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Preparing & Nailing Your Interview

Interviews the dreaded interviews uh portion of the process we're going to tackle that first of all congratulations if you have scored an interview it's usually in a few days time your mind is probably going a million miles an hour right? You thinking yeah finally got one all that hard work all that effort all that research it's paid off breathe relax but there are a few things we have to do to prepare for that as well and a couple different techniques that I've used that have allowed me to create a very memorable impact so first of all you're gonna be nervous it's natural to be nervous I actually say that it is good if you are nervous this simply means that it's your body telling you that this is a special moment and that it means something to you if you weren't nervous didn't just be something that you really didn't care about now you're probably one of five to ten people being interviewed that's the reality of the matter and that's probably out of hundreds that applied the curious t...

o know more though. So show them who you are believing your abilities and your potential there's something about you that they're interested in so now we've got to show them who that person is the real purpose of an interview is to find out what kind of energy and attitude that you can bring to the table because usually in the framework off hiring a designer of senior portfolio online the red eurasian may either on linked in or the pdf that you've sent they know a bit about you through your email or your about paige they get a sense for you maybe they've gotten on your blogged maybe they've checked out your twitter maybe they've checked out your instagram tumbler they've found you carrie have been convinced but they the interview actually serves as can I work with this person? Is this person how's this person's energy? How they translate on paper can be amazing, but the reality of it is can they fit within the culture of the agency? So the key lessons in this segment ah number one preparing for your interview number two creating a strong first impression number three using your body language and tone effectively during the interview number four creating an emotional connection how do we do that? We're going to find that out how to be ready for any interview question questions you need to ask and things to do before the interview ends hugely important and number seven is interview role play with we've got one of the studio audience members who have volunteered, so that should be a bit of fun uh and we'll tackle a bit of the interview the beginning of an interview there so number one preparing for your interview firstly and I know most of us do this but we need to research there are things we need to do the night before there are things to do in the morning off and how to focus before it begins that five minutes half an hour gap before it actually starts so the research looks like this you need to find out the key people in the company and the company itself right that's kind of a no brainer the company part but if you can find the key people find the story that's going to help you out on so many levels I mean the first of course is where you grew up in the same in the same city I did you find out that information from your employer huge advantage easy conversation starter oh my my fellow sydney side are or my fellow new yorker whatever it is that's cool that's so it's important you got to be informed who you're speaking to and you're going to be more comfortable too so when you meet the person they're going to be such a stranger so keep people especially the person interviewing you now that syria is what is their mission? What is there as in the company's mission? Usually I have ah company statement or a mission statement on their web site is an in line with what you believe do you leverage that doesn't make you not want to apply for them, you know, works both ways but research and then ah one of their values similar to the mission statement there that you might have you get a lot of their values their and their work's going to show what they are passionate about themselves what type of work are they doing that how are they contributing through design what clients are they working with and number four find something that resonates with you at least one one thing find that one thing now what do you do the night before ok so first of all you need to have your portfolio already as in you have your online website that's cool make sure it hasn't been hacked the night before true story minded as you know and it can happen to it to any web site that just make sure it's all there ah if you have a for those of you that have printed portfolio and make sure that that's already right if you if you wanted to show further samples which is point two that's along the print based area that we're referring to here gather any relevant samples that's cool if you design actual packaging show us bring it with you if you designed an app loaded on a phone ready to go if you designed a game loaded on an ipad ready to go and show so samples in the digital space and print revisit the projects and practice role playing you might look a little crazy in the mirror but revisit that it might have been a couple months it might have been a year might have been three years since you've you've done that project go through what your thought process is because I can guarantee you that they're going to say there's going to be a question that says s oh yeah look we've we've looked at your work we love it can you tell us a bit about your your thought process on some of these projects spotlight on you revisit what you did how you thought about that solution what you did to get to that final end result and this is where it becomes handy to have uh you know, a bit of your working progress maybe in a pdf maybe your initial scamps I've actually gotten an initial scamp of that design right here and then we progress to this here's some photos here of of of the the week before the presentation or the project process when we'll prototyping or any of