Intern stories: a breath of fresh air at Jos

Let’s take a moment for an interview! Over the past few months, our team has welcomed a new addition in the form of our intern, Clément, who brings a fresh perspective to our work. Today, we’d like to give him the floor so he can explain for himself how his internship at Jos went. He’ll tell us about his personal experiences, how his internship unfolded, and how we achieved the best results together. A fascinating conversation!

Can you tell us a little about yourself? What were you doing before you came to Jos?

Okay, a little about myself. My name is Clément Biral, and I’m from Lyon, France. I’ve been working on my master’s degree for about two years now, and as part of the program, I’m required to complete a 32-week internship, including twelve weeks abroad. That’s why I came to Jos.

To be honest, my educational path has been a bit chaotic. I first attended a technical high school, then switched to a technical program in multimedia, and now I’m at a private school for applied arts where I’m pursuing my master’s degree.

How did you discover Jos?

That’s a good question. It was when I was looking for my internship. I knew I didn’t want to go too far away, so I looked into different countries around France. I considered Switzerland, but it was too expensive, so I looked into Belgium, specifically Brussels. I searched for design agencies on Google Maps, and when I did, I found Jos right in the heart of Brussels, and I thought, “Whoa, okay, that looks cool.” So I went to their website, and that’s how I started learning about them.

What do you think was the main reason you chose Jos over other design agencies?

I think it was the values they showcased on their website. Their values were authentic, and you could really tell that from the projects they showcased on the website. They’re very socially engaged, but also deeply rooted in Brussels. I found that combination really fascinating, and it’s what really appealed to me.

What was your first impression when you started?

Here? I’ll try not to be too subjective, but my first impression was that it was very welcoming and relaxed. No, you know, “Zero Bullshit”? That was the slogan on their website, and that’s exactly what I found when I got here. People were laid-back, joking around, telling me things, very genuine. In short, an honest and sincere atmosphere that’s really cool to experience.

How does your experience here so far differ from your experiences at other companies?

I’ve done both paid work and internships by now, so I’ve gained quite a bit of experience. One of my first internships was at the Institut Lumière in Lyon, where the Lumière brothers invented the cinema, and I discovered that while you can have a very interesting workplace, the work itself can also be pretty boring. After that, I went to a government agency near my hometown of Lyon in the L’Alps region, where I worked on the audiovisual team. That’s how I got a sense of what it’s like to work for a government agency, in the public sector. It can be very boring, and a lot depends on political decisions, so that’s pretty unusual. After completing my degree in engineering, I did an internship at an agency that developed software to manage extras for movies. It was pretty unusual because it was during the pandemic, so everything was done remotely. Unfortunately, they didn’t leave a good impression on me. I’ve always seen it as “that’s just how it is in real life.” This is real life; this is work. And that’s not the kind of work I want to do. Okay, that’s not the kind of agency I want to be part of, and that’s not the kind of organization I like.

I think one of my best internships so far has been here in Jos, because it offers a completely different vision of a design agency than what we have in France. More human, “human-driven” as they say. When I worked at an audiovisual agency in France, it was pretty fun and friendly, but a bit monotonous. Sometimes we’d stay on set for five or six hours to shoot a commercial for, say, kitchens, and shoot the same scene over and over again.

It helped me realize what I don’t want to do and what I do want to do.

Is there anything in particular from your experience at Jos that stood out to you?

Yes. It’s the way they work. There’s no strict hierarchy; there’s no traditional structure with bosses. That carries over into the workplace: it’s not a typical office setup where the “boss” sits in a closed-off office and everyone else is elsewhere. No, everyone here works together in one shared space. Here, everyone has a say. When they choose projects or evaluate them, it’s not the boss who says, “Okay, we’ll do this, we’ll do that.” We discuss it all together, and that’s really what stood out to me and touched me in a certain way. It’s not about your status; it’s about who you are. We’re all equal, we’re all people, and it doesn’t matter if you’re an accountant or a designer; you’re part of the team. I think it’s truly wonderful, just one team with everyone.

What are you working on right now?

Right now? A few different things. At the moment, I’m trying to design a logo for a new federation of construction professionals. I’m also working on T-shirt designs for a campaign about the dangers of drinking. Yeah, various projects. They’re all very diverse and really interesting. Like I said, sometimes you have more hands-on work, but mostly here it’s just cool projects with creative ideas and companies that want eye-catching visuals. Something that really stands out. I think there’s a wide variety of projects here.

Has your experience here changed the way you approach a creative project?

