Well, here I am, just after my first experience in collaboration with an intern. I’ve always had reservations about the whole intern concept and it’s unlikely that I’ll ever be a a position to be able to employ anyone.  However, it turned out to be very successful, despite my misgivings. I usually work alone and usually in a kind of ‘just muddling-through’, disorganised fashion. I got tired just thinking about what I had to prepare for this student. Luckily, Sophie turned out to be much better prepared than I was and she showed such initiative and worked with such energy that the whole thing was a pleasure. She really has set the bar high. What convinced me to take her on in the first place was her initial email. She had obviously researched her subject; this was no generic, catch-all proposal message, like many others I have received. She knew my work, (all the way over in Holland!) and the tone of her letter was pitched perfectly. This is why I wrote the following text:

I see internships in my studio as a collaboration. I would hope to learn as much from you as you do from me. I work as an independent illustrator/artist and art teacher which requires that I do many of the jobs for which other, bigger businesses have staff: On top of my artistic work, there is: Administration; invoicing; prospecting; teaching; pricing; debt-collection; web site building, creating shows, etc.. The work is constant and very varied -and often fun.

My expectations (and probably the expectations of any business, creative or otherwise) are:

• Respect and courtesy: Please don’t approach me by impersonal email without having researched me and my work, your email will be binned without being read. A respectful approach will be heard: I will reply, even if I can’t take you on.

• You’ll be representing me to people who I hope to work with or already work with: please don’t turn up looking like Edward Scissorhands! I might be impressed by your creatively stunning and committed individuality but I know clients who would not.

• Show me that you can think for yourself and that you possess initiative. There’s no point in me taking on interns who I think I will perform tasks that I can’t do, only to find I’ve got to closely guide them along.

• Know how to address people in formal circumstances like writing a letter or an email or when phoning. Your English doesn’t have to be perfect but the rules are the same in any language and besides, I’ll be there to correct the English where I can.

• Never make promises you can’t or won’t keep. This is a cardinal rule for life. For example, try your best to keep to your deadlines, whatever they are. Like turning up at meetings. I once arranged a formal meeting with seven students. Only two turned up. It was a sunny day; we don’t get many sunny days in Ireland but, you see; that’s just bad luck, isn’t it? I turned up only to have my time wasted. That’s the world of work; turning up. Also, if you can’t make your deadline or if you’re going to be late, have the courtesy to phone in.

My least successful activity is marketing; generating interest and following up; something that a student of marketing and/or design could do much better than me.

In return, you’ll be treated very well; you’ll be praised highly for the good work that you do (unfortunately, this doesn’t often happen in the work environment as many bosses are complete tossers); I’ll make sure that you get the benefit of my experience in terms of mentoring; I’ll do whatever I can do to help you along in your career and introduce you to others who might help you along too.