Approaching An Interview As A Creative Person
By: Carly Mednick
Being able to speak confidently and specifically about your skill set is a defining characteristic of a creative person. Defining the scope of your work can make the difference between being selected for a job and being looked over. The creative industry is wide reaching, as are the right-brain-centric roles it caters to—ranging from creative directors to copywriters. When you can introduce your personal “zone of genius,” you’re demonstrating to future employers your area of expertise. Setting realistic expectations by pinpointing your role in projects you’ve been a part of, software you’ve worked with, and campaigns you’ve brought to life, avoids the pitfall of false expectations. Practicing this makes you your own best advocate.
Part of the magic of being creative is having a specialization. Owning this is how you become an expert. Your versatility is an asset, but your specialization is what sets you apart. Avoid touting yourself as a person-of-all-trades. Instead, lean into the areas where you feel your work is strongest and most representative of what you could bring to the team.
Being able to showcase your work is essential for creatives. Having a personal website to demonstrate your exact role in a campaign in a digestible portfolio format creates tangible proof of your success for a future employer. Talk about your role, allowing your skillset to shine. Keep your portfolio up to date. You never know when an opportunity might arise.
Sometimes, as demonstrated by our work with large, traditionally minded organizations, even the most non-creative teams are ready to take on creative talent. The big question, as a creative person considering a role in a less-creative role, is if the company is really ready for an artistic vision. Will they push boundaries and empower you to create your best work? Gauging how open and prepared a company is for new ideas is challenging, but important, as interviews go both ways.
If you’re considering evolving your work style as a creative form at-home, freelance to full-time on a team, it’s important to integrate your personal style of work into your decision-making. Are you hoping to become more collaborative? If so, ask tangible questions about how collaboration plays out at the company, as well as the makeup of the team you’ll be joining. Take time asking questions about how working hybrid, remote, and in-person plays out, not only day-to-day, but also on larger scale projects, like photo shoots, for example.
People in creative fields tend to be naturally collaborative. Even if you’re working on a freelance-basis, you’re still partnering with other experts. Reference this in interviews for more traditional roles, highlighting all the ways your work veered from the creative to the administrative while managing your own workflow.