Design Job Interview Techniques

[Toon]

What are your design job interview techniques?


What should and shouldn't you do in a interview?

[Mars D&P]

Well I always found picking your nose or scratching your **** one of the things you shouldn't do!

or was that should do?????? Oh damn it me is getting confuzzled again :)

[Andy]

spend a little extra money on your presentation. comb binding your presentation shows imagenation and a sence for design. this may cost you a whole 75p per 20page booklet!

this has helped me in the past.

[Toon]

A young blonde woman goes to an office for a job interview . The interviewer decides to start with the basics. "So, miss, can you tell us your age, please?"

The blonde counts carefully on her fingers for about 3 seconds before replying "Ehh... 23!".

The interviewer tries another straight forward one to break the ice. "And can you tell us your height, please?"

The young lady stands up and produces a measuring tape from her handbag. She then traps one end under her foot and extends the tape to the top of her head. She checks the measurement and announces, "Five foot three!"

This isn't looking good so the interviewer goes for the real basics. "And ehh, just to confirm for our records, your name please?"

The blonde bobs her head from side to side for about twenty seconds, mouthing something silently to herself, before replying "Stephanie".

The interviewer is completely baffled at this stage, so he asks "Just out of curiosity, miss. We can understand your counting on your fingers to work out your age, and the measuring tape for your height is obvious, but what were you doing when we asked you your name?"

"Ohh that!" replies the blonde, "That's just me running through 'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you...'"

[Toon]

Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young Engineer fresh out of MIT, "And what starting salary were you looking for?"

The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."

The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, a company matching retirement fund for 50% of your salary, and a company car leased every 2 years-say, a red Corvette?"

The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"

And the interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it"

[Kira-Dee]

The first one you put Toon actually sounds a bit like me on a bad day and i'm not blond

[zumojuice]

haha. I just found that being relaxed, being able to speak about your work and why you did it/reasons/techniques etc both shows your work and your design knowledge.
That gets you 80% of the way there really along with what else you say. 15% is how you look, dressed, shake hands, pleases and thank yous etc. and the other 5%? Thats just the 'click' effect and you can't effect it. You can be the best person, have the right qualifications and work, but its the click that will decide it often.

in some cases it can pull you up over others more experiences than you, because you clicked with your interviewer/s

[Joe.Morgan]

Im going to see this lady who is a life coach is that makes sense? as part of my careers unit we have to go see her blah blah blah but she said in a talk at the beginning of the year that people in the creative industry make their decision as to whether they will employ you in the first 5 seconds of seeing you! pretty scary stuff really... ill report back once ive gone to see her!

[zumojuice]

well its a part of that yeah - had interview friday so know about that. three more lined up this week.

[Cwilk]

If you're confident and show it, you have a better chance. I was up for an art director's position once and there was a Junior design position available too. Well, while I was in the interview, the owner mentioned that position and if I was interested in it and I said I wasn't interested. Well, I got hired as the art director. I think if I would have said yes for the other position, he would have found someone else for the art director position.

Also, know the company you're applying for a position in. This is important. And act as though that company is the only company you want to work for. Sounds corny, but if you come across as loyal, it's easier to get hired.

Make sure you have stories for each piece in your portfolio. This lets the person who's interviewing you know that you are obviously knowledgeable in design and the software.

Also having a story to tell on how you solved a specific design problem (on the software end) helps a lot.