Interview Friday

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Well, I got my response this morning and have an interview Friday afternoon. It may be a downgrade in terms of pay and benefits, but I feel it's time to move and grow more careerwise.

I guess they did not find the disclaimer I sent with my "test" cover and 4 page layout too aggressive ;). They must be worth it.

Wish me luck! :)

[hewligan]

Heaps of luck, Sama. Hope it goes well for ya.

[captain spanky]

all the best lass! :) fingers crossed for you!

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Thanks guys! :)

[Two-Toe Tom]

good luck! :)

[Jackimalyn]

good luck!

[Virgo Nightingale]

Woot! Best of luck to you Sama!!

[Exodus]

Good luck! :)

[Ben Kessler]

Best of luck!

[Logo-Mechanix]

Good luck Sama, your a shoe in.

[Tea]

Good luck!

[The_Black_Knight]

Good luck!

Remember to smile during the interview. But don't smile too much, or they'll think you're on drugs or a bit loopy.

On a side note, it's great to see people on the GDF getting interviews!

[CkretAjint]

CONGRATS!!! Makes me happy to hear that someone has an interview somewhere, especially when so many of my frinds are looking for jobs in the GD field right now.

[urstwile]

Good luck Sama! I'll light a mojo stick for ya. :)

[budafist]

Good luck Sama.

Do they ask for your current pay? Hopefully when they see that they are paying you less than what you get now they will be prepared to negotiate your pay a bit higher?

[doubting_thomas]

Good luck, Sama!! Taking a chance on a career choice is great. That's what got me
into printing all those years ago. I used to be a professional cook. At least you're
staying in the same industry so hopfully you won't have to start at the very
bottom of the ladder like I did.

[cornfed]

Good luck!!!

[Helix]

Sorry, I came in a lil late, but from which industry are you switching from?

And good luck to you! I'm sure you'll blow them away.

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Thank you very much everyone! :)

TBK_ I'll try to remember that, especially since I'm naturally inclined to smile a lot, I've been told too much sometimes.:o

Thomas_ I've been lucky since I started out. I was able to work as an illustrator all through collage, and switched with ease to graphic design. Pure luck and being at the right place at the right time.

Buda_ they haven't asked yet, I'm sure they will at the face-to-face interview. They know where I'm working now and that it pays well...so maybe their offer will be good after all. But I'm happy to take the pay cut just for a change of scene. My family think I'm crazy to even think of leaving here...

Off to update my portfolio now...

[Kool]

Good Luck Sama! http://home.comcast.net/~rnick9/koolsmiley.gif

[CkretAjint]

Off to update my portfolio now...


OOooo such fun! Show before and after pics here!! I love looking a peoples before and after stuff (c:

[Samakimoto Graphics]

CkretAjint.

I will probably post the PDF version...

The interview went well.

The publishing house is small (six years old), though quite prolific. They've been working with freelance designers and one designer on a half yearly retainer.

They did not ask my current pay, but they did ask what I wanted to get paid, I aksed for twice my current gross income. The editor seemed to have called me over for the interview more out of curiosity than real interest... the org I'm currently working (temp assistance) for till about a month from now, pays relatively well. Before I told him what I wanted I told a small anectdote about the "High Jump";
Him: What are you looking for?
Me: I'm looking to Expand my creative space... (as I am certainly not looking for money coming from where I am).
Him: What do you want to get paid (he was very blunt, I liked it)
Me: "When I high jumper is about to take a leap, he/she fisrt steps backwards so as to gain enough momentum to clear the jump..." so I am willing to take a step back to get the room for creativity that I need, so I would be happy with (figure).

I guess my reverse psychology did not work :( . It's approaching two weeks and they have not called me back, although as we parted he said "Let's work with (my figure)..." and shook my hand enthusiastically.

Another thing that worried me about the firm is that they do not have a marketing department yet they are a publishing house?! Being a rather small and young house I was afraid I may get plunged into the marketing as well beyond the contract...

I have a cou[le more interviews,...

