Want To Land That Design Job? Top Three Things That Get You Hired After The Interview

You want to stand out right? You want them to notice you and hire you over the last three people that just walked in the door. As a designer working for a small firm myself, I’ve interviewed lots of people. Here are a few ways people have stood out to me over the years.

They Bring Samples of Their Work

Seems like a no brainer right? Think of how much you would stand out from the crowd if you brought in a visual sample or even a printed portfolio with you to the interview. Chances are you competition is just going to show up and direct the interviewer to some links of their work. In most cases, this is a fine approach, but when the competition is fierce, bringing a portfolio or a few samples along with you to the interview not only shows proof of experience, it also demonstrates passion and a level of engagement that most prospective employees lack.

They Show An Interest In The Company

Think about how much time you put into an application? If the answer is “not much”, you can kiss your chances goodbye. The reason for this is because there is someone out there, about to get an interview, that has done their research on the company, shows an interest in what the company does, and crafts an application tailored directly to the company and job description.  I have seen applications, where a web designer will create a web page just for the application. Displaying a beautiful, well-crafted visual and well written friendly approach as well as linked to a page where there was clean, well-written code displayed will give you a head-up on the competition right from the get go. Amazing! The old adage “show, don’t tell”, is definitely relevant when applying for a design job. You may think that sounds like a lot of work, well, it is. How much are you willing to give in order to get what you want? Well if you really want this specific job you’re applying for then don’t be afraid to go the extra mile and show them that you have what it takes and you really want this job!

They Follow-Up

There is nothing worse than a person that doesn’t show appreciation for other people’s time. I always follow up any meeting with a quick “thank you” note especially after a client meeting. I would want my prospective employees to do the same. I like to send a hand written thank you note as that will always stand out from the numerous “thank you” emails I receive, but if you can’t find the time for that just a friendly follow-up email will do the trick. Something that emphasizes your enthusiasm for the company, the position and thanks the employer for meeting with them is a good start.

Hopefully these tips will give you a good advantage over the competition and land you the job. It never hurts to look the part while you’re at it.

Guest Author Kimberly Clark is a Content Strategist who enjoys helping clients navigate through web design in Louisville and beyond.  From planning to ongoing content strategies, she has a deep understanding of the tools of the trade like social media and SEO. Kimberly is also a data fiend and uses it to develop unique, original and interesting web content that keeps visitors engaged and interacting. She blogs at: VIAStudio Elements.