Preparing for the Interview

Recently, I had my first big interview experience. I have interviewed for jobs before, but those required little thought or preparation.  This position, on the other hand, required much more time and effort.

I ran for the graphic design intern position at Thirty-One Gifts in Columbus, Ohio. I originally found the position online and applied. To my surprise, they set up a phone interview with me. Of course, I was nervous for the phone interview, but I was not too nervous. For a phone interview, you can wear what you want and stare at the ground as much as you want without the interviewer knowing! I did research on the company to prepare. I guess my joyful voice and charming personality won over the recruiter because they invited me to their headquarters for an on-site interview.

The moment I was told they wanted to interview, my mind started rolling. I truly love the Thirty-One brand, so I wanted to make sure I did the best I possibly could. Therefore, I had to do some work.

1.       First, I had to update my resume. I am a designer, so I knew a Microsoft Word template would not land me the job. I have learned it is important to enter information about yourself which closely relates to the position. Therefore, I entered my experience in design as well as my skills, honors and activities related to design.

2.       Of course, I had to get the right outfit! You would not believe how much consideration this took. I knew I needed to look professional, but I also wanted to show some of my personality. I knew I would wear pink since pink is the main color of their brand.

3.       As a graphic designer, a good portfolio is always important because you need to show the employer what you can do. Personally, I created an online portfolio through Adobe Portfolio. With portfolios, you only want to enter work you feel proves your skill, so I included my best work in art, photography and design. You can click here to view mine. To really stand out, I decided to make portfolio booklets to leave with the interviewers as well. I even designed them to match my resume.

4.       Next, I knew I needed to rehearse answering questions. I found lists of commonly asked questions and tried to think how I would respond to them. I wanted to make sure I would say the right thing I wanted to say.

5.       I learned it is important to follow-up with your interviewers, so I thought I would do something unique. I designed my own cards and envelopes for them! I wrote and addressed the notes by hand to make them feel personal. I also added some humor to remind them of my personality.

So, the big day came, and I felt prepared. I took the long drive to Columbus and arrived a whole hour early. Luckily, there was a Target down the street! The building was huge, and the lobby was gorgeous. Somehow, I was not nervous. I was excited! Eventually, the two ladies arrived to start the interview. We talked, and I made them laugh. I showed them my work, and they asked me questions. To my surprise, they did not ask for my greatest strength or weakness nor did they bring a pen and paper. I prepared answers to so many questions they never asked!

Sadly, I did not get the position in the end. Although I am upset I did not get the job, I am still content knowing I did the best I could. I prepared as much as I could. Through this experience, I have learned how much goes into preparing for an interview. Although it may not always work, you will still feel better about yourself knowing you did all you could instead of wondering if you could have done more.