Interviews and Negotiation

Interviews are exciting but can also be nerve-wracking. The only way to conquer fears and nerves is to fully prepare for the meeting and to practice, practice, practice! The more you interview, the easier it becomes. Whether it’s an in-person interview, an informational interview, a portfolio review, or time to negotiate, use the guide below to know what to expect and how to prepare.

Interview Basics

Congratulations! You’ve been invited to interview! Now you must be prepared to showcase your interpersonal skills and show the employer why you will be the best person for the job. You’ll want to relate your personal strengths and past accomplishments to this particular position with detailed examples. In short, you want to tell the interviewer how you can help the company accomplish its goals and how you will function as a valuable member of the organization.

Pre-Interview

  • Research helps you to prepare effective questions for the interview and answers for interview questions.

    • Look up projects (past and present), size and structure of company, and any recent featured articles.

    • Find information about company mission, recent initiatives, problems facing the industry.

    • Research salary and cost of living.

    • Employers are researching you; make sure your social media profiles won’t create a negative impression. Adjust digital accounts to private if you do not want employers to be looking at your content.

    • Write well thought-out questions that convey that you have an interest in the position and organization to ask at the end of the interview.

    • Review your resume, cover letter and portfolio presentation. Present work that is the most relevant to the employer and position you are applying for.

    • Be prepared to provide examples for everything on your resume and show how they connect to the job description.

    • Prepare to answer questions about your accomplishments, strengths, and weaknesses.

    • Review the job description again so it is fresh in your mind.

    • Highlight specific points in the job description that you would like to discuss by sharing your experiences.

    • Complete a mock interview with Creative Careers in a Career Advising Appointment, utilize the mock interview tool, and review the questions at the bottom of this page.

    • Have answers mentally prepared but not memorized.

    • Think about how your experiences can be tied to the job description and the organization.

Day of Interview

    • Write down pertinent details for the interview: interviewers’ names and titles, phone number, location and where to park.

    • Bring a copy of your resume and the questions prepared during your research.

    • If appropriate, bring a leave-behind, small physical examples or sketchbooks and business cards.

    • Electronic portfolio: chose a format such as a pdf; don’t rely on a wi-fi connection for access.

    • Have a professional email address and voicemail; check messages frequently.

    • For an in-person interview, arrive fifteen minutes early to ensure you are on time. If you are unsure on where you are going, arrive even earlier. Consider things like traffic and parking.

    • Dress appropriately.

    • Use a firm handshake. This is more about the energy in your arm than the strength of your grip.

    • Be prepared to introduce yourself.

    • Have a prepared conversation starter.

  • Every interview will look different but in general interviews in the US follow a formula

    Part #1: Be prepared to introduce yourself, and try to relax and enjoy the conversation. Interviews are most successful when they turn into an engaging conversation.

    Part #2: Answer “where, when and why” questions about your background. Elaborate on your strong points! Go beyond "yes" and "no" answers; follow the interviewer's lead; don’t ramble. Use specific examples to share your background.

    Part #3: The interviewer will discuss the company and the job opening if a good match seems possible.

    Part #4: Ask questions about the position/organization, culture, and next steps in interview process

Post Interview

    • Conduct a personal debrief of how you felt throughout the interview. Note areas of concern to practice further.

    • Keep a list of specific interview questions asked and how you responded.

    • You will begin to see a pattern in the interview process, with the types of questions you are asked and where you tend to get stuck or feel challenged.

    • Thank-you notes are an opportunity to re-emphasize your qualifications and enthusiasm for the position, as well as to impart anything you wish you had said during the interview. Reference a specific conversation in the interview to frame your thank-you note.

    • You can send a thank you note via email but you can definitely design a digital thank you note and attach it to the email. Plan to send the thank you note within 24 hrs.

    • Typically an interviewer will let you know when they will contact you about the position. Do not reach out to inquire until that time period has passed. If you have not hear back you can follow up politely and restate your interest in the position.

Interview Questions

The majority of an interview will be spent answering questions that seek to gain more information about your experience, your skills, and your portfolio. Every interviewer will have their own separate set of questions so it’s best to practice by speaking about your working and answering a wide variety of potential questions related to the role. There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions during an interview. Asking questions during an interview is not only a chance for you to learn more about the company and the role, but also an opportunity to demonstrate your interest and enthusiasm for the position.

