Hasta La Ideas

Images from (clockwise from top left) LUNAR, IDEO, Google X and frog

Yesterday, we ran the last of our nine Getting Hired interviews, in which we solicited job-seeking advice from key hiring personnel at LUNAR, IDEO, Philips, BMW Group Designworks USA, Smart Design, frog, Google X, Ziba and Teague (whew!). To wrap up the series, we asked our intrepid interviewer, Bryn Smith, to distill those conversations into a shortlist of essential strategies for landing your next design job. Did we miss something? By all means, share your own I.D.-employment wisdom in the comments.

1. Be proactive
Have you always dreamed of working at IDEO? Or perhaps Philips or frog seems like the perfect fit? Don’t wait for an invitation. Many of the firms I spoke to welcome unsolicited applications, so it makes sense to apply even if you don’t see a job opening. “As a consultancy, it’s important to keep a pipeline of candidates,” explains frog’s Kerstin Feix. Perhaps even more important than submitting an application, however, is doing whatever you can to connect with someone inside the firm, via your alma mater or good old-fashioned networking at conferences and other industry events. When something does open up, firms often start with people they already know, so having that foot in the door is a huge advantage. “It’s getting to know people and starting a conversation,” notes Paul Backett of Ziba. “So when the right place, right time comes along, the discussion can be our focus.”

2. Tell a compelling story
“A lot of designers have beautiful portfolios, but it’s really important for us to have an understanding of how they got there,” says Smart Design’s Sarah Szeflinski. Think about your portfolio as an exercise in storytelling, and be sure to highlight all the ups and downs along the way to the final product. “We love to hear about the challenges that people come across—failures even,” says Ziba’s Paul Backett. “We want to hear what they’ve learned,” adds Sean Hughes of Philips. Pacing is also important when laying out your book (or PDF or website)—don’t get too template-happy; instead, use different projects to showcase different skills. And then edit. “If you have weak work in your in your book it can bring down the whole portfolio,” says Lisa Olivia at Designworks USA.

3. Master the basics
Sometimes the most obvious step is the easiest to overlook. Before an interview, do background research on the firm so you have a solid understanding of the kind of work they do (as well as the kind they don’t). Practice walking through your portfolio with a friend, or on your own out loud. Then practice it again. Lisa Olivia recommends asking how much time you’ll have before the interview even begins. That way you can adjust your pace, and you won’t end up in a situation where there isn’t time to present your favorite piece. Once the interview begins, “stay in control of the dialogue,” advises LUNAR’s Jeff Salazar. Asking questions and being engaged in the interview as a conversation demonstrates your interest in the position, as well as your respect for the interviewer’s time. And don’t forget to make eye contact! As Teague’s Alysha Naples points out, those basic social skills are extremely important—the firm wants to know that it can feel confident putting you in front of a client, and that you can handle curveball questions with dignity and charm.

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