Mock Interview

Overview

Being interviewed by your instructor will allow you to practice and hone your interviewing skills as you prepare to begin your career. I’ll interview you in a casual style, so you get used to answering questions out loud. It will be more like a casual conversation than a stressful interview.

The questions you should practice answering are listed below. I’ve also made a few videos showing you how I would answer some of the most-asked questions in a creative job interview.

Questions to practice and answer during your mock interview

Download and practice answering these questions before your mock interview. You can write notes on this sheet and use it during the interview.

mock-interview-questions Download

Video examples for the creative field – how to answer popular interview questions

Answering Interview Questions for Creatives: “So, tell me about yourself”
(3:42)

Answering Interview Questions for Creatives: “What has been your most challenging design project, and what did you learn from it?”
(2:35)

Answering Interview Questions for Creatives: “What are your three most valuable assets?”
(2:01)

Answering Interview Questions for Creatives: “In what three areas do you need the most improvement?”
(1:34)

Answering Interview Questions for Creatives: “Quickly, tell me why we should hire you.”
(0:45)

Things to think about…

Remember your interviewing tips and advice. You must practice interviewing in order to perform well in a real interview. As you answer each question, think about your answers:

Are they too short?
Too long?
Do your answers directly relate to your ability to do the job you are applying for?
Are you just rambling on…
Are you enthusiastic when you answer?
But not overly excitable and annoying?
Are you using anecdotes to demonstrate your points? These are the most effective and memorable.

Interviewing is difficult and stressful. However, if you practice often, and hone your skills, you will answer each question with ease and professionalism and hopefully land the job.

Helpful Answers to interview questions

Practice these answers often and add your own personal anecdotes to make your answers memorable and different from other candidates.