that stuff so talk through because they haven't got any clue what it's about um they don't know the hindrances that you have come up with through that project then what to wear of course get that ready you know the whole entire thing for me is really quite simple smart casual clothing is always best also just looking clean a cz well and just maintaining you know way had to j p style out earlier he had a very polished beard uh, and there are some people that have interviewed who have a bid that's just like so messy distracting smells funky and it's true, you know, it's like, look, may I get that you're hip stuff, but please like babies, you know, shampoo the beard? I don't know what what they do there, but it's true, you know, so just look and maintain yourself, of course the best of your ability, but smart casuals always good, maybe don't rack up with, you know, stilettos or something outrageous or crazy outfits with glitter and obvious, right? Like you know you, I believe that you are also a canvas, and you don't want to distract them too much from why you're really there, which is to perform and to deliver great design, great design thinking and all the other roles that you know that they're looking for. Let your personality shine through the interview through your stories and how you deliver your answers in effect is what I'm trying to say, so they look too outrageous get your right eye was sleep to trick you on it's a trigger on, but just tried tio try to sleep a little bit early a couple nights before if you have that time period and get your body in a patent, because ultimately when you are well rested you're going to think ultra klay you're gonna have the energy and the pa's eyes to really bounce on the interview and just nail it the morning off now one of my uh uh bonus material is mourning rituals that I've found that I start implementing have started you know, ten years ago and still do because I believe that consistent habits shape your performance ah a couple of these could be a simple as I do this without fail I drink at least one to two glasses of water the moment that I wake up and it's ah it's the thing that that for me well there's obviously acidic backing on just flushing out all the toxins in the morning and all that's what the jazz you can squeeze some lemon in there to raise the ph levels and it will allow your body to basically hasn't gotten a drop of water for around about eight to ten hours and so that is the highest point that you'll be a body's dehydrated and ah when babies were born ah all of us were babies at one point we were born with seventy two percent water and as a male adult that drops down to sixty percent water s o we need toe drink water lots of water but first thing in the morning that's what I do some of the other things I do include um breathing exercises it's not some crazy meditation it's not some and it's not something that requires much training at all it's just simply breathing in for about four counts holding that for sixteen and breathing out for eight that's what I do um full counts in sixteen counts hold and accounts to breathe at x health and again it's part of me clearing my mind and then I was just not thinking about and projecting my vision for what I'm gonna achieve that day. What I feel like is going to be a productive day something that's going to move my my abilities so it all starts with morning rituals, you know, setting yourself up and optimizing your mind your body to reach its highest form of concentration and productivity and performance. Ah, and you'll see the consistencies in many successful people. Um and they're simple things like this and of course exercise big believer in that get the bloody bloody get the blood moving yeah, you got to get you've got to get the body moving because you you know in effect uh use it or lose it. I was like, cool it if you want that energy and you want to retain that energy you go, you go like stands up for that and it could be a simple is going for a walk around the block I have one rule break a sweat one tiny sweat once a day if I could do that and I can do that just running up and down the stairs don break one drop of sweat minimum also yoga all those things doesn't have any weight training or running or you know, squatting or kettle bill exercises but they're all good things mix it up, get out there so that's that were covered all that they go drink a big glass ward are breathing meditation you can you might have three minutes if you can fifteen well, you could get really deep in that that's pretty cool if you can get to that exercise I mentioned that all right, this is really important in the morning whether you're in an interview or not just daily just tio it's almost like you know you can't you can't perform at a high level if you your body feel sluggish or if you're you know if you're your clouded in the mind and all those things, I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. So I also do the pen to paper exercise in the morning and I establish and visualize my goals so I called you guys to do that and for most of you that are now riding aa lot of this stuff whether to this workshop or the credit not capital folio ah you're probably finding that there's a certain connection between you and that piece of paper and there's a lot of memory retention involved something about riding just makes it really and it's a simple case of of going back to my personal analysis and seeing what I need to achieve that day this is these are the things that I'm going to do today and you know, what's not even a long list sometimes they're just a couple couple things sometimes it's just I will feel productive if I sent an email to this person and send out this post and work on one block post an exercise I don't know whatever get out there keep it simple there are there are there things that you get in the habit of doing this because it's really going to shape and is something awesome about crossing that off and god, I did it I've done that bigger and better things ok have a nutritious breakfast in the morning while that simply means is hopefully not having our hamburgers and takes us