Tag: interview advice | Artisan Creative

Tips for a Successful Video Interview

Monday, February 13th, 2023|

The ease of technology and virtual offices have made video interviews a necessary step in the overall interview process. Sometimes a video interview can pose additional challenges due to technology mishaps or the inability to see the other person’s reaction well, adding to the pre-interview anxiety.

No need to worry! Whether it’s Zoom, Teams, or a pre-recorded video resume, the tips below can help create success in your job search.

The main intention of any interview is to do your best so you can advance to the next stage.With over 25 years of helping candidates prepare for these types of interviews, we’d like to share some best practices with you:

The Video Interview

No matter the technology used adhere to this mantra: Test, and Test again. Test your device’s audio and video connections before the actual interview. Don’t wait until the interview day to download!
Confirm time zones in case the interviewer is in another state or country.
Practice ahead of time on screen and record yourself if possible. Pay attention to your posture, voice, lighting and background and adjust as needed.
Check the lighting and move your computer as needed so that your face is illuminated without any shadows. Get an external light such as a ring light if the room lighting is low.
Make sure your head and shoulders appear in the video frame – don’t get too close or move too far away from the camera.
Position the camera at eye-level and make eye contact with it! If you only watch the screen itself you’ll look like you’re not making eye contact with the interviewer.
Research the company, follow on social, and look up your interviewer’s Linkedin profile. You may find some things in common!
Ensure that you are in a quiet place.
Make sure your device is fully charged or plugged in during the interview
You’ll be using your voice and tone to communicate— be sure to speak clearly and succinctly.
Be friendly and smile while talking.
Be prepared to ask engaging questions about the company culture and the team.
Have your resume close by so you can refer to it.
Listen well and avoid talking over the interviewer.
Don’t discuss salary or benefits at this stage.
This is your first opportunity to connect and shine.
Dress and groom as if you were interviewing in person. Dress for the job you want!
Pay attention to your surroundings—especially the background. Select a clean, neutral, and distraction-free backdrop like a wall, or screen.
If you live with a roommate let them know you’ll be on camera to avoid unexpected noise or interruptions.
If applicable, have your portfolio loaded on your desktop in case screen sharing is needed. Make sure you have a clean, uncluttered desktop and if needed, change your desktop wallpaper to something creative but professional.

We wish you all the best in your next job interview! Be sure to check out all our interview tips on our blog.

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Prepping for your next Interview

Friday, January 13th, 2023|

Interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience! Preparation helps calm those nerves. In order to help you through your next interview, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider to get that job offer.

Do Research
Being prepared for an interview is a given, but how well do you really know the position and the company? It’s useful to make notes and bullet point any relevant information before your interview. Do your research and check out Linkedin, reviews and social media posts to learn a few facts about the company. This shows your interest in the product offerings and culture of the company
Watch your Body Language
We can’t stress how important body language is. If you don’t believe us, watch this TED Talk by Amy Cuddy (it has over 22 M views!!) We are not saying you should walk or Zoom into an interview with attitude, but what we are saying is that subtle language such as posture and hand movements can make all the difference between appearing shy or confident. Sit up straight, make eye contact and use open hand gestures. Check out our Zoom interview best practices blog too.
Be Grateful
Gratitude can go a long way so thanking the interviewer for meeting with you and following up with a thank you note will show how interested you really are. You could be up against several candidates and if you’re the only one to follow up and thank them, you’re already ahead of the rest.
Questions
Even if the interviewer has answered everything for you, ask another one! There’s nothing worse than being in an interview and not having any questions prepared or forgetting to ask something. Take in a list of questions and refer back to your notes when they ask you. If they truly have answered everything, at least they can see how prepared you were, but make sure you leave knowing as much as possible about the job and company.
Stand Out
How can you stand out – what is your unique ability? Winnie Hart of Twin Engine branding has a wonderful series of e-books to help define what makes you stand out. Whatever your unique skill set, ability, or qualification, bring it up as a topic of conversation to help the interviewer remember you.
Avoid Negative Talk
This one is absolutely a key point to avoid using negative language. Refrain from saying “I’m not” or “I can’t” and say phrases such as “I’m strong with” or “I can”. Also, avoid speaking negatively about a previous role or boss. Be truthful about why a role came to an end, however, do it with professionalism.
Infuse Enthusiasm
Be sure to show your enthusiasm about the role, the company, and the opportunity presented to you. Everyone wants to work with people who share the same excitement and passion about a project or product, so show your personality, and communication style. This is one of our core values here at Artisan Creative too.

