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The Job Interview Questions Everyone Knows About
At the heart any job interview is a vetting process that relies heavily on a candidate’s response to questions. Interviews can be challenging if you don’t know what sorts of questions will be asked.

But virtually everyone is familiar with the “standard issue” questions:

• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• Why do you want to work for this company?
• What are your plans for the next five years?
• What can you bring to this company if you are hired?

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While these questions have worked in the past to screen individuals for job positions, the mere fact that they are so well recognized by the general public has taken much of the edge and usefulness away from them.

This doesn’t mean that you won’t be asked these questions during a job interview, but you should also be prepared for questions that are “outside the box.”

Questions That Make You Think
Firms are using an alternative interview method based upon behavioral responses from potential hires.

Questions that are behaviorally based try to determine how well a job candidate may fit into the company based upon the person’s performance on previous jobs.

Behavioral interview questions can reveal how a job candidate reacts under pressure, how well the individual works with others, and how creative the person is in problem solving.

Some of the behavioral questions you may encounter during a job interview are:

• What did you do about coworkers that were uncooperative and difficult to work with?
• When you didn’t agree with your supervisor or manager about something job related, what did you do?
• When you were criticized about your performance on a project you were working on, what did you do?
• Tell me three things you would change about your last job and why?
• Give me an example of how you motivated other coworkers to do better in their work.
• Tell me about a time when you were able to use your creativity and problem solving skills to complete a difficult project or request.
• Tell me what you did when your design for a project wasn’t working out as planned.

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Make Sure You Can Remember
Behavioral interview questions dig deep into your past, so make sure you are prepared to answer questions of this sort. If you just graduated from a graphic design school, the questions you are asked will be in relation to your school experience.

Next Time
We’ll wrap up this series with the topic, “Things Job Interviewers Won’t Tell You.”

In this upcoming article we’ll explore what the interviewer is looking for in a job candidate, what things that can fail you during the interview, and whether you should accept the job offer.

The Job Interview
Upon your graduation from graphic design college, the next step is to look for a job.

The job interview process can be mystifying, but in this job interview series, we list pointers and tips that can help you to interview successfully.

What to Do During an Interview
In part one of Interview Tips for Graphic Artists and Designers, advice was given on what to do in preparation for a job interview in graphic arts.

But what can you do during the interview to make it go smoothly?

Here are some tips:

• Be Yourself. This bit of wisdom is rarely given but is very useful in defusing any jitters you may have during the interview. It’s OK to say, “I’m a little nervous,” to the interviewer. The human resources person or potential boss understands this. Putting on a veneer of self-confidence rarely works and is usually quite transparent, so be yourself. Your honesty will be appreciated.

• Talk. Try to be straightforward with your answers and avoid long pauses or periods of silence in your responses. Part of the interview process is to evaluate your communication skills. If you are naturally quiet, that is fine. Just be prepared to speak more than you usually do during the interview.

• Ask Questions. Although job interviews are sometimes thought of as a one-way street — the interviewer asks questions while the interviewee answers, this isn’t necessarily the best approach for job candidates to take. If a question doesn’t make sense, ask for clarification.

• Demonstrate. If your portfolio is reviewed by your interviewer during your interview, you can offer information on what role you played in designing the pieces. Was it a team project or did you produce the work on your own? The interviewer may ask you what creative processes you used to arrive at your designs.

• Technical Terms. In any job there is a specific amount of jargon you need to know and understand. Your interviewer may present questions that are technical in nature such as, “What do you think the CMYK mix for the color of a red fire engine truck would be?” Brush up on your graphic arts terminology.

The Importance of Education
Getting a chance to interview for a design job can be a very exciting and nerve racking experience.

Your artistic talents are laid out for all to see and your work stands on its own to make or break the job deal and this certainly can be a little stressful.

But along with talent is the necessity to get a well-rounded education in your specific field of design.

If you are contemplating a career as a graphic artist, illustrator or media professional, graphic design schools can be of immense help in providing the career training you need to prepare for jobs in design.

The Next Time
What sort of questions will you be asked during the interview process? Should you take the job if the company makes you an offer? What else can you do to increase your chances of landing a job? We’ll cover these topics and more in the next few sessions.

Job Interviews
If you are a student in graphic design, graphic arts or illustration, you’ve probably wondered about the interview process in applying for a job.

While job interviews can take on a variety of scenarios, you can still be prepared.

The tips presented in this series do not guarantee you a graphics job, but they can help you to organize, plan and possibly increase your chances for a successful job interview.
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How to Prepare Before the Interview
Preparation can play a significant role in the outcome of job interviews.

By doing your research and being aware of what is expected for the job position, you can enhance your credibility and professionalism in the eyes of the interviewer.

Prior to showing up for the job interview you can prepare yourself by going over the following suggestions and plans of action:
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• Portfolio. Assemble your portfolio in a conscious effort to meet the needs of the company or firm you are applying at.  Keep it concise and to the point. You don’t want to bore the interviewer with examples that don’t represent your best work.
• Background. Your interviewer will probably ask what you know about the company. Present a few detailed facts about the firm. This shows that you are interested in the company and have done your part to be informed.
• Dress the Part. Try to find out what sort of dress code the office has for its workers. You want to dress appropriately in order to fit in. Being neat and casual sometimes works better than wearing a suit. Check or ask before your interview appointment.
• Materials: In addition to your portfolio, bring along copies of your resume, a disc of your work examples, and a cover letter just in case the items were lost in processing. Also bring your driver’s license, social security card, and three references.

