The Interview & What to Expect

So what can you expect to face in the interview process?

Preparation Work

As in any life situation, when you have the opportunity to plan and prepare, and you take advantage of that opportunity. The experience itself will be much more pleasant, predictable, to some degree—more controllable, and in this instance favorable.
Identify what you want and seek it out. What’s important to you.
• Who to you want to work for?
• Where do you want to be?
• How much to you want to make?
• What types of things do you want to be doing on the job?
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Do your homework. Visualize your encounter. What’s important to them.
• How long has this firm been in business?
• How “big” or “small” are they?
• Who are their clients?
• What are their goals?
• What’s their culture?

Gather and prepare your material. What you have to offer.
• Resumes and cover letters.
• Preparing work and gathering samples.
• Platform for presentation.

First Impressions

What are you communicating when you have your first opportunity to interact with your potential employer. Is this encounter taking place in person, by phone, or by email?
• Physical presence.
• Verbal and Non-verbal communication opportunity.

Presenting Your Work

Once you determine what you’ll be presenting to the client, how you will talk about each piece (i.e. what you will say) can be a pivotal point in the interview.
• Know how to talk about your work.
• Identify opportunities to engage your interviewer.

Closing and Follow Through

Knowing that you’re probably not the only candidate for the job you’ll want to be sure that you make clear your intentions and/or excitement about the job in a way that will leave them with a remarkable impression. It’s easy to get lost between the first and last individuals interviewed.
• Leaving an impression.
• Managing the follow-through.

Reading Assignment (RECAP)

• TEXT: AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design; chapter 8; pgs 71-85

Reading Assignment (PREP)

• TEXT: AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design; chapter 3; pgs 21-27
• TEXT: AIGA Professional Practices in Graphic Design; chapter 7; pgs 65-70