Throughout my career as a creative, conversations with interns have always been quite entertaining and enlightening.
Their confidence, and ability to decipher what works for them and what doesn’t is quite interesting.
I often look forward to these conversations. So, I will be sharing a few from time to time #InternSaid

We had just gotten back from an intense meeting with a client, and the following conversation ensued.

Intern (looking at me quizzically): Why do you do this job?

Blinking myself into the moment, trying to understand where she might be going with this.

Intern: Do you get paid a lot of money?

Me: Nope!

Intern: Then why do you do it? It’s too painful.

Me (sighs): Well….

Intern: Our presentation had everything they asked for, and they still said NO to all the ideas. They practically changed the brief.

Me: ermmmm….you see (she cuts in)

Intern: I am not cut out for this…not sure I want to be creative anymore.

I immediately launched into a passionate and ideological spin on how creativity is often subjective and how all the rejections help one become extraordinary at anticipating client(s) and concepting at a much skilled level.

She listened carefully, gave me a look, smiled and packed up to go home.

Truth is, she never returned to the creative department after that experience. She moved to the Account Management team, and always shot me an evil grin whenever we saw each other in the agency.

What would you have done?