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• Groom. Personal hygiene should not be forgotten. Do all you can to appear fresh and clean.
• Be Punctual. Plan to arrive early–at least 20 minutes or sooner. This will take into account any time that you may loose by getting lost or other tie-ups. Arriving early also gives you a chance to catch your breath, scope out the area, and relax.

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The Primary Interview Formats
There are usually two types of job interview formats that employers choose to use:

* Traditional - In this method, the interviewer asks candidates about their strengths and weaknesses, why they want to work for the company, what their goals are for the next 3 to 5 years, and other standard questions that are quite common to this style of interview.
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Employers use this method to determine the applicant’s communication skills, experience, and suitability as a team player.

* Behavioral - More companies are adopting this interview approach because it probes the potential employee’s past performance as an indication of how well the candidate may perform in the work firm’s work environment.

Questions are asked about how the individual handled coworker conflicts, project challenges, ingenuity in problem solving and other questions related to on-the-job performance and actions.

Next Time…
In the following parts of this series, we’ll delve into the aspects of what to do during the interview process, how to avoid pitfalls during the interview and more so stayed tuned.

Cell phones have become a common sight in today’s world. Everyone from the very young to senior citizens use this electronic marvel to communicate, send text messages, and take pictures.

In 1983, the emergence of a truly portable cell phone cost the consumer $3,500 or the equivalent of $7,538 in 2009 dollars! Today, a cell phone can be free of charge with a the commitment of a one or two year contract with a wireless cell phone provider.

Cell phones have come a long way since 1983 and the quest for new innovative designs are a high priority for many cell phone manufactures. Fujitsu Limited is one of these companies and is announcing its Fujitsu Mobile Phone Design Award Contest. Professionals, amateurs, and students from graphic design schools, graphic design colleges, or other institutions of learning are eligible to enter this competition.

Fujitsu is running the event in partnership with the Japan Design Association, a non-profit organization to “help solve… [21^st century societal] problems with the power of design and to promote the building of a beautiful and emotionally rich cyclical society.”

There are two categories for this contest. The official website states:

• Practical Category: Mobile Phones for 2001

A chance to let your dreams blossom - we are looking for inspirational designs. Winning designs in this category may be commercialized.
Design requirements: the design must show that the mobile phone is keyboard equipped, operable with one hand, and utilizes an LCD screen of 3″ or larger.

• Dream Category: Mobile Phones of the Future

Futuristic mobile phone designs that reflect your free and uninhibited imagination - we are interested in futuristic designs illustrating cutting-edge technologies as well as interface designs that open up new ways of use, which in turn can inspire new design ideas for Fujitsu’s line of mobile phones.

Appleton Coated announces its U360 Competition for 2010 celebrating “Print with Purpose.”

Celebrating the vital role print plays in the marketing mix, Appleton Coated launches the U360 competition for 2010. The contest calls for entries that embrace all-around excellence in communication, design and execution and demonstrate the power of “Print with Purpose.”

“Today’s business climate challenges print to look beautiful and to communicate for results and to deliver in a way that builds strong brands,” explains Phil Cavalier, vice president of marketing for Appleton Coated.

“U360 reflects that the judging will take on a more holistic assessment of the project - from concept and writing, imagery and design, and finally quality of print and bindery execution.”

The U360 competition evolved from Appleton Coated’s UBJ competition, formally known as U B the Judge. “Our new competition will move from an event-based, peer-judging platform to review by a North American panel of creative, communication, and print professionals,” adds Cavalier.

Submissions must be printed all, or in part, on Utopia and/or Curious Collection papers, accompanied by a completed entry form (that can be accessed by clicking here), produced in 2009, and postmarked no later than Dec. 11, 2009.

All winners will be featured in a showbook, which will be distributed throughout North America, showcased on the Appleton Coated website, and featured in other marketing materials.

Previously, five Platinum and five Gold award winners were selected from five geographies. In 2010, U360 winners will represent nominations from clients, designers, printers, merchants and other representatives within the entire North American marketplace.

Appleton Coated is a manufacturer of high-end coated papers under the Utopia brand name. These papers are used in fine art books, corporate communications brochures, and marketing campaigns.

Welcome to the Spark 2009 Competition, Designers! The Spark Awards is the exciting new competition created to promote great design and designers and encourage people to explore their creativity. Everyone is invited to participate - designers, art directors, architects, design firms, manufacturers, institutions, ad agencies, students and non-professionals may enter, interact and enjoy Sparking.

Graphics, product design, transportation and architecture are just a few of the many design categories accepted. If you or your company create great designs, don’t miss the opportunity to compete in this important event.

To accommodate the greatest possible range of designs and designers, and to lower the initial cost of entry, the SparkAwards are configured as a “two-phase” competition, just like a sports playoff series. In Phase I, entrants upload 3 images of their work and short mission statement to the Spark website.
The Jury reviews the work and selects candidates to compete in Phase II. (Last year the entries were of a very high caliber and most went on to Challenger status.)

There is a double pricing structure for entrants. The Phase I fee is $125 for professionals, $75 for design students. The “Challenger Candidates” selected by the jury have the option to enter the Phase II competition, which has a fee of $250 (students/novices- free in Phase II. Status must be verifiable). Upon payment, this group automatically places in our online show and qualifies for review by the live Jury. Winners of Phase II are awarded either a prestigious Bronze Spark, Silver Spark, Gold Spark or the ultimate Spark! Award.

Late Deadline is Midnight, PST, September 11, 2009. Visit the site to learn more.