Long have I awaited for the day to not call myself an intern but an actual professional. Well today, it still hasn’t come. With a year of school still to go and new experiences on the horizon I refrain from being a self declared professional and am putting my drive on cruise control. But, my time here at Oblique has gotten me that much closer. These mentors/colleagues of mine (now friends as well) are legit. They know the in’s and out’s of the agency community. Whether it is in advertising, branding, design, or just knowing how to be honest with your partners and clients, they know it all. Here are a few lessons I learned along the way.

Organization
When you have multiple clients, with multiple projects, all with multiple due dates, organization is a must. While this sounds simple, it’s not, one missing file can spell disaster for an entire project. Have backups, have backups of the backups, and make sure everyone is on the same page.

Adaptability
You’re not always going to hit a home-run with the first design or idea you have. Everything in the agency community is trial and error. Having version 2.6.3 is not uncommon, you must learn how to be in tune with your client and their vision. While making suggestions is a must, it takes adaptability between both sides to have a finished product that is satisfying but also creates lasting value for the client.

Don’t be Afraid to Learn
Good teams are created by having skillsets that are different but still work great together. Finding your niche and adding value to the team is the best way to help out. And when you don’t know something, ask! Don’t be afraid to learn, and take your mistakes as teachable moments.

While these lessons were learned at work, they can be applied to life as well. Make sure everything you do can be used as a way to improve yourself. I know I did.