Design jobs part 3: Interviews 

I’ve been on both sides of the interview table, or in many cases, the phone line. 

I can honestly say I have no idea why the people I talked to hired me or didn’t, which things I said impressed them, which made them cringe or what made me stand out for good or bad reasons.

The only things I have to go on are the patterns I’ve noticed and how I felt personally when I was an employer doing the interviews.
 
It’s always a gamble. 
You never know who’s going to be on the other side of that table. If you’re lucky enough to be close to where you’re interviewing and have a face-to-face interview, you have the added advantage of reading body language and facial expressions. Use it.

If your potential employer is interviewing you through the phone (as I’ve found typical for summer internships), all you have to rely on is their tone and any prior knowledge of them or their company you may have. It’s important to prepare in any way you can.
 
Research.
Prior knowledge is important. Really important. Especially if the job you want is with a newspaper, but I think it helps no matter where you want to go. Be a good journalist. Research. Investigate. If the company you want to work for recently cut some design jobs, ask why. Ask how it’s changed their work process, or if it has.

The more you know going into the interview the more you have to offer in the way of conversation. At the very least, take five minutes to Google the organization you’re interviewing with. If you don’t know anything about them, how do you know you want to work there?

As the interviewer, I always like it when candidates ask about design decision we made, the work process we go through each day, who they will work with, anything that shows me they want this job, and not just any job.
 
Ask questions. 
Show some interest. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. I’m way more comfortable hiring somebody if I think they have a good understanding of exactly what they’re getting into. If you’re super shy, write down some questions before the interview begins.

Ask about dress code, hours, software available, anything that shows a little initiative. Not only does it prove you’ve come prepared, it also helps the interviewer connect with you on a more personal level. You become a face and not just the piece of paper that is your résumé.
 
Stick to your guns.
Employers want to know what your design eye is like, and if you know what you’re talking about. It’s one thing to produce good clips and another to be able to spot good or bad design and justify your judgment.

Many design jobs will ask you to critique some of their work — do you think this is done well or not, and why? Don’t be afraid to say you don’t like it, as long as you can back it up. You never know who was in charge of the project or what went into the process that made it turn out in that specific way. Maybe some changes had to be done last-minute.

Maybe the client was extremely picky about that neon orange color scheme. Trust your instincts. If you don’t like their newsletter, tell them, but offer good, thought-out explanations. If you think something is brilliant, say that, too, but make sure you can say why. 
 
Be nice. 
I know this sounds obvious, but I can’t tell you the number of times people’s personalities were their biggest turn-off. You can have all the talent, all the skills in the world, and not get a job because nobody wants to work with you.

There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness, and your job is to balance on it perfectly. If you’re afraid you sound cocky, you probably do. Remember, the people you’re talking in that interview are going to be the ones critiquing your work, telling you what to do and making the final decisions.

They want to know you’re willing to compromise, take constructive criticism and be part of a team. They don’t want you to come in thinking you have nothing to learn.
 
Don’t give up.
I certainly haven’t gotten a job offer from every interview I’ve had, but interviews are tricky, and every employer is different. The key is to do all those things that everybody knows (smile, be polite, speak confidently) but also prove that you’re an intelligent person that would be a valuable addition to a design team, as well as somebody everyone can work with.
 

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