On another note: I was checking out Joblink and found a vacancy posted for a live-in nanny, by a female UK CEO, for a Kenyan nanny to work in her home in the UK. The pay was what depressed me...she was offering a weekly pay = to my monthly gross pay currently!!!! I almost put my resume up :o . I don't think a nanny any where is the thing for me...

[budafist]

Maybe not, but kids grow up and then you'll be rich!

[Navian]

It's approaching two weeks and they have not called me back, although as we parted he said "Let's work with (my figure)..." and shook my hand enthusiastically.

You need to call them. This is the biggest mistake people make after an interview (including not sending a thank you letter).

Usually after an interview you should wait between 3 days after to about a week (or if they specify for when), then YOU need to call them back. If you ignore there specification, the interviewer will probably ignore you, because you couldn't follow instructions. You need to show initiative, and when you call them be polite.

Also I noticed that in your "replay" of your interview, you took to long to answer the question, about what you would like to be paid. Don't do that. If you are not sure about what they are willing to pay, answer the question like this:

"Well, I've done some research in this area, in the high spectrum [position] makes X amount, while (low, and medium ranges) make [Y amount], I don't know what you are offering, but I'm for looking about [Z amount]."

If you do the research, and print it from a reliable source, that will impress them as well.

Here is a sales tip that I've learned, it applies to job searching/interviews:

If you have received a lot of "No" replies, then you will eventually receive a "Yes".
(Personal Law of Average)

When you interview; be confident, relax, be truthful, and for your answers to interview questions: Don't rehearse them, be yourself and K.I.S.S.

[carter the artist]

wow all of us designers seeking employment should start a commune somewhere, PD and Cam can teach us how to grow our own food, we'll recycle old macs into hair ornaments that mix into our huge dreadlocks and unwashed hair and play frisbee with our adobe program disks.

[Two-Toe Tom]

sweet! i'll be joining you in four years when i'm done school :D

[CkretAjint]

I dunno Navian, I think he handled everything quite well. Should have definateyl given a follow up call though. and I personally feel that thank you letters are way out dated. A nice follow up call is al you really need. Other wise it feels like your preasuring them to pick you, and they won't if thats the case.

[Navian]

I dunno Navian, I think he handled everything quite well. Should have definateyl given a follow up call though. and I personally feel that thank you letters are way out dated. A nice follow up call is al you really need. Other wise it feels like your preasuring them to pick you, and they won't if thats the case.

Thank you letters are out of date? no, I don't think so.

If you're a professional at what you do, then you should send a thank you letter to the interviewer, right after the interview, it will get to him/her in a day, three days or a week. Then that is when you should do a follow up phone call.

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Navian: I did hand deliver a thank you note to the editor thanking him for his time... and what not. I haven't got round to calling though, will do. Thank you notes are not out dated, I think the question is "To hand write or to email?" I grappled with that for a while and opted to hand write.

The whole interview session lasted 48 minutes. I answered the question that way, based on the mood of the interview; it was laid back, loose really, and he repeated the history of the firm and some details I did not find in my research about them, which I found rather open and honest, he threw in some anecdotes too, so I thought, why not?

He did not specify when he'd call me, though.

What probably may have made him not call (I suspect) is my other questions on staff Pension schemes, leave and off day policy, over-time policy, staff training - all his answers were unsatisfactory (to me). May be I was being too picky considering my position... (*shrugs*).

I was confident through out, and as I left, I complemented him on being a young editor (looked under 40) of such a prolific house, I had expected an older man.

[budafist]

wow all of us designers seeking employment should start a commune somewhere, PD and Cam can teach us how to grow our own food, we'll recycle old macs into hair ornaments that mix into our huge dreadlocks and unwashed hair and play frisbee with our adobe program disks.

By the time the commune is up and running, I might be so over my job I might just run away to join you guys. We'll make up dances and songs about Pantone colours, our favourite fonts, paper stocks and keyboard shortcuts. We can make drums out of boxes and paper tubes and fashion various other instruments with our creative vision and start a GDF tribal orchestra.

[Virgo Nightingale]

^^And we will praise His holy-ness: Our Lord God Comic Sans.