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Avoid Doing These 6 Things During a Job Interview

Tuesday, September 13th, 2022|

Interviews necessitate that you make a good impression, however nerves or being unprepared can hold you back from presenting yourself in the best light. Here are six things to avoid during any job interview to ensure a successful conversation.

Being unprepared. Anticipate questions about your resume and experience, and have answers for the most common interview questions. Do your research to get an idea of company culture, products, and where your skills may translate. A quick search of the company’s website and social media channels will prepare you.
Being unprofessional. There are simple things you can do to solidify your impression as a professional. Arrive on time, say thank you, be respectful to all, and have a positive attitude. Dress professionally, and make eye contact. Turn off your phone and other notification so you can be present.
Discussing salary. Don’t bring up salary in the first interview. Only discuss it if the interviewer asks you about it first. Otherwise best to focus on the role and company culture and discuss salary in follow-up interviews. If you are working with a recruiter, they will have shared your parameters ahead of time, so leave the negotiation to your recruiter.
Being distracted. Let your friends or roommates know you are in an interview! Don’t get distracted by the chatter in the room. Pay close attention and listen! What is your interviewer asking you? If you’re not paying attention and either answer the wrong question or ask them to repeat it, you imply that your attention span or attention to detail is low. Show that you can follow directions and keep an open mind by simply listening. Listen well. Communicate even better by being concise, articulate, and to the point.
Putting down a former boss or company. Even if your former employer was a nightmare to work with, nothing will make you look worse than speaking ill about them. You also never know who knows who! If a previous job situation was truly terrible, practice explaining what didn’t work for you in that position in a positive way.
Being late. ABOT: Always Be On Time. If you don’t know where the company is, map it out before driving (or taking public transit or an Uber) so you know how long it’ll take to get there and can plan accordingly. Emergencies do happen, so if there is an outstanding situation for being late, like a car accident or a sick child, have `the hiring manager’s phone number so you can call and let them know what’s going on.

Good luck with your next interview.

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5 Steps to Building Resilience in Your Job Search

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2020|

If you’ve recently lost a job or are getting frustrated with the long application or interview cycles, a key attribute that will help you stay in the game is resilience. Studies have shown, that with the right habits and mindset, you can develop a more resilient approach to your job search. Here’s how to do it:

1. Reflect, Then Keep Moving

In the aftermath of a job loss or during a difficult job search, it is normal to experience sadness, anger, and loss. Acknowledging these feelings is the best way to move through and continue on. Avoid getting stuck in the past, learn from your previous experience, develop a positive mindset, and become more conscious of new opportunities and things to be grateful for.

2. Take Stock of Yourself

Now is the time to be a good friend to yourself and emphasize your strongest qualities. Gather evidence of your past achievements, think about the things you love to do and are best at, and do some research to discover what new avenues may be open to you in a changing marketplace. If you haven’t updated your online portfolio or your LinkedIn profile in a while, make sure they showcase your best work in a way that’s exciting and relevant. (This may make you feel more optimistic and become more resilient, too.)

3. Try New Things

A sudden job loss or a long job search can give you the needed time to build new skills or to experiment with new hobbies and interests. If you read books and articles about subjects you want to learn about, attend virtual events that look interesting to you, and get out of your comfort zone, you may find yourself drawn to fresh subjects and opportunities you didn’t notice before. Be yourself, make connections, and grow your grit. New experiences can help you put things in perspective and develop a more broad-minded outlook, which is powerful for building resilience.