Question You May Be Asked

The following are sample questions typically asked during an interview by prospective employers. In order to prepare for your interview, practice these questions out loud by yourself or with a friend to hear your own voice and how you deliver information verbally.

    • Tell me about yourself and your work? (Stay professional, but prepare answers that show your personality and interests.)

    • How would others describe you?

    • Why are you interested in working here? (The interviewer is listening for an answer that indicates you’ve given this some thought and researched the company.)

    • Why did you choose to attend ArtCenter? Why did you choose your particular major?

    • Where do you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years?

    • What are some of your short term and long term goals, and how will this position help you reach them?

    • What are your greatest strengths?

    • What are your weaknesses. (Have an appropriate, real weakness prepared. Speak about how you discovered it, why it is important to fix it and how you are trying to improve it. Being a perfectionist and working too hard are NOT weaknesses. Be sure the weakness you talk about is NOT a key element of the position. Reframe the weakness as an area of growth.)

Questions To Ask

Always ask questions! Asking sound, intelligent and well thought-out questions conveys that you have an interest in the position, organization and the interviewer. It also displays your critical thinking skills. Avoid asking questions about salary.

    • Who would I be reporting to?

    • Which individuals would I be working with?

    • What are the key characteristics you are looking for in a candidate?

    • What goals is this division currently trying to accomplish?

    • What is currently one of your biggest challenges?

    • What are the environment and culture like?

    • Can you tell me some of the reasons people choose to work here.

    • What will my day-to-day activities entail?

    • What new directions is your company/organization going in? What are the next big projects?

    • What is your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion? How is that visible?

    • What does diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to you?

    • Tell me about your company culture and values.

    • How do you incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion into professional development?

    • What are you doing to create an inclusive environment?

    • What are your most important values as a company?

    • Joining an inclusive team is important to me. How do you promote inclusivity on your teams so that all employees can succeed?

    • Do your employees participate in diversity training? What programs are in place to promote inclusion?

    • What tangible goals does the company have in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion?

    • What is your remote work policy?

    • Are your remote employees able to maintain a work-life balance?

    • What safety protocols do you have in place?

    • What resources do employees have for mental health?

    • Why is this position vacant?

    • What opportunities for advancement do you offer?

    • What is your family leave policy?

    • Which technologies do you use?

    • What measures are you taking to make sure in-office and remote workers are treated without bias?

Other Types of Interviews

Virtual Interview

Many aspects of a virtual interview are the same as an in-person interview. Virtual interviews are becoming more and more common. While you may still interview by phone or in person, it’s likely you’ll have a video interview using Zoom, Skype, or a similar platform.

    • Sit in front of a neutral background that is professional and won’t distract from what you are saying during the interview.

    • Find a quiet space. If you can’t find a space that’s isolated, let the people around you know you’re going to be on a call.

    • Check your audio and video in advance.

    • Use headphones for best audio quality and to avoid echos.

    • Consider using an external webcam with better resolution if you’re doing a lot of interviews.

    • To make sure your face is visible, put a light source in front of you and make sure you’re not lit from behind.

    • Make sure you have a good internet connection. Close other programs so they’re not using bandwidth, and make sure no one in the house is streaming video at the same time.

    • Dress for the interview, even if you think they won’t see all of you - it helps you get in the right frame of mind.

    • Don’t wear busy patterns. They can be hard on the eyes over video.

    • Look into the camera when you speak, not at the screen. You can put a sticky note with a reminder to smile next to your camera to help draw your attention there.

    • Sit far enough back from the camera that your hand and arm gestures can be seen.

Informational Interview

An informational interview is an important part of the career exploration process. It allows you to learn about education requirements, career-path options, industry standards, and other relevant information from a professional working in their field. Typically, you interview someone either in their office/workplace or over the phone/video. Informational interviews are usually 30 minutes in length and are not interviews for employment.

    • To gather career information from a professional in your career and/or field of interest

    • To gain a better sense of the necessary steps to enter your desired profession, usually by interviewing someone about their career path.

