Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
Be prepared
You can't know in advance exactly who will be
present at your interview, or how much knowledge
they may have. Even if it's “just” a screening meeting
at a placement agency, bring your portfolio materials.
You'll want to clarify your role in creating the
work, especially if you played more than one role. Did
you design, but also create the illustrations or write
the copy? Did you do the programming for the proto-
type? Was the work completed in a very tight time frame? Remember the issues of
attribution and honesty in Chapter 12, “Copyright and Portfolio,” and claim only your
fair share of the work you present.
Know why you made your creative decisions, and find words to describe
them. “It just came to me,” will sound as weak as it is. How can you be hired as a
client problem-solver if you can't describe the problem? If appropriate, bring process
materials that aren't part of your regular portfolio to help you describe how
you think.
Talking about your work can also involve listening. I once attended a pres-
entation by a midcareer design professional who turned every query about how he
approached a specific client problem into a lecture about how good he was at address-
ing client problems. Despite his reputation, this introduced doubts in his audience
about whether they could work with him. He projected his agenda too clearly.
Think about the personal assessment that you completed in Chapter 1,
“Assessment and Adaptation,” and allow yourself to be who you really are. Your chem-
istry with the interviewers is something you can't control—either it's there or it isn't.
But if you're prepared to field questions about how you deal with deadlines and
your experiences in collaborative situations, it will be easier for you to loosen up and
let your personality come through.
People were never prepared to talk
about their work with me, because
I'm a recruiter. They were some-
times taken aback when I wanted to
rip apart the portfolio and talk
about their design approach.
—Cynthia Rabun
Dress code
Even if you have very strong opinions about style
and dress, avoid extreme clothing, and cover your tattoos.
Even if your daily wardrobe is a T-shirt and torn jeans,
have one outfit that is clean, ironed, and ready for the
public. Being unwilling to adapt your style implies that
you are either clueless or inflexible, as well as being
someone who would have to be insulated from many cli-
ents. Your work had better be astoundingly good to bal-
ance these negatives.
If you're hiring someone, you're
looking at their personality and
their demeanor—even their
vocabulary in some cases. Are
they going to be nice to be
around? Are they going to take
direction? And are they going to
be capable of handling a client
relationship or directing other
people eventually?
—Nancy Hoefig
