Pluspunten
Initial projects were engaging and provided the opportunity to build a strong portfolio.
The department is small, and the environment was supportive for the first several months.
Minpunten
Was suddenly held to the same high-pressure timelines and expectations as a senior-level designer, with little room for a learning curve.
The culture can shift quickly from supportive to hostile under pressure, especially when mistakes are made.
There is a lack of structured mentorship for junior talent; feedback is often inconsistent.
Communication from management can be misleading; verbal reassurances about job security and performance status are not always consistent with the formal actions that follow.
The company uses formal HR processes like a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) for interns, which is inappropriate for a learning role and creates an incredibly stressful environment.
Valid concerns about workload and process can be dismissed and officially labeled as "poor attitude".