How To: Prepare For An Interview As A Graphic Designer or Visualiser.

Each design agency or architectural practice has its own culture. Some are extremely laid back and expect their employees to be very flexible with working hours whereas others will follow a strict 9-5 timetable and some firms will be heavily involved in their industry through events and exhibitions. Creative studios are only as good as the people that work there, which is why it is important to let your personality shine through!

Always make sure you arrive at least 5-10 minutes early. It's always worth planning ahead and working out your route so you arrive on time.

The best way to talk through your work, is to creative a narrative to your portfolio. Make sure you prepare a PDF portfolio, with printed examples at hand to show for specific projects. Try to be prepared, you might not be able to log onto their Wi-Fi, so be mindful of this if your intention was to talk them through work on your website. You want to present your work in a clear and concise way, but you also want to make sure you don't over present. Half of the interview will be about your work and your creative process, but the other half will be about demonstrating to the company that you know what they do and discussing their projects with them too.

Personality traits clients are always looking for regardless of their office culture is: Pro-activeness / Originality / Informed / Passionate / Enthusiastic / Talented / Polite / Bright / Attentive / Driven / Potential / Adaptable / Knowledgeable.

Often these traits come through confidence. One way to build this confidence before an interview is to be prepared. You should always invest time in researching the company where you are about to be interviewed. You need to investigate their company website and read their blog, as this will give you a good idea about their interests beyond business. See how involved they are in industry events for example, as this could serve you well during the interview process. If you’re excited about the company and what they do, let the interviewer know. Companies always want to hire people who are excited and inspired by them!

Look at their recent and past work – find out what awards may have been won or projects that specifically interest you or that you admire. This will provide an interesting point of discussion during the interview and will emphasis your understanding of the company and its culture.

Keep your answers positive. You may have left a job because you did not agree with the policies on the environment or you did not get on well with your colleagues, but negative comments like this will almost definitely reflect badly on you. You don’t need to be untruthful, but you should find a positive way of answering these tricky questions.

Come prepared with questions for the interviewer. The interview is as much about you choosing to work for an organisation as it is about them choosing you as the right candidate. These questions will most likely come from the research you did about the company or about the job role. You want to make sure the company and the role are right for you. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions about the company and position that would directly affect your decision whether to accept an offer or not.

Another important thing to note is to thank the interviewer at the end for their time. This always leaves a good lasting impression! 

Try to enjoy yourself as much as you can. Every interview is a great opportunity for you to explore an avenue which could enhance your career and help you become a better visualiser or graphic designer!

If you'd like to explore new creative opportunities on the freelance and permanent side with Nikky Lyle Creative please send your CV and portfolio through to [email protected]