for breakfast but generally speaking it zoo after a glass of water you want have some protein you don't have some whether it's an omelet with some spainish and mushrooms whatever turkey chicken all types of maids fish uh and slow release of cops I mean that's what I do I I make a smoothie I check in some oats protein powder, some blueberries some milk blend that up with a bit of with like half a banana sets me up for the entire day you feel fuller for longer and slow release of energy because you you need to be in peak condition if you if you want to really tackle these girls, have you listed so that's helped me a lot, and basic hygiene retains that's natural ah morning ritual for us so how to focus before it begins? Aim to arrive around twenty minutes early to the interview area just the geographical area don't be so keen eye still knocking on their door half an hour and you're like a the current director that's making use actually not even here yet they're still presenting at for a client meeting so you know oftentimes they might even be late, which is fine, but you know they've scheduled you in so being area around twenty minutes early just for your benefit because for ten minutes just meditating, taking deep breaths, it's and starting to envision the best possible outcome. This is what you got to do that you've actually got to, uh, go into the area and take a moment where there might be a cool park nearby, there might be a cool little cafe nearby just chill out there getting, you know, get a to do whatever coffee and just have that alone time to yourself because a lot of the times, if we do not, uh, direct our bodies and our minds, it's going to direct us, teo something that's usually not helpful, we start seeing a worst case scenario with thinking off. Now I'm really nervous, and then you start entertaining the nerves and then you start panicking, and then all these anxious feelings start coming up. I've been there, that's why I'm totally relate to that, but if you purposely take deep breaths and start envisioning, how does that best possible outcome look like? What version of myself is going in that room and just nailing it? How does he sound or how does she sound? How does she walk? How does he or she talk, run through positive affirmations your mind that links to that and feel it through your body? So rather than tell you, I'm not tell yourself, I'm not good enough, drill it in yourself, I'm worth it. I I actually believe that I can contribute to this company and I'm going to show him I'm going to tell him, you know what? I can deliver what I've delivered before the person that I am really important stuff. So notice your posture as you're envisioning yourself, sit tall, upright and confidently avoid slashing and crossing of arms. Okay, because it's really hard if if I tell you guys and feel free to do this but um if I tell you to sit up last until you can do it with me now set up not until she not now it a smile right now small yet though are you don't look crazy well looking crazy together small and now I want you to feel really depressed but stay that way smile it's sweet isn't it? Your body responds your body responds to how you're thinking and feeling so if I tell you be confident are you going to go? I'm so confident no wrong answer it's true, right? Sometimes you just have to force it open up that chest shoulders back, jump up if you need to feel near the parking your about nt like I'm parked I'm ready to rock creative life yeah that's all going backstage just talking to myself there like he's a bit loopy just talking so like this morning ritual man, I want to talk about his letter in segment three um so that's a big on start to visualize a smooth and relaxed situation I'll get teo how that I thought that will help you with that later on, but starting visualize you see, I'm getting out now guys this's big are we all doing this or we all just getting a bit you know? We just kind of like yeah, yeah that's going to get it's going to be just no I set some time aside and focus in this manner picture yourself holding pleasant eye contact using subtle facial expressions and hand gestures to add depth start envisioning it remember what I said on the train a knockout portfolio workshop on the power of vision and imagination for those of you that I watched that on the global uh space as well the ability to imagine something that hasn't happened yet is k and it's a power that we have you know, I'm sure that many ah high performing athletes and gold medal winners can testify to that you know, one of my favorites arnold schwarzenegger seven time mr olympia who you know hey, I watched this documentary haven't seen ah pumping iron basically it's a funny documentary it's good it's not even just a body villains you and um yeah see janet and animal here nodding that still obviously saying it but the thing is if you watch it, if you watched all sourcing and pumping I and you and you get a whole other insight into just the people and their their strength in the mind not just strong bodies but um in particular said he said a quote and I'm paraphrasing here but he said, uh already one mr olympia, that was before he'd won a single. Mr olympia, he said, I'm already the champion. I'm the greatest it's a big cookies in that but that's powerful stuff for a guy that has done it. This isn't something that we can take away from the guy. Goodness may he's just so casually his life already wanted just time for me to do my thing and just get the trophy. Now, that is one way on the other end of confidence right there. But he envisioned that he tasted it before it was actually in his hands. What an incredibly powerful thing. And the good thing is, we all have this ability. We all have it. And it's not just the few of us, it's. Not just the gifted ones. We all have it. So think of the person interviewing you as a mirror. Okay? Because what you give out you're ultimately going to receive once you've anchored your body and mind in a positive state, proceed to the interview now around about five ten minutes early. Okay. That's usually a good amount of time to wait in the lobby. All reception area.