Asking is The Only Way to Get What You Want: A Playbook for Junior Designers by Ezgi Elitok

Being a wide-eyed, hopeful junior designer on the lookout for a dream job sounds lovely until you’re hit with reality. Because the truth about entry level jobs in design is - unpaid internships, the Catch 22 conundrum of “lack of experience” and a serious test of perseverance, in this eye-opening episode of Space by Stansons, host Guy Stanley welcomes Ezgi Elitok to the podcast as she shares her trying journey of becoming an Interior Design Project Specialist at Corgan. She reveals the often-hidden realities of breaking into the design industry, including unpaid internships, portfolio challenges, and the resilience needed to turn rejections into opportunities. Tune in to discover how authenticity, determination, and a positive mindset can transform career obstacles into stepping stones to success, and the criticality of building the design community into an accessible and inclusive one.

Being a wide-eyed, hopeful junior designer on the lookout for a dream job sounds lovely, but the truth about entry-level jobs in design is - unpaid internships, the Catch 22 conundrum of “lack of experience” and a serious test of perseverance.

In this eye-opening episode of Space by Stansons, host Guy Stanley welcomes Ezgi Elitok to the podcast as she shares her trying journey of becoming an Interior Design Project Specialist at Corgan.

What You’ll Learn

How to (practically) turn rejections into opportunities through proactive portfolio development
Why do unpaid internships pose as a potentially valuable stepping stone for gaining industry experience
How to build a compelling design portfolio that tells your story beyond just technical skills
The importance of support systems and mentorship in early career development
Why maintaining resilience and positive energy is crucial for breaking into the design industry
How universities can better prepare students for real-world design challenges

Ezgi is an Interior Design Project Specialist at Corgan, a global architecture and design firm with an 87-year legacy. A rising talent in workplace design, she has demonstrated exceptional resilience and initiative in transitioning from academia to professional practice while completing multiple high-profile internships with luxury retail brands. Her journey from recent graduate to securing a role at Corgan's London office exemplifies the challenges and opportunities facing emerging designers.

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Episode Highlights

[00:00] Intro
[03:44] Choosing Interior Design & Starting Challenges
[06:45] The Truth About Internships & A Winning Pitch
[10:35] Asking is the Only Way & Rethinking “Entry-Level” Jobs
[12:34] The Worst Piece of Feedback Ezgi Ever Got
[15:30] How Junior Designers Should Be Hired
[19:09] Why Radical Positivity is Critical for Junior Designers
[22:19] Strategies to Build a Winning Portfolio
[25:54] Ezgi’s “I Made It” Moment
[27:18] 3 Things Junior Designers Need to Hear
[29:03] 3 Ways Design Hiring Needs to Change
[31:29] Staying the Course & Why Internships Are So Important
[33:59] What Design Universities Are Missing
[35:30] Closing Thoughts & Ezgi’s Recommendations

Episode Resources:

Ezgi Elitok on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezgi-elitok-4921a9226
Corgan: https://www.corgan.com/
Guy Stanley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guystanley
Learn more about Stansons Group Ltd. here: https://stansons.co.uk