At Big Blue Bubble we make a point of hiring several interns every year. This allows us to form partnerships with colleges and universities across Ontario while fostering the artists, designers, and programmers of the future. Every one of these interns is taking their first steps into the ever evolving videogames industry. In some cases, they’re also securing the first position of their career.
Recently two of our 2016 interns, Suzie, an Animation Intern, and Sydney, a Creative Digital Media Specialist Intern, both returned as full-time members of the Big Blue Bubble team. They shared with us some of the choices they made during their internship, to help turn it into the beginning of their career.
Sydney and Suzie on their first day as interns.
Find a Mentor
Internships are different than a school setting; the situation is less formalized, you’re in new working conditions, and possibly for the first time you aren’t under the direction of a teacher or professor. However, that doesn’t mean that the office won’t have teachers. Suzie and Sydney both agreed that one of the most important parts of their internship was finding a mentor. “They could be your direct manager, a peer within your department, or even an employee you don’t work with but is someone currently working where you see yourself in the future.” Sydney told us, “A mentor can show you the things that they’ve learned on the job and have experiences your classes never prepare you for.”
Both Sydney and Suzie were able to find mentors within Big Blue Bubble and kept in contact with the team once their internship had ended. This not only gave them both a key contact within the world of videogames but also a helpful advocate when they made the decision to come back to Big Blue Bubble.
A mentor can show you the things that they’ve learned on the job and have experiences your classes never prepare you for.
Take Chances
It can be intimidating to take chances during your internship. It’s your first real interaction with the workforce and it can be a scary place to make a mistake. This doesn’t mean you should let that stop you. Instead, remember your internship is as much a learning opportunity as it is work, and the best way to learn is to ask questions and take chances.
Sydney recalled that during her internship she had the opportunity to write her first press release – something she had never done before. By tackling that task head on, not only was she able to write her first press release, but she was also able to create a piece read by thousands of people worldwide. Taking that step helped her make an impact on her education and on Big Blue Bubble.
Take a chance and you just may stand out.
Be Social
Your co-workers are more than just people that sit beside you. Suzie found being social and getting to know her co-workers was one of the best parts of her internship. “It lets you get to know everyone around you, you meet people who have skills you’ve never seen before.” This was important to both Suzie and Sydney, since their exposure to the rest of the team let them learn about jobs that they hadn’t known existed, and also let them foster relationships that carry on today.
Have Fun
Your internship is the beginning of your career, but don’t forget that you’re also still learning. Big Blue Bubble interns like Suzie and Sydney were able to take time to play arcade games, grab a coffee with their co-workers, and celebrate their successes. Balancing your work and life are just as important for an intern as they are for a professional and can show your managers that you’re ready for the next step in your career.
Looking to begin your own internship? Check out our Careers Page
Want to learn more about Big Blue Bubble? Check out our History Page
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