Interview Advice

people, for example) understand the business, cultural and aesthetic value of what you do

Present the business reasons for why a concept, design or system was a success. Be able to show that you understand that design is one element in the success of a product, communication, service or environment by discussing how your work increased sales, provided more value to the customer, opened new markets, helped establish a brand, etc. These reasons are especially important if you have not done work to solve design problems in the same type of business/industry the interviewer(s) are in.

Prepare your portfolio/presentation materials.

A portfolio is not a scrapbook and an interview is no time for a history lesson. Work done much earlier in your career may look dated to others. Check back with the position description when deciding what and how much of each project to show, depending upon what the prospective employer is looking for.

Plan a presentation for your laptop as well as a "real" portfolio containing 2-D concept sketches, photographs, engineering/ construction drawings and renderings of completed work as well as

proposals that were not realized, if they relate to the interviewer(s) needs.

If you want to use both, save the laptop for interface designs that the interviewer can navigate, and for product, graphic, environmental, process or systems design

material it is easier to show digital media. If you do hand sketching well, by all means bring them along in a binder.

Select each project and form of media also for their intrinsic ability to present different aspects of your experience and skills.

Rehearse.

Ask your friends, colleagues or others, whose judgment you trust, to listen to your presentation and make suggestions for improvement. Ask them what questions they would ask people interviewing for positions with their companies or questions they were asked in similar situations. Prepare appropriate answers.

Get directions and travel specifics.

Ask your recruiter or potential employer for driving or any other travel directions, even if you will be taking a taxi. Ask for parking location. If flying to an appointment at the request of a potential employer, ask if you will be picked up at the airport, need to rent a