Interior Designer Resources Directory :: Interior Design Article
Interview Appeal
With all the pomp and circumstance of graduation comes an equal amount of fear and anxiety. After the new graduate's initial high of "I'm free! I'm free!" comes the crash back down to terra firma and the unsettling realization: "Uh, oh - I've got to find a job."
Business majors don't realize how easy they have it. A resume, some basic computer skills, a general understanding of accounting and an 8.5" x 11" leather notebook, and they're ready for their first interview. For interior design students, however, the expectation is higher and the load heavier... literally. Some portfolio cases are cumbersome enough to demand an immediate visit to the chiropractor. Figuratively speaking, however, there is most definitely a weighty burden on creative types when interviewing.
So what's a brand new design graduate to do? Hopefully the myriad of design schools out there are - at the very least - offering Portfolios, Presentations & Interviewing 101, but students are hungry for real world knowledge that will give them confidence, not to mention an edge. They crave the specifics of what designers are looking for in new hires so that they will land that first job.
Equally concerned, of course, are the designers doing the interviewing. For the sake of maximum efficiency, increased profitability and sustained sanity, they are just as eager to find the right fit. So what's an employer to do?
One clear answer: Pay attention to the results of the survey that the ASID Student Advisory Council is sponsoring this spring. They have joined forces with the Center for Career Services at Syracuse University to canvass designers, the goal being to collect specific information on industry hiring preferences. According to the ASID participation request and the survey itself, the results will soon appear in ASID NewsFlash, the national online newsletter, and ACCESS, the national ASID student newsletter, where they "may reach up to 11,000 ASID Students and future graduates nationwide."
The idea is a brilliant one, and the survey is indeed thorough. With a combination of multiple-option answers, ranking systems and open-ended questions, the queries ask for interviewers' preferences regarding the following issues that arise during the course of interviewing for design-related positions:
portfolios:
* physical size & style of presentation * amount of work * originals versus reproductions
projects:
* range and breadth * demonstration of technical skills * space planning abilities
technology:
* range of skills * desired software proficiency * minimum requirements
resume:
* graphic presentation / style * internships / other work experience * range of overall skills
interviewing:
* top questions asked to interviewees * expected knowledge of firm when interviewing * importance of persona / personal traits
general:
* overall presentation of materials * communication methods (phone, mail, email) / types of media * universal advice to interviewees
The results of this vital survey will be fascinating in that they will reflect the current state of the design industry workplace and culture. More importantly, however, the finds will surely have an influence in shaping future national curricula and act as a more definitive guideline for students, fostering a more smooth, effective and satisfying interview process for both employer and potential employee.
While anxiously awaiting the results of the survey, let's address some basic - yet no less crucial - issues that employers take into consideration when looking to hire fresh new talent. Interestingly enough, a bit of a disconnect seems to exist between what students think employers are looking for and what they actually expect from a new graduate.
Common worries students have when interviewing are a perceived lack of:
1. relevant projects in their portfolios 2. advanced computer skills 3. internship experience 4. client communication and presentation skills 5. detailed understanding of how the overall industry works
Students, here's why you shouldn't let these issues give you prematurely gray hair (there's plenty of time of that later):
1. lack of relevant projects in their portfolios
So you are interviewing for a position in Healthcare design and your best projects happen to be Residential, or you set up an appointment with a firm that specializes in Hospitality and your course work leaned toward Corporate projects. It's common, and it's OK. Interviewers know that not every program will facilitate every single field of design, and they understand that you might not have hit your stride until your senior year. The keys to an effective portfolio are these: demonstration of the process (i.e. how you arrived at a solution); overall quality and presentation of chosen work; confidence in what you are presenting; and the ability to justify why you did it and where you can improve. Concentrate on what you do have instead of what you don't have.
2. lack of advanced computer skills
We will let you in on a little secret. Most design schools require much more advanced computer skills than the majority of designers currently use. Unless you have your sights set on one of the huge national or international firms - who tend to have specialized computer and graphic techs anyway - the fact that your AccuRender and InDesign proficiency surpassed those of your classmates may be somewhat lost on your interviewer. But don't be mistaken - your aptitude for complicated software will be quite impressive, just as possessing the ability to speak another language is impressive. Simply realize that just because you can parlez français (or DreamWeaver), does not mean that you will be expected or asked to do so. What will be lauded, however, will be your capacity to tackle new challenges.
3. lack of internship experience
Sure, it's great to have had a design-related internship, and you should definitely seek one out if at all possible, but almost any type of employment will show a potential new employer that you are serious, capable and professional. Whether feeding caffeine addictions at the corner Starbucks, corralling rowdy toddlers at the neighborhood daycare or satisfying a diner's sugar fix at the local drive-in, the existence of a past job establishes the desire to take on responsibility and the ability to handle it.