Masterclass, Udemy, Creative Live, or General Assembly are great places to brush up on your skills or develop new ones.

4. Express Gratitude

Our inherent negativity bias makes it easier to dwell on the negative and ignore the positive. To become more resilient, refocus your mindset and go overboard with positivity for a while. When you make a daily gratitude list, or simply remind yourself to look for the silver lining in situations, you train your brain to notice the good things around you, which will make it easier to spot your next big opportunities.

5. Reach Out

Being independent doesn’t mean being alone. Your peers, mentors, and friends will understand what you’re going through, and many will be eager to help if you give them a chance to do so. Join online platforms, browse groups on Linkedin, Groupspace, or Creative Mornings can connect with your other likeminded individuals for collaboration, connection, and communication.

You can start by contacting Artisan Creative. We have experience helping creative professionals connect with amazing companies and tune into new opportunities in a changing world of work. Let’s keep the conversation going!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 563rd issue of the a.blog.

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20 Remote Meeting Best Practices

Tuesday, April 28th, 2020|

By staying safe at home, and seeing nearly all interviews and meetings transitioning online, we wanted to share twenty remote meetings best practices we’ve learned over the past ten years of working exclusively as a remote team.

Whether you are having ongoing daily team huddles, interviewing for a new opportunity, meeting a client or prospect via video for the first time, it’s important to keep the following pointers top of mind:

Equipment

Ensure your device and headphones are fully charged or plugged in prior to your meeting.
Whether you are Zooming, using Facetime, Google Hangouts, or another tool, test your device’s audio and video connections before the actual meeting.
Look right at the camera when you speak. If you only look at the screen itself it’ll appear as if you’re not making eye contact with the attendees.
With everyone working from home, combined with homeschooling for many others, ensure that you are in a quiet place with enough wifi bandwidth.
Adjust your device screen to ensure your head and shoulders appear in the frame – don’t get too close or move too far away from the camera.
Be stationary and mount any handheld devices such as your mobile phone or iPad so you aren’t “traveling” with your device. It’s distracting and disrespectful.

Environment

Let your family or roommate know you’ll be on camera to avoid unexpected noise or interruptions.
Practice your on-screen time and record yourself if possible.
Adjust the lighting so your face is front-lit without any shadows.
Keep an eye on your posture. Adjust your lighting as needed.
Pay attention to your surroundings—especially your background. Select a clean, neutral, and distraction-free backdrop like a wall, a screen, or a panel of curtains. Close closet doors, make your bed and clean the clutter. If you are unable to do so, use zoom’s virtual backgrounds to create a branded look. You can find many examples on Canva.
If you are presenting or screen sharing, make certain you have a clean, uncluttered desktop and if needed, change your desktop wallpaper to something creative and professional.

Engagement

Confirm time zones in case you are meeting with someone in another state or country.
Speak clearly and succinctly. Use your voice, tone, and body language to communicate and connect. Use modified hand gestures as needed or gently lean in when making a point.
There can be a slight delay in communication, so be mindful not to talk over the other person.
Mute when not speaking (just remember to un-mute when it’s your turn to talk).
Dress and groom as if you are meeting in person. Working from home still requires being professional.
If in a larger gathering, become familiar with layout views so you can fully engage with everyone.
If you are making a pitch or presenting your work, have your portfolio or presentation loaded on your desktop to screen share as needed. Practice Zoom’s presentation tools such as whiteboard, and annotation to create a bigger impact on your audience.
Be friendly and smile while talking. It lifts and warms your voice, which helps you to connect with the group.

In 2009, we decided that the benefits of a successful remote environment outweighed the stresses of the daily commute. We love it and firmly believe in the life/work integration that being a remote company provides our team. If working in a remote setting is new for you, please check out this video and our additional blogs on the subject matter.