So, tell me about yourself… Provide information about you that shows you are qualified for the job:
- I have just graduated from the two-year Graphic Design program at Western. I am a talented designer and illustrator who is proficient with the Mac and with industry-standard software programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects. I am excited to start my career and look forward to the opportunity this position offers.
- Education (AAS Degree): Industry-quality projects
- Software knowledge
  Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, HTML, CSS, After Effects… and how to use them together
- Industry-related work experience:
  Do you work in the field now? Tell them about it. Freelance work?
- Skills from previous jobs, (soft skills, critical thinking skills) Communication skills, customer service skills, problem-solving skills, ability to meet deadlines, ability to manage a project from start to finish with little or no supervision, forward-thinking, courteous, honest, hard-working, dependable, creative, resourceful, able to think critically in stressful situations, able to multi-task when needed, efficient, reliable, trustworthy, punctual, professional, excellent managerial skills, ability to work with several different personalities at the same time.
- Use this information, in summary, at the end of the interview too.
Why do you want to work for our company?
- Base your answer on the research you did. What interested you in the company?
- What do you like about the company?
- State that the company’s open position matches your career goals and aspirations.
- Reiterate your interest in working for them in this job.
If you are hired, how long will you stay with us?
- I have been waiting for a position like this ever since I started school, I plan to work here as long as I can.
- I am looking for a long-term position with your company
- As long as I can continue to contribute to the growth of your company
- As long as it is a mutually satisfying relationship
What are your three most important assets?
- I am dependable
- Creative and energetic
- I take pride in the fact that the work I create is always done to the best of my ability.
What have you done in the past that qualifies you for this job?
- Education
- Design and illustration knowledge and experience
- Software knowledge
- Experience working on real, industry-quality, projects
- Work experience
- Teamwork at your job
- Being dependable, handling responsibility
- Other related experience
Describe your most difficult design project. What did you learn from the experience?
- To grow and expand my knowledge as a graphic designer
- To learn more about the company’s industry, including your products, marketing, and customers
Provide an example of when you have been criticized or reprimanded, and explain how you handled it.
- I was told I was not following directions on a certain project. I explained to my boss how I was trained to do the task, and I asked if I was correct. As it turns out, I was trained incorrectly by a previous employee, and that is why I was doing things incorrectly. I asked my boss to show me the correct procedure and continued to use that method going forward.
In five short statements, tell me why I should hire you.
- I take great pride in my work
- I am a talented and creative graphic artist
- I have the skills, abilities, and qualifications to succeed in this job
- I am a dependable, energetic, and devoted employee
- I really want this job and am excited to start working for you!
What tasks do you NOT want to do if we hire you?
- I am open to learning all tasks that will help me excel as a graphic artist
We are really looking for an exceptional employee, not just someone who wants a paycheck—do you have any reservations or second thoughts about your ability to do this job?
- No. I am excited about the opportunity this job offers and I am confident that I have the skills, talents, and qualifications to do this job.
In what three areas do you feel you need the most improvement?
- I have difficulty working with people who show they do not care about their job.
- I have difficulty working with people who don’t pull their weight.
- I have high standards for my work, and I expect others to have high standards too.
- I’m learning to speak up and request that others contribute more completely long before I start getting angry about a situation that is unequal.
How would you respond to your supervisor telling you that you really haven’t been doing a good job?
- I would ask my boss for more details as to which areas I wasn’t performing to their expectations. I would then discuss a plan and provide a timeline for me to fix the problems. I would also follow up with my boss in two weeks to make sure that they are comfortable with the changes I made.
Are you an honest person? If yes, provide a past example that demonstrates you are an honest person.
- I am an honest person. The best example I can provide is that I live an honest life each day. I am a person who does not cut corners in order to profit in the short term from inferior quality or poorly completed jobs. I consider myself a person of integrity who completes each job to the best of my ability.
We all know that people don’t always get along with each other, tell me, what types of people do you have the most difficulty dealing with?
- As stated before, I am frustrated with people who do not care about the quality of their work
- Other than dishonest people, I have found that I get along well with all types of people.
- I feel that a variety of people and a variety of opinions always help to solve problems and to come up with ideas.
If I were to offer you this job right now, what would your answer be?
- IF YOU HAVE THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED THE JOB IN THE INTERVIEW, AND YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION…
- I accept! When can I start?
- IF YOU HAVE NOT DISCUSSED THE DETAILS OF THE JOB, TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE VERY INTERESTED IN THE POSITION AND WOULD LIKE TO LEARN A LITTLE MORE ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU MAKE A DECISION.
Describe how you have used your time-management skills to successfully complete design projects.
- Explain what you are doing…
- Cold-calling, informational interviews, researching area companies, making sure your skills are up-to-date, reading more about the industry, networking with other artists, etc…
How are you currently keeping up-to-date in your field?
- Freelance work for area businesses
- I read several industry publications, including MacWorld, STEP, Print, Communication Arts, Step-by-Step graphics, etc.
- I attended a Mac tradeshow specifically focused on prepress and printing
If we hired you, what type of training would you ask us for to keep you up-to-date in your field?
- I would like to keep up-to-date on all the equipment and software that I would use as a graphic designer at your company
- I would also like to consider additional training in marketing and possibly product development.
- I would like to learn more about our manufacturing plant and what happens to my artwork once it leaves the graphics department
Provide me with an example of when you had to make a tough decision, and tell me what happened as a result of your decision.
- Keep this example to work-related issues if possible.
- Talk about when your boss was on vacation, and you were asked to make a decision for him/her. What happened? Did you make the right decision? How did your boss react when they returned?
What motivates you on the job?
- I am motivated most by seeing a project completed and taking pride in having been a part of the team that made it happen.
- I am motivated by seeing my hard work help the company succeed, grow, and continue to attract new customers
- I am motivated when I receive continuous feedback from my boss
- I am motivated when I feel that my opinion matters
- I am motivated when I feel I am rewarded for my talents and contributions
Where do you want to be in 5 years?
- Be honest, where do you want to be?
- I would like to continue to grow and learn within this company
- This job is my long-term goal
Give me an example of when you had to meet an extremely tight deadline, and tell me what you did to accomplish the task.
- Speak about an actual project, either in a class or at your work
- Use action words to market yourself. We meet an eight-hour deadline at my last job by working as a team…
- Rehearse your examples and describe the steps you too
Explain your personal creative process.
- Explain what you do to be creative. Researching, sketching, reading, collaborating, critiquing, discussing with the client, wait-time…
What makes you angry?
- Lies, and dishonesty
- When I am not included in the completion of a project I have spent time on.
- People who do not care about the quality of their work
- Laziness that contributes to the downfall of the company
Tell me about an instance when you were disappointed with your performance.
- I was assigned a project disappointed when I was given a project with a very short deadline, and I wasn’t able to spend as much time on the project as I wanted to. I completed the project on time, and the customer was satisfied, but I would have liked to spend more time on the project.