    • To develop personal relationships and build your personal creative network or to find a mentor.

  • You will need to find someone to interview through a referral, through research, or by networking within your desired field. Click here to get help building your creative community.

    Outreach should include:

    • Introduce yourself and include your background (school, major, year, your professional area of interest.)

    • If someone referred you, let the reader know who and what the connection is (school, alumni, organization, family, etc.)

    • Briefly describe the type of interaction, in case the reader is not familiar with the term “informational interview”.

    • Ask for a 30-minute meeting and suggest a way to meet (video, phone, in-person).

    • Explain your professional area of interest. Why are you interested in this area of art or design? What are your career goals?

    • Be specific about why you want to meet and what are you hoping to learn (Is it about education? possible career paths? what a job is really like? industry knowledge, etc.?)

    • Express appreciation for their time (to read the email, to possibly meet with you).

    • Give the reader your availability and how to reach you in order to schedule a meeting.

    • If you would like to receive professional feedback, include a link to or attachment with your portfolio.

    • How did you get started in this industry?

    • What education is required for this position?

    • Is an internship required for this position?

    • Can you start this position at entry level?

    • What is a salary range for this type of position?

    • What are the culture and benefits of working for a larger/smaller company?

    • What is the professional path to this position?

    • What type of skills does a person need to be successful in this position?

    • What advice would you give to someone starting out in the profession?

    • What are the challenges in this industry and/or position?

    • How competitive is the field?

    • What are strategies to set myself apart from other applicants?

    • Is there anyone else you can refer me to that might have additional insight into this career field?

  • 1-2 days later, send a thank you email or even a hard-copy thank-you note if you have their physical address.

Negotiating a Job Offer

One crucial aspect of the interview process is negotiation. In relation to your job search, negotiation is a very normal part of the process that typically happens once you’ve been offered the position. It's not just about salary; negotiation covers lots of things like benefits, what your job involves, how you balance work and life, and chances to grow in your career. View the guide below to prepare.

Before the Offer

  • Negotiations can technically kick off whenever salary discussions arise, whether it's during your application when you're asked for a salary range, during a call with a recruiter, or even in an interview. Because of this, it's crucial to do your homework beforehand.

    Start by determining the minimum salary you need to cover your expenses. Research the cost of living in the cities where you're applying for jobs to get a clear idea of your budget.

    Equally important is ensuring that your salary expectations align with the current job market standards. Research job titles and their associated salaries, considering factors such as position type, experience level, education, industry standards, company size, and location. Several websites like Payscale and Coroflot compile this information for you, making your research easier.

    In California, it's now mandatory for job descriptions to include a pay range, so be sure to look for that information as well.

  • After researching, create a salary range tailored to your job search. Set the lower end of the range as the minimum amount you require to cover your expenses. Aim for the middle of the range as your ideal salary, and consider the upper end of the range as what you'll negotiate for.

  • Negotiations don’t just involve your salary. Think about the entire picture - vacation time, benefits, relocation fees etc.

  • In California, it's now illegal for employers to inquire about your previous salary, but as a general rule, you should avoid disclosing your past salary.

    Early in the job search process, you might encounter questions about your salary expectations. You can respond by saying your range is flexible and depends on various factors. Express interest in learning more about the position and the salary range the employer has in mind.

    If pressed during an interview, refer to your salary research and provide an appropriate range, but focus on the upper end of that range.

After the Offer

  • Start by expressing your excitement about the offer, but also ask for time to review it. It's a common practice, and they typically provide a deadline by which you should make your decision.

  • Then, organize your request - your research will be crucial here. Evaluate what they've proposed and what you intend to request. Support your request with data and highlight the value you'll bring to the company.

  • Prepare your message in advance and rehearse it. To make the ask, we suggest having a phone call for these discussions.

  • Once you make the ask and the employer responds you will now need to weigh the pros and cons and decide if you will accept or walk away.

Negotiation Examples

Example 1

Example 2

Remember! Recruiters and hiring managers expect you to negotiate.

Not negotiating = leaving money on the table!

Want to practice your interview or negotiation skills?

Meet with a Career Advisor