Interview Do's & Don'ts

Interview
Do's & Don'ts

How not to crash and burn before even getting your portfolio out.

Written by Dave Greasley on 23.07.2020

How not to crash and burn before even getting your portfolio out.

Written by Dave Greasley on 23.07.2020

sidebyside_interviews_dos_and_donts

How to prepare for a creative interview

Here’s a quick Do’s & Don’ts for interview success. I say success, I can’t guarantee that whatsoever, but I can stop you from making the basic mistakes we see quite often in interviews…

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Arriving and preparing for interview

Do

  • Do fully research the studio, their projects, their team, their social media etc.
  • Do show up 5-10 mins early.
  • Do familiarise yourself with the route/journey.
  • Do prepare what you’re going to show them.
  • Do be positive about your past experiences, even if they weren’t the best, you will have learned something.
  • Do be calm & collected, meeting a studio should be pleasurable, not a big thing to stress over.
  • Do dress in something that represents yourself, but make an effort to at least whip the iron out & give the Cons a spit- shine.
  • Do be yourself. If you’re nervous, quiet, brash, geeky, whatever, just embrace it. If you’re genuine they’ll appreciate it.

Don't

  • Don't go in there clueless, put some effort in to researching them, it’ll stand you in good stead.
  • Don’t show up so early that you’re hanging around feeling uncomfortable. Don’t turn up late, it makes you look unorganised.
  • Don't arrive sweaty, 40 minutes late because you hopped on the wrong bus.
  • Don't leave your portfolio messy from the last time you had it out, or your laptop with a thousand different PDFs open.
  • Don’t be overly negative about past employers or unfavourable projects, no-one likes a whinger.
  • Don't build it up to be bigger than it is. Usually they’ll be interviewing many other people too, so stay calm & let your personality fly.
  • Don't over-dress, it’s a design studio, so leave the tux at home. Think “Would they mind their clients seeing me like this?”
  • Don't try to hide who you are, it’ll only come out in the wash anyway.
sidebyside_interviews_dos_and_donts_presenting_your_work

Presenting your work

Do

  • Do practise with friends/family/tutors talking through your projects. Ask them to be analytic over your choices.
  • Do have solid rationale behind your projects, down to typographic choices, why it’ll appeal to your audience etc.
  • Do bring physical copies/mockups of your pieces with you.
  • Do keep your portfolio fairly short, see this article for more information. 
  • Do rework any project you aren’t completely happy with, prior to presenting it.
  • Do include sketches, roughs, unused ideas.
  • Do be attentive to what they’re saying & take notes.
  • Do show any examples of ‘real work’ that you’ve worked on, that showcases your style and flair for design.

Don't

  • Don’t completely wing it. Coming unstuck to a simple question isn’t a great look.
  • Don't over-egg an average project. You can’t ‘designer-bullshit’ another designer, we’ll see through it in seconds.
  • Don’t just use arty-angled shots of a brochure, where we can’t even tell if you’ve used a good grid system or not.
  • Don’t show them 20 tiny projects, fill out your projects to around 3-5 large projects, plus some personal projects / sketchbooks etc.
  • Don't show anything that ‘you would’ve done X differently’ or ‘with more time I’d have done Y’. You have the time right now! Crack on. 
  • Don’t just use the glossy end-product, we want to know how you arrived there.
  • Don't sit there twiddling your thumbs if they’re giving you feedback. Showing you can listen and rectify is a great trait.
  • Don’t include the business card you did for your Uncle’s plumbing business just because it’s ‘real work’.
sidebyside_interviews_dos_and_donts_beyond

Going above and beyond

Do

  • Do leave them with something if possible. A mini version of your portfolio, a pack of biscuits for the studio. Anything that makes it easier for them to remember you.
  • Do have a handful of decent questions to ask the studio. It’s about you choosing a place that fits, just as much as them choosing you.
  • Do grill them about the position, your growth & where the studio is heading. It shows you care about your future.
  • Do ask to meet the team you’d be working with. Show interest, ask them what they’re working on.
  • Do ask what your day would look like, what you’d be working on, where you’d be sat, who you'd be working with.

Don't

  • Don't bake them your own special biscuits. There’s something un-nerving about home-made food.
  • Don't be afraid of looking at the notes in your phone to jog your memory of any questions you were planning on asking.
  • Don't go demanding a company car & foot rubs, just yet.
  • Don’t take up too much of their time, be interested, but respectful of their day.

Written by Dave Greasley on 23.07.2020
Follow the studio on Instagram and Twitter

Written by Dave Greasley on 23.07.2020
Follow the studio on Instagram and Twitter

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Want a question answered?
Email us advice@sidebyside.co.uk

Want a question answered?
Email us advice@sidebyside.co.uk

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