4. lack of client communication and presentation skills
Here's another secret. Unless you possess speaking talents in the echelon of Oprah Winfrey, the chances of a new graduate having heavy client contact and/or presenting projects to potential new ones are a bit low. Some people are natural speakers, but most are not. As we age, our base of knowledge grows, which then leads to increased confidence and poise. However, with this maturity does not always come a faculty for expert repartee. We all have our talents, and yours may not ever be in tune with creating client harmony. Don't sweat this short-coming, though absolutely plan to work on it if your goal is to be front and center.
5. lack of details of how the overall industry works
Of course you don't know how the industry games are played - you are a student. Mastering (or merely grasping) the intricate politics of a large development project, the delicate dance between eccentric client and frustrated designer or the occasional gray area associated with awarding a bid is not expected to be in your realm of expertise upon graduation. Knowing who does what, whom not to trust and whom to run to are skills acquired only over time, so unclench your jaw and relax a little.
Yes, a silver tongue, the talent to sketch upside down and /or the techno savvy to network computers on a LAN are all fantastic skills and will undeniably help set you apart, but you might be surprised what interviewers honestly hold in high regard for a new employee. It's really back to the basics…
AWARENESS
Be aware of how your behavior affects those around you, especially when it comes to time. According to Tom Schwenk of Jordan Thomas & Associates, the statistics of interviewees who arrive late or completely blow off an interview is alarmingly high, so showing up is practically half the battle. Promptness exhibits respect for others' time, as well as an ability to follow through, which will translate into the power to meet crucial deadlines. To summarize, don't be a flake.
RESPONSIBILITY
If an employer is generous enough to give you responsibility, then they want to be assured that you will assume it and relish it. When you accept their mission, they also want to have the confidence that not only are you willing to ask for help when you need it, but also to admit a mistake when you've made it. The fastest way to cultivate disappointment and get kicked to the curb is to point fingers, lie blatantly and run in the other direction. Be the first to own up to the situation, attempt to provide a solution, and you will earn the respect of those around you.
MOTIVATION
No one wants to be forced to baby-sit an employee no matter if they are new to the job or have earned the proverbial gold watch. A willingness to learn - even from those younger or seemingly less experienced - is an attractive trait in any relationship: employee/employer, friend/friend, husband/wife, etc. Admitting an ignorance, adapting to change, accepting new challenges, and moving beyond your comfort zone without being paralyzed with fear or bitter with resentment will move your career - and life - miles beyond anything with wheels.
PROFESSIONALISM
It is time to grow up, though that does not mean becoming lifeless and bland. Being professional doesn't have anything to do with maturity, but it does have everything to do with understanding of situational appropriateness, whether it be related to appearance or to demeanor. Different office cultures most certainly have varied levels of acceptable behavior and dress, and a clever interviewee will seek that information out and act accordingly; however, a volatile temper, petty jealousy, expansive mood swings and demeaning verbal attacks are universally unacceptable, so, if you have any of that baggage, just be sure to leave it at the door.
COMPATIBILITY
Whether in a studio of five or a firm of 500, successful working relationships are the backbone of a strong company. Compatibility with other employees impacts quality of life, employee turnover, and, ultimately, productivity and achievement. Pretending to be someone you are not - or something, in the case of a firm - during the interview process will only lead to mutual dissatisfaction, inefficiency, resentment and unhappy clients, and no one wants to expend this kind of extra energy. Better to be smart and save it up for something fun, don't you think?
As ASID's survey participation request so aptly pointed out, "Sometimes, very talented students fail to obtain positions because they do not know how to present their skills effectively." Interviewees want the right job, and employers want the right employee, so the more mutual the understanding of expectations, the more beneficial to all parties. We want you to contribute to this comprehension by providing your insight. Email designeresources at students@designeresources.com. Joan will post your comments, and we will provide a link to those comments at a future date on PLiNTH & CHiNTZ. In the meantime, happy interviewing.
Laura McDonald, ASID / IIDA, grew up obsessively playing with Lincoln Logs" and Legos", poring over her mother's design magazines and drawing her dream house on pieces of grid paper. Torn between her left and right brain, she first earned a BS in Civil Engineering at SMU before completing her MFA in Interior Design at the Savannah College of Art & Design. Laura worked for a Dallas-based commercial interior design firm for over seven years before creating the monthly online magazine, PLiNTH & CHiNTZ. Her mission with PlinthandChintz.com is to provide her international readership with a backstage pass to the real world of interior design, dispensing candid and entertaining expert information for everyone from design students to seasoned professionals to those just intrigued about the diverse and dynamic field that has a reputation of being intimidating, bewildering, and out-of-reach. When not in cyberspace, Laura speaks at student-related events (next up: NeoCon 2005's ASID Career Exchange), sits on the Interior Design Advisory Board for The Art Institute of Dallas, and contributes to the Dallas-based décor magazine D Home.
