The pandemic may have forced us to close down shop, but in the past year, our team has embraced the remote work culture. Maybe 2022 will be the year people can “get back to work,” but one thing is clear for us:

Remote work is here to stay.

Shifting toward a remote-first model has been a learning experience for everyone. As a company, we’ve benefited from making that transition together. But for students, joining a virtual team for the first time and learning how to work remotely may feel more daunting. 

Virtual internships are quickly becoming the norm, with 60% of businesses expecting to provide them in the following year. Learning how to work remotely is now a valuable skill for individuals to have. We took the opportunity to sit down with students in our 2021 Internship Program to get their perspective on what it’s like to be a remote intern at Majestyk.

Meet the lineup, our Fall 2021 Interns:

GINETTE – My name is Ginette Garduno, and I’m a Freelance Digital Designer living in West Covina, CA. I am currently enrolled in a UX experience certification at UCLA Extension. I worked as a UX/UI intern at Majestyk. I have a graphic design background primarily focused on branding, illustration and social media content. Some fun facts about me: I am a raccoon lover, new dog mom, and I haven’t fallen yet from my new hobby of rolling skating.

COLLEEN – I’m from Shanghai, China, and currently live in Savannah, Georgia. I’m studying Interactive Design at Savannah College of Art and Design. Majestyk is my FIRST internship here in the U.S. I’m an amateur K-pop dancer and a skateboarder (which I just started learning three months ago).

Tell us about your work experience.

GINETTE – In 2019, I joined a start-up as a Graphic Design Intern based in North Hollywood. In this internship, I learned more about the graphic design industry in LA and made a long-lasting relationship with my fantastic boss. After graduating, I decided to dive into the UX/UI design world. I was part of Majestyk’s fall internship program as a UX/UI Design Intern. I couldn’t have been happier to be part of the team and take on my first website project. At Majestyk, I felt like I had a voice, and the group was open to guiding me in my learning. I also enjoy working remotely with a team that always finds a way to connect and communicate while creating amazing projects. I’ve loved my experience as an intern at Majestyk.

COLLEEN – I once interned at an exhibition company in Shanghai, within their marketing department. Working at Majestyk is my first actual UX/UI and remote internship! My experience at Majestyk has been pretty amazing. I gained a new sense of professionalism and better understand what it means to be in the professional world. Everyone on the team is friendly and willing to support me. I’ve also loved getting to know my colleagues better and expanding my network through Majestyk’s Donut Program, where I was paired up with a new employee every week.

How did you find us?

GINETTE – I took a UX/UI Bootcamp back in 2020. I wanted to apply what I had learned in a real-world setting, so I was searching for opportunities that would allow me to do that. I mainly wanted work experience at a digital product studio. Majestyk was one of the businesses I had found in my search. As soon as I saw the opportunity, I researched their website and work, and I was immediately drawn in. Their website gave me a memorable experience from the beginning. Seeing what their process was like was a win for me, so I decided to apply as a Fall Intern. Through this internship, I realized I want to keep growing and enhancing my UX/UI skills to land a full-time position as UX/UI designer in the future.

COLLEEN – I found Majestyk on AngelList. At that time, I was looking for jobs that I felt passionate about and would utilize the knowledge that I learned from school. After learning more about Majestyk and its culture, I decided to pursue the opportunity to grow my skillset and learn how to be more professional within an innovative and fast-moving company.
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Talk about your project at Majestyk.

GINETTE – The project I was assigned was for a coffee shop in New Jersey. This project has been a challenge and a pleasure to work on. The main goal was to design a website that reflects the brand and gives the shop a digital presence. From the onset, I was given the opportunity to interact directly with the business owner to understand his needs and how that would effect his website design. I worked alongside my mentor through all phases of design leading up to the final product — a newly designed responsive website. What I enjoyed the most about this project was seeing it come to life and learning best UI practices through a real-world client.

COLLEEN – I had the opportunity to work on a project for a new platform called The Hot Plate. They are an automated Nike account concierge service that helps sneakerheads manage multiple accounts through one platform. I was responsible for designing a professional and appealing marketing site for the brand.

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What were you able to learn during your time with us?

GINETTE – I learned always to keep being curious. The Majestyk Creative Team always encouraged me to reach out for feedback and ask questions. Thanks to those questions, I expanded my knowledge and kept working on my design and collaboration skills. I also learned how to prepare design deliverables for development handoff, one of the critical things I was looking to experience.

COLLEEN – I have learned a lot!

• Design Systems – The most direct and impactful lesson I learned from this internship was creating and working with design systems. It was a different way of working and thinking that I hadn’t experienced yet. Developing a design system helped me efficiently collect and unify all the project’s components, patterns, and styles. It improved my work productivity while also keeping the design cohesive.
• Practice Empathy — During the design process, it is essential to keep users’ needs in mind and put yourself in their shoes, considering accessibility, diversity and inclusion. Working with a client on an actual product challenged me to be more empathetic than school projects had allowed me to experience.
• Feedbacks Sessions — An essential part of my internship was learning to get and incorporate different perspectives into my work. I received valuable feedback from the client, my mentor and fellow designers. I learned the importance of listening to others’ viewpoints while expressing my own clearly.
• Presentation Skills – The biggest area I was challenged during my internship was presentation skills. Design and presentation are equal parts of successful delivery. Make sure to practice several times before presenting to clients. I learned a lot about conveying, selling, and articulating my designs and still have a long way to go!
• Professionalism – During the internship, I was invited to many sync meetings, one-on-ones, design critiques, etc. All those meetings ensure that designers and the clients are on the same page. I learned how to present myself (even remotely) and speak professionally during meetings.

Good advice for other interns.

GINETTE – It may sound cliche, but to never give up. There’s opportunity out there for everyone. But you will never know if you stop looking, so keep applying and putting in the effort every time you apply to a company. It’s okay to be entry-level. I believe it is important to show why we want to join and learn from them. Do not be afraid to communicate what draws you to the company and what you expect to learn. Lastly, to ensure you have a successful internship — stay curious. Ask questions and connect with your team. It really helps make your experience unique and something that you will always keep with you.

COLLEEN – Tips to give other interns to ensure they have a successful experience:

• Take initiative! Being active and engaged can lead to more learning opportunities. Don’t be afraid to ask about anything you don’t understand or are having problems with.
• Set some initial goals. Doing so can help guide the learning experience and help you feel a sense of accomplishment as you reach each goal.
• Learn time management and the ability to juggle multi-projects!
• Think critically, and don’t be afraid to communicate unusual ideas.
• Be patient and be humble.
  

What’s next?

GINETTE – ​​I am looking forward to what lies ahead. My first goal is to update my portfolio and tell a story through my work here. I want to show the decision-making process for this project so other young professionals and recruiters can see the thought process behind my work. Last but not least, my end goal is to get a UX/UI position this year!

COLLEEN – After this internship, I’m going back to full-time classes, applying what I learned in this internship to my school work. I’m also going to make a case study for the project to add to my portfolio and prepare for my next job search. After graduation, I’d like to find a job and live in the U.S.

What’s the future of work?

Good question. We’ll get back to you on that. But hopefully, the resilience of our interns and employees helps inspire you to keep learning. If you have questions about our internship program or opportunities, Get in Touch. Or subscribe to our newsletter below for live updates on when these and future projects get launched!