INTERNSHIPS FAQS

DO YOU OFFER INTERNSHIPS?
Yes, our internships last for three months including a one month trial period at the beginning.

WHEN DO THE INTERNSHIPS RUN?
There are four internships per year:
1. January – March
2. April – June
3. July – September
4. October – December

WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR APPLICATIONS?
1. Send us an email with a PDF of your work to portfolio@barnbrook.net make sure it is a manageable size (under 5MB). If we think you are unsuitable we will let you know within a week or so. We do look at every portfolio that is sent to us but we are a small and busy studio so it may take a few days for us to reply.
2. If we think you are suitable, we will let you know that your application is being considered. After reviewing applications we will select two or three to come in for an interview. If you are not selected we will let you know.
3. If you are selected for an interview then we will ask you to come to our studio to show us your work and talk about yourself. If we like what you do and think you are a nice person we will invite you to join us for an internship.

WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE FOR APPLICATIONS?
1. Two to three months before the start of a placement: we collect folio pdfs for review.
2. One month before the start of a placement: we review pdfs and select two or three for interview.
3. Two or three weeks before the start of a placement: interviews and choice of candidate

DO YOU TAKE ON FOREIGN STUDENTS?
Yes, although we ask that you have a high level of spoken and written English. Recently we have had students from Japan, Greece, Spain and Russia, all of whom had all studied in the UK and were based in London.

DO YOU TAKE ON STUDENTS BASED OUTSIDE THE UK?
We do not usually take students who are based outside the UK for a couple of reasons. Firstly, we are unable to help find accommodation. Living costs in London and the UK are high and we would not ask a foreign student to take on such a financial burden. Secondly, we prefer to interview possible interns before granting applications. If you are not based in the UK it is difficult for you to come in for an interview. If however, you are able to come to the UK for interview and find and fund your own accommodation in London, then we will consider your application like anyone else applying.

DO YOU HELP FIND ACCOMMODATION?
No; we are a very small studio and unfortunately we do not have the resources to help interns find accommodation. If you are from outside London you will have to find a place to stay.

IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WILL HELP ME GET AN INTERNSHIP?
Our main concern is that you are creative, have a passion for design, a good knowledge of typography and an interest in what we do. Of less importance for us is where you studied, what software you can use, or your experience of working for Sainsbury’s.

AFTER ALL THIS, IS IT WORTH APPLYING?
We believe that if you are right for us you will be spotted very quickly, so yes it is.

STUDENT INTERVIEW / PROJECT QUESTIONS / FREE FONTS / WORK SAMPLES

Frequently Asked Questions:

CAN YOU SEND ME SOME FREE FONTS/SAMPLES OF YOUR WORK?
We set up this website specifically for people to access samples of our work as we don’t have enough time to respond to all the requests, so you will have to use this website for your research. We do not give out copies of free fonts for student projects under any circumstances.

I WANT SO SEND YOU SOME QUESTIONS FOR MY THESIS OR PROJECT AND IT IS VERY IMPORTANT YOU ANSWER THEM
Currently we get around 50 requests a week for interviews or for Jonathan Barnbrook to answer thesis or project questionnaires, all of which the senders regard as really important. So although some are answered many are not. Its fairly hit and miss, he is busy doing what he loves best - design work, so he fits them in when he can. Our advice is before you contact us, please check the interviews in the Q&A section as many of the questions that students ask are answered there.

WHY DO SO FEW DESIGNERS ANSWER MY QUESTIONS THAT I SEND OUT?
Some students send out the huge complicated questionnaires to many designers and do not realise the amount of time it takes to respond properly, other questionnaires are so open-ended that the time taken to answer means that it is impossible to even begin to respond to. The answer is to do a bit of more of the research work yourself, either in the questions you ask or seeing if they have been answered elsewhere. People who have no idea what we do and send a very generic letter will go unanswered. Please also be polite, if you receive a reply then write back and say you received it, it’s not much to ask but sometimes its exhausting spending time on stuff and not knowing if the person even used it.

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