The interview!

I just had my interview and I think it went pretty well.  Elizabeth told me to meet her in front of the office at 1:50 for my 2:00 meeting.  I hadn't taken a walk that way yet, so I didn't know exactly how long it would take.  I wanted to get a more "professional but fun" purse for my job so I stopped on the street and bought a blue bag (with a zipper for safety!) for 7 pounds.  Then I was still early by three minutes.  As 2:00 got closer, I called Elizabeth to see where she was and she told me she was only 5 minutes away, but really she ended up getting there over 10 minutes past 2.  One of the guys that worked in my office had come outside to have a cigarette and talk on his cell phone while I was waiting on the stoop, so he can prove that I was there early.  Elizabeth told them that it was her fault we were late, so hopefully they won't think I was irresponsible by their first impression.  

Anyway, the building my office is in has 5-10 businesses working out of it so our room is tiny.  It's basically a computer lab with computers along each outside wall and then a row with back to back computers down the middle of the room.  I had decided to dress really nice for the interview and then see what everyone else had on.  When I walked in, everybody had on jeans and dark colored tops.  Most of them are men, so it's harder to decide what to wear based on their outfits, but I saw one girl with jeans, a black tunic kind of top and a scarf.  My supervisor's name is Dan and he said we could go to the conference room upstairs, but it is the only one for the whole building and someone else was already using it.  So he asked if we'd like to go across the street and have a coffee for our meeting.  We went to a cafe that is a chain around here called Caffe Nero and I didn't get anything and neither did Elizabeth but he got some kind of cappucino or something.  

So Elizabeth did most of the talking.  From what the other girls said, that's how their interviews went too.  I think I may be the first student to have an internship with this particular company because she asked him a whole bunch of questions about what they do, how they operate, how he started his own business, and what happens if we can't come up with ideas for projects.  I think part of it was for my benefit so I could learn more about the company but she seemed really curious too.  I was a little mad she took over the interview like that, but then I got to ask questions toward the end.  

I asked about the dress code because obviously, I could tell that I was overdressed.  Dan said that everyone pretty much wears what they're comfortable in and they look pretty scruffy most of the time but I can wear whatever I want.  I brought mostly nicer clothes but I did bring a bunch of solid colored t-shirts so I think they will be perfect.  

It turns out that one of the projects the firm is working on right now is for a food company where one of the other girls on the program is interning.  That should be pretty cool.  Another current project is to develop a cafe called Madison's in southern England.  They are currently hoping to create a New England country cottage cafe feel.  This is obviously going to be perfect since I'm from New England!!

I am going to be working 9:30 to 6 Monday through Wednesday, 2-6 Thursday and 9:30-2 Friday.  My class is 10-1 on Thursdays so my only free time will be Friday afternoons.  The only issue I have with the job is that it is currently located one block from my flat (which is perfect), but they are going to be moving to a larger office in Soho.  I'm a little upset that my commute will be longer, but at the same time I was a little disappointed originally that I wouldn't be riding the tube every day.  I think it will work out to be good.  They aren't moving until October so half of my semester will be in each location.

It sounds like I will be shadowing the main design director most of the time but I will be working on projects with everybody.  Dan said that they don't expect too much from me and I couldn't tell if it was British humor or if he was being serious.  He also said I could make tea for everyone and run out to get things (like the stereotypical intern) but again, I couldn't tell if he was kidding.  He said they always have music playing and I can bring my ipod in "so everyone can make fun of my music".  I'm pretty sure he was just trying to be funny on that one too.

I'm really excited to start on Monday and I think it's going to be fun!