WE hope you’ve enjoyed the 559th issue of our a.blog

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Storytelling and Interviewing

Wednesday, June 5th, 2019|

If you’ve spent any slice of time searching for a job, you’ve probably experienced this. At some point in a typical job interview, often right at the top, your interviewer will say, “tell me about yourself.”

Technically, this isn’t a question, it’s a prompt. It puts you on the spot. It can be intimidating!

However, with the right preparation – along with dashes of confidence, enthusiasm, and self-awareness – “tell me about yourself” can be your opportunity to shine.

In preparation for this inevitable inquiry, here are a few ideas to keep in mind.

Tell Your Story

Intrigue your interviewer, engage their interest, and make them want to learn more about you – make use of your storytelling skills. Go on a journey, from the moment you realized your professional passion, through the experiences that honed your skills, to the conversation at hand and the opportunity currently in front of you. Explain how you’ve grown and evolved, and share anecdotes that support your big idea (e.g., “I’m curious,” “I’m an enthusiastic collaborator,” or “I’m a shameless data geek.”). Some classic storytelling structures used by great writers can serve as outlines for your own tale of inspiration, perseverance, and success.

Show Some Personality

Refer to your hobbies and the unique life experiences you’ve had. If it seems appropriate, you can even sprinkle in a bit of self-effacing humor. With the human element in play, the “tell me about yourself” portion of your interview can help you stand out and determine whether you’ll be a match for this team and its culture.

Specificity Kills Ambiguity

When you can, talk about your experience in terms of quantifiable accomplishments. “I had a job in digital marketing” makes less of an impression than “I led a Facebook ad campaign that grew my company’s email list by 300% in Q1 of 2019.” Similarly, when you talk about your personal qualities, use pictures, sounds, and feelings – this will give you an edge over competing candidates who lean on vague generalities, superlatives, and played-out jargon.

Cut to the Chase

You should avoid rambling and be able to comfortably wrap up your answer within 60-90 seconds. For practice, write out your answer, read it aloud, and cut anything that’s awkward or inessential. To get things moving quickly, hook your interviewer with your very first sentence.

Make It Relevant

“Always relate your answer directly to the job in question,” says Coach Tracy of The Career Launcher. “Tie your answer directly to the mission of the role and the challenges that typically are dealt with by job holders, and try to differentiate yourself with evidence of your skills for the job.”

Your interviewers want to be convinced that you’re right, as they need to know you’re the perfect match for this particular job. Whenever you tell your story, include variations each time to align with the details of the job description, the specific needs of the company, and how your skills and experience apply to the opportunity you’re applying for.

Spin the Table

Career coach Liz Ryan introduces “spinning the table,” a sophisticated method for transitioning out of your own story and into the substance of the interview, specifically your interviewer’s pain points, which you can then address. Answer your interviewer’s question, then ask them a question in turn. “You aren’t asking questions just for fun,” says Ryan. “You want to find out what the job is really about… You want to find out where the pain is because once you’ve got the hiring manager talking about their pain, the conversation can go to a completely different place.”

At Artisan Creative, we place creative, marketing, and digital talent with the companies and opportunities that will give them a chance to do their best work and live their best lives. Contact us today and let our a.team find your dream team.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 534^th issue of the a.blog.

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Our Top 25 Blogs

Wednesday, December 12th, 2018|

We are thrilled to publish our 500^th blog today. As we approach the end of the year, we’d like to share some of our a.team’s favorite blogs.

These cover a range of topics from self-development and time-management to job search, hiring, and much more.

We hope you enjoy this top 25 greatest hits compilation.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our 500th post. You can find plenty of other tips, inspirations, best practices, and advice on our a.blog.

We look forward to connecting.