Yes. I haven’t been here very long yet, so I haven’t really had time to put everything into perspective, but I get the impression that I’m approaching things differently now. By the way, I find feedback from my colleagues to be the best. Feedback from clients is one thing, but getting feedback from my colleagues means a lot to me. They speak from years of experience. Their guidance makes my designs both more appealing and of higher quality. I find my colleagues’ advice very positive. It’s practical experience that’s invaluable and really makes a difference.

Speaking of experiences, what have you learned from working here?

I really discovered the more professional side of the organization when it comes to planning. I’m truly fascinated by it, I’m a real workflow guy. I really love workflows. Here, everything is very structured; you have a cloud server where every file has a strict naming convention and date. That’s something I really discovered here. At some agencies, there’s much less structure. They just pass everything along, it’s just a mess of “Yeah, do you have this file?” “Hmm, maybe I have this file on this hard drive?” That’s just a messy way of working, actually, a huge mess. So yeah, that really changed things for me.

Also when it comes to the relationship with the client: how you handle their feedback. Sometimes certain clients come across as blunt, but really they just don’t know how to explain it exactly. Like, “It’s not the right color; I don’t like this color.” It’s not really advice; it’s more of an opinion, not exactly concrete feedback. So it’s important to be able to interpret the client’s feedback properly and to have the experience to ask the right questions, to figure out what they’re really trying to say. After that, it’s an art to put that feedback to work.

I recently had a unique experience: I got the chance to design a logo for the federation and attend the meeting with the clients. The process of coming up with a brand name together with the client was very interesting. Building engagement is incredibly important. It offers so much added value for a designer. So that’s the lesson I’m learning right now.

How does the collaboration with the team go?

The technical collaboration mainly takes place via Slack. My colleagues and I send each other messages asking, “Can you do this for me?” or “Can you finish that?” I worked with Agnieszka on a motion design, and we split the video into different sections so we could work on them together. I did one part and she did another. I sent my part to her, she gave me feedback, and I made the corrections and sent her the final version. So yes, the collaboration is very straightforward and well-established. I’d say it’s very smooth, it flows easily. They give constructive feedback that’s serious and professional. Even when something isn’t right, they’re very open about it.

“By working together, I’ve further developed my designs and my way of thinking.”

Working with them is truly wonderful. As I said before, the feedback isn’t criticism. It’s more about working on it yourself and figuring out how we can further enhance what you’ve done. Very productive feedback. It’s good to have an initial idea, a starting point, but sometimes you can’t stop there: you have to keep designing. Choose an alternative. That’s what design is all about, you can’t stop at the first idea. You have to be able to evolve a design. I think that’s where they’ve helped me the most.

By working together, I’ve further developed my designs and my way of thinking. It’s a very down-to-earth team to work with.

To follow up on that point: What’s the most important thing you’ve taken away from the experience of working here?

That’s an excellent question. For me, it’s this real-life inspiration, and while it might sound a bit cliché, it’s had a big impact. Before this, I did a couple of internships in France that weren’t really great, at organizations with a hierarchical structure and employees who weren’t really passionate about their work. It felt strange. What I’ve learned from this is that it’s important to encourage colleagues, but in a positive way. Not by pestering them or criticizing them, but by striving for the best for the company and the customers. It’s all about lifting each other up to a higher level, which helps everyone grow.

In contrast to what I experienced here, in France it felt as though people were pulling each other down to get ahead themselves. The French like to compare themselves, saying things like, “Yes, he’s good at this, but I’m better at that and that, and so on.”

What really inspires me here are two things: the structure of collaboration. Here, there’s no traditional hierarchy; everyone is equal and works together in a democratic environment. With this approach, we can encourage and help each other grow.

If I ever start my own business, I hope to be able to replicate this positive work environment. It’s not only pleasant, but also logical. The atmosphere is healthy, and there’s a culture of collaboration. That’s exactly what I’d like to create. In France, we can learn something from this positive attitude, because we sometimes tend to complain instead of working together.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

Follow your dreams and work hard: those are the keys to keeping a smile on your face. Right now, I’m in a transitional phase, which can be a bit challenging at times. Although I really enjoy my current situation, I’ve faced some resistance in France from certain teachers who don’t want me to do an internship at certain places. They’re trying to limit my freedom of choice. In life, you have your goals and the support of friends and family, but there will also be people who don’t want to support you or who create obstacles.

Although those people think they’re doing the right thing, they’re stuck in their ways. One insight I’ve gained over the past few years is that age is just a number. Older people can offer valuable knowledge and advice, but we also need to be open to changes in the modern world. It’s important to listen to older people, but at the same time, follow your own path. If they hold you back, don’t let that discourage you; find a way to break through and forge your own path.

Don’t let yourself be overwhelmed by outdated ways of thinking; instead, embrace new ideas and developments.

Interested in an internship? Contact us.