Design› Miscellany
Sort it out
I’ve interviewed lots of designers, art directors and developers. It can be tiring to see great people not honing their communication skills.
There are some things I think you should know:
- Answer the question.
- Listen: When the CD cuts you short as you are going on and on about a piece of work, stop. He/she’s got it already. Not stupid.
- Point your laptop at the people to whom you are presenting, not at yourself.
- Explain the brief. I cannot stress how important this is.
- Tell me what exactly you did on the project. Stop selling yourself short.
- Reveal who came up with the big idea.
- Practice the art of succinct, but accurate answers. Remember you are a guest and the people seeing you are busy. They’ve seen a lot of other CVs and people. They are tired so don’t waffle.
- Find out the dress code in advance. Don’t turn up in a black suit, black shirt and shiny shoes to a young media company. Yes, I’ve seen it.
- Don’t put c*ke up your nose. Yes, seen it.
- Don’t talk into the table.
- When you present your portfolio, bring it on a laptop and a USB drive so that you don’t have to rely on an internet connection. There are always 1000 reasons why there will not be an internet connection at even the most forward thinking digital agency. Just make it really easy.
- Show off 10 pieces really well. Not 30 badly. Your work has to be really very nice to show all 30.
- Don’t show 5 projects for the same brand in a row if you don’t have a different, engaging story to tell for each. Even if they are all visually stunning, it’s a bit like eating too much tasty chocolate. That sick feeling.
- Bring your full portfolio that you have online, but don’t just show the same stuff. Surely, if it’s good, they would have seen all of it online before the interview. If they haven’t bothered, you probably don’t want to work for them. Give them something more.
- Show prep work: sketches, moodboards, notebooks.
- Accept any offer to see “the studio”. It would be rude not to and might suggest that you are “in there”.
- Above all, be yourself. That’s why you are there. They like you already or you wouldn’t be there. Relax.
Gemma Thompson
Other tips I can add from interviewing people who shall not be named!(!):
* Don’t talk badly of your current or past employers
* Have some questions to ask too - it’s a two way thing
* Don’t turn up in safari shorts
12 Nov 5:54 pm
Leo Jauncey
Try not to break wind.
12 Nov 6:30 pm
Chomoi Picho-Owiny
Forgot to add:
* Don’t pretend someone else’s work is your own
* Don’t go silent for about 10 seconds (it’s a long time in an interview)
* Do say that you’ve worked with Leo Jauncey
12 Nov 6:39 pm
Jim
Punctuality. Turn up giving yourself enough time to get settled prior to interview. If you turn up late you’re putting undue pressure on yourself and it sets a bad first impression.
17 Nov 10:11 am
Jim
Have you considered turning this into a top 20? Just to give it a little order.
17 Nov 10:12 am
Pratik
Also, do your research on the company and the person interviewing you (if poss). Resources like Linked In, Face Book, Brand Republic or even a Google search are so helpful. If you discover something interesting, make a note of it, engage with your interviewer on a whole different level.
17 Nov 12:14 pm
Jim
Now I think that you can enter any given situation with a mind full of ideas and so long as you don’t make a complete fool of yourself, none of the above really matters. Massage the ego’s of the interviewer(s), pehaps even decline the offer of a free drink. You wouldn’t want them to think that you expect too much as that would certainly put you on the back foot for future employment in the work place. You’ll forever be known as ‘The Bludger’. A title that would wear you down over time and certainly lead you into employment elsewhere.
20 Nov 10:24 am