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Creepin’ It Real: Scary Job Interviews From Our Recruiters

Wednesday, October 31st, 2018|

We’ve all been there. We turn up late to an interview because of that pesky LA traffic. Maybe you meet your interviewer who is looking dashing in a suit and you’re wearing jeans, or worse, shorts. Did you fail to do your research and you’re horrifyingly unprepared to answer questions on the company?

Job hunting can be terrifying. We get that. And we all have at least one frightening interview we’ve endured. Our recruiters have lived to tell the tale of their early career interviews and they’re sharing their horror stories with you this Halloween. Avoid any bone-chilling experiences at your next interview by learning from their mistakes.

Dressed to Depress

“On my first day of interviews to enter recruiting I had two back-to-back interviews: a corporate recruitment firm followed by a digital agency. My recruiter only prepared me for the first interview, not the second. The first interview took place in a private members-only bar, so of course, I was dressed to impress. I went straight to my second interview wearing a suit only to arrive at an edgy agency surrounded by people in casual, trendy clothes. There was nothing more humiliating than being marched through the office with everyone staring at my formal attire. The interviewer (wearing jeans) asked why I was dressed in such a way – I did explain myself and felt incredibly uncomfortable.” – Laura Pell – Recruiter at Artisan Creative

It’s important to do your own research on office environments. To get a better sense of a company’s culture and employees, look at their social pages, read up on their core values and look up their Glassdoor reviews. Look online for company events to gauge what to wear. Remember, in an interview, it’s always better to dress up than dress down — make sure you’re well-groomed and presentable.

Scary Requests

”I once interviewed for a company specializing in hypoallergenic products. The job description clearly stated no strong perfumes so I made sure to skip my usual spritz that day. When I arrived, they had me sit face to face with the main interviewer while an associate sat in the chair right next to me and proceeded to lean in and take a few deep breaths. She continued to do that for the next few minutes and then asked if I was wearing deodorant. I said yes and apparently, the deodorant scent was too strong for their liking. I guess for this role, it wasn’t enough to look the part, you have to smell the part as well!” – Jen Huynh – Recruiter at Artisan Creative

This request is uncommon and while we hope you won’t have to endure being sniffed at by interviewers, do heed any requests client’s make. They may ask you to fill in application forms, present portfolios or take a skills test. If you come unprepared, first impressions of your organizational skills will be duly noted.

We’d love to hear your interview horror stories. Do you have your own frightful story to share?

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 495th issue of our a.blog. Happy Halloween!

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Giving and Receiving Constructive Feedback

Wednesday, July 18th, 2018|

In order to be constructive, feedback must be mindful, purposeful, well-informed, and well-intentioned. It must also be clearly understood and easy to act upon. The purpose of constructive feedback is not to reward or punish; it is to share valuable information and insights so the entire team will be in a better position to accomplish its goals.

Whether you’re giving or receiving feedback after an interview, portfolio review, annual employee performance session, or client presentation you can benefit from ideas in the highly regarded book Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High, by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler. This book offers a lot of insight, along with a helpful checklist to keep in mind, whether you want to share notes with your colleagues or want to listen more deeply to mutually uncover opportunities for improvement.

“Start With the Heart”

Your observations will be of more value if you practice seeing (and feeling) the world from the recipient’s perspective. Likewise, if you can hear the hopes, fears, and emotions behind the feedback you receive, you may be more able to appreciate it as a gift. If you struggle with compassion or often find yourself on the defensive, the toolkit of Nonviolent Communication can change your perspective.

“Stay in Dialogue”

For feedback to be constructive, both parties must talk to each other, not at each other. Our relevant content on active listening has workable ideas on how to keep the paths of communication open.

“Make it Safe”

Safety is one of the most fundamental human needs; if safety is in doubt, addressing higher-level needs is not as easy. Part of building strong relationships is giving colleagues space, to be honest with each other without anyone feeling threatened. The most constructive moments happen in a calm environment within an atmosphere of mutual respect and only after any tensions or distractions have been dealt with.

