other words, the company might not know that they need you.
I knew that I wanted to work for a startup. I also knew what startups I could see myself working at. And I knew what things they were working on and what challenges they faced. So, I set out and created a few designs for them. Once you engage with their product and make something for yourself, you want to tell them. "Do you want to have a look?" No founder or hiring manager will say no to you if you proactively create something out of their product. It's the coolest thing ever if people enhance the stuff you build, whether good or bad.
I didn't reach out to the founders because I knew how busy they were, but I emailed the startup’s head of design. He was hiring for a senior designer position–a role I was not the right candidate for, and I told him that. I told him I wasn't his senior designer, but if he gave me a chance, I would help solve any challenges his team faced. I also shared some of my work with him.
Usually, there are several possible responses to an initial request.
The most common response is no response. Don't take it personally. They don't get back to you for hundreds of reasons, and often, it's not because of you.
The second most common response is a no, which you (again) cannot do much about. My only advice: Don't put everything in one basket. Reach out to many different companies.
The third possible answer is yes. In my case, the hiring manager got back to me and asked for a quick call. We chatted for 30 minutes, and then I showed him my previous work. A week later, I also met one of the co-founders for lunch, and we sealed the offer. (A huge advantage of startups is their pace at getting contracts out and done.)
A few observations
Avoid using the application portal or emailing the HR department. Your idea will be lost in the process. As much as HR teams are needed in fast-paced environments, they might not understand you. It's one thing to convince a manager who knows about his challenges. It's much more work to convince an HR manager whose main aim is to fill the company's openings.
Don't hold yourself back if they ask for skills you don't have. If something excites you, you can always learn a skill to help them create value. Design is not (just) about user experience. Design, ultimately, is about creating value. How you do that depends on the client and their project. You learn everything else in the process.
I used this idea to get an internship in product design, but the technique doesn't stop there. I've seen friends use this approach to land roles as engineers and analysts. I even applied it to convince a local cafe to hire me as a barista, and I had never worked in hospitality before.
It's not about your skills - but what you do with them. Apply them to create value and show that to the right people; they will always give you a chance to work with them.
Thanks to Adam for reading a draft of this.