“Don’t Get Hooked By Emotion (Or Hook Them)”

Clear communication happens above the noise and static of aggression, manipulation, or games of status. To give and receive constructive feedback, you must work around any emotional tactics and triggers and maintain your focus on what is true, what is useful, and the objectives you share.

“Agree on a Mutual Purpose”

Make sure constructive feedback is shared on a common ground. This means setting your goals upfront, being transparent about what you hope to gain, and recognizing each other as allies on the same journey, headed in the same direction.

“Separate Facts from Story”

We, humans, excel at constructing narratives; we use this skill to find patterns in our experiences and to make sense of the world. To remain open to new information and wisdom, we must practice setting aside our stories and pay attention to things objectively, as they are, in a way both parties can understand and agree upon. Things are almost never precisely what they may seem!

“Agree on a Clear Action Plan”

Every transmission of constructive feedback should conclude with a set of concrete, realistic, shared goals. The best feedback often results in a plan of action, and once the plan of action is followed through to everyone’s satisfaction, then you know the feedback was constructive!

At Artisan Creative, we believe the surest path to professional growth is through better communication. Get in touch today and start the conversation!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 480^th issue of our a.blog.

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Startups vs. Scaleups: Which is Right for You?

Wednesday, May 2nd, 2018|

Is the company you’re interviewing with a “startup,” or a “scaleup?” While some business writers may use the terms interchangeably, there are essential differences between startups and scaleups regarding structure, culture, and funding. Understanding these differences can help you decide which sort of company you want to work for, or to run.

Startups: Move Fast, Try New Things, Wear Many Hats

A startup is a young company, typically either bootstrapped or funded by a Seed or Series A Round. In most cases, it is still experimenting with its product-market fit, leaving open its option to iterate or even pivot if its current plans don’t pan out as anticipated.

The office culture of startup companies tends to be fast-paced, frenetic, creative and fun if a bit intense and unpredictable. Likewise, their corporate structures can be nebulous and improvisational as an “all hands on deck” mindset takes on shifting arrays of responsibilities to solve problems in real time.

Startups often use growth hacking, guerilla marketing, and other unorthodox tactics to find customers and spread their word. The heroes of the microprocessor revolution, the dot-com boom of the 1990s, and the current wave of Silicon Valley tech billionaires exert a substantial influence on the startup world, and their risk-taking ethos drives its innovative and hearty frontier spirit.

When a startup has established a place in the market, along with its culture and plans, it may be ready to begin the transition into a scaleup.

Scaleups: Responsible Growth and Maturity in Mind

Compared to startups, scaleups have moved beyond a minimum viable product and have established a reliable product-market fit. They can provide more clarity and security, which makes them more appealing to conservative investors.

In general, scaleups more closely reflect the values of the traditional corporate world. Their role models are long-time business and industry leaders with decades of history and persistence through ups and downs. This suits their status as more mature and well-defined entities.

In the world of scaleups, job responsibilities are more defined, corporate hierarchies are more concrete, and onboarding processes are more gradual and deliberate. Since scaleups already have a definite and established sense of their value, they tend to be more risk-averse. Investors, employees, and customers have different expectations of a scaleup – so there’s more to lose by playing fast and loose and more to gain by playing it safe.

Which Is Right For You?

If you’re a generalist, enjoy working at a fast pace, want to be on the leading, bleeding edge of technology, business, and culture – and you’re willing to sacrifice some security and stability – you may consider working with a startup. If you find one aligned with your values, the startup life may give you the satisfaction and stimulation you crave.

If you are more risk-averse and personally conservative, or you have additional responsibilities outside your professional life and want more life/work balance a scaleup may provide you a more calm and structured environment in which to apply and develop your specific skills.

Here at Artisan Creative, we join forces with creative professionals and clients at all stages and know the secrets to building the right team or career to exceed your expectations. Contact us today to learn more.

We hope you’ve enjoyed the 469th issue of our a.blog.

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