There’s nothing more important than the job interview. Screw this one up and you’re not getting in. In this class you’ll learn how to avoid devastating mistakes and get the edge. The class is taught by Rich Harrington, who’s both run a full service production company and been a hiring interviewer for 20 years. This class is essential to help you land that first (or next) job.
4. You're Hired!
How to Not Screw Up a
Job Interview
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5. Session Overview
There’s nothing more important than the job
interview. Screw this one up and you’re not getting in.
In this class you’ll learn how to avoid devastating
mistakes and get the edge. The class is taught by Rich
Harrington, who’s both run a full service production
company and been a hiring interviewer for 20 years.
This class is essential to help you land that first
(or next) job.
6. Objectives
๏ How to standout from the rest and get more job
interviews
๏ What to prepare before the interview
๏ How to behave during the interview to be
memorable
๏ Follow steps for after the interview to land the job
9. Subject Matter Expert
๏ Focussed on the fusion of photography and video
for past 15 years
๏ Evangelize that design and strategic communication
can work for most professionals
๏ Book author of more than 40 books
๏ Author of more than 100 Video Courses
๏ Past professor at Art Institute of Washington &
American University
10. Industry Speaker
๏ Industry speaker for 15 years
๏ Address both the photo and video industry
๏ Chair the National Association of Broadcaster’s
PostProduction World Conference
๏ Co-Chair Adobe Video World
11. The Logical Side
๏ Project Management Professional
๏ Business Owner – RHED Pixel & Media Factory
๏ Technical Consultant
๏ Instructor And Lecturer
๏ Book Publisher
๏ Website Publisher
12. Past Projects
๏ Adobe
๏ America Online
๏ American Diabetes
Association
๏ American Israel Public
Affairs Committee
๏ American Red Cross
๏ Apple
๏ Children's National
Medical Center
๏ CNN
๏ Department of Veterans
Administration
๏ Drobo
๏ Federal Communications
Commission
๏ Google
๏ lynda.com
๏ Major League Baseball
๏ Microsoft
๏ Smithsonian Institute
๏ Under Armour
๏ US Air Force
13. The Creative Side
๏ Director And Executive Producer
๏ Photographer
๏ Film & Video Editor
๏ Motion Graphics Designer
๏ Journalist
๏ Podcaster
18. Real-world Networking
๏ Ask your mentors
๏ Professional organizations matter
๏ Go to industry events
๏ Connect with a few people, not whole room
๏ Exchange business cards
๏ Don’t act desperate
20. Virtual Networking
๏ It’s a small industry
๏ Look for connections of connections
๏ Join professional Facebook & LinkedIn groups as
well as industry forums
๏ Remember your online manners
22. LinkedIn’s Roots
๏ LinkedIn is a social media site that’s all about business
๏ Began in 2003 and has seen steady growth
๏ As of September 2009, LinkedIn had more than 46 million
registered users from over 200 countries globally
๏ A new member joins LinkedIn approximately every
second
๏ The members of LinkedIn work in 170 different industries,
including Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, and Research
23. LinkedIn’s Purpose
๏ Search for qualified employees or subcontractors
๏ Best known as business networking site
๏ Goes well beyond simply job hunting
๏ Build a list of business contacts of people you know
and trust
๏ This network drives all the features on the site
๏ Your network has important real-world results
24. LinkedIn’s Purpose
๏ You can access the connections of all in your network
(termed second degree connections)
๏ Way to make a business introduction to a professional
colleague
๏ Search for business opportunities
๏ Invitations to speak at an event
๏ Media interviews
๏ Online Publication Contributions
25. LinkedIn’s Purpose
๏ Join groups that match your professional interests
๏ Groups are a great way to reconnect with individuals by
joining alumni, professional, and other relevant groups
๏ Participate in LinkedIn Answers
๏ Ask questions for the community to answer
๏ Join in the discussion
๏ Stay up on the latest at the LinkedIn blog
(blog.linkedin.com)
35. Internship Interview
๏ Paid Guidelines
๏ Credit Guidelines
๏ Check for duration of position
๏ Check company’s reputation
36. Informational Interview
๏ Difficult to get
๏ Very worthwhile
๏ Learn more about a company or a position
๏ Can often be combined with an externship
37. Freelance Interview
๏ Easiest way in to company
๏ Know your rates or ranges
๏ Be open to company setting payment
๏ Organization is essential
๏ Certifications and work samples matter
38. Part-time Interview
๏ Be open to part-time work
๏ Quickest path to full-time job
๏ Variability in schedule
๏ May be temporary or seasonal
๏ Hourly requires accurate record-keeping
39. Full-time Interview
๏ Usually an open position
๏ Sometimes used for surveying industry or building
up candidate pool
๏ Ask if the position is new or replacing an exiting
employee
๏ Be prepared for a trial period
41. Making a Resumé Work
๏ Know the purpose of your resume
๏ Make sure to use keywords
๏ Use effective job titles
๏ Proofread it at least twice
๏ Use bullet points
๏ Put the most important information up front
42. Making a Resumé Work
๏ Pay attention to typography
๏ Explain the benefits of your skills
๏ Avoid a sense of negativity
๏ Avoid Being an Expert in Everything
๏ Promote achievements instead of responsibilities
๏ Do not use pictures
43. Making a Resumé Work
๏ Make one resume for each employer
๏ Avoid discrimination
๏ Don’t include irrelevant information
๏ No lying or embellishments
๏ Analyze the available job
๏ Get someone else to review your resume
44. Making a Resumé Work
๏ One or two pages resumés
๏ Update your resumé regularly
๏ Make the design flow
๏ Remove old work experiences
46. Cover Letter Advice
๏ Customize for each position
๏ Be careful with copy and paste
๏ Be careful with search and replace
๏ Be specific and to the point
๏ Express enthusiasm
50. Why a Portfolio?
๏ If you want a job, you need a portfolio.
๏ Sure a good-looking résumé with excellent
credentials and references will seal the deal, but
employers or clients want proof.
๏ No one is going to hire a creative professional solely
on word of mouth (but that helps).
51. The Essential Portfolio
๏ A good portfolio is a personal statement about a
designer, editor, or artist.
๏ There are no one-size fits all approach that will work
for each individual.
๏ The best advice is to look at other people’s
portfolios.
52. The Essential Portfolio
๏ There is a wealth of online portfolios you can find
on the Internet.
๏ The key is to start looking well before you need a
portfolio so you can create one you like.
53. Why Use the Web?
๏ Can showcase both work samples and contact
information.
๏ This method is ideal for those who create in
multiple mediums.
๏ Many services will adapt automatically based on
platform or hardware used to access your portfolio.
55. What is a Portfolio?
๏ A collection of your work samples to show
prospective employers or clients.
๏ It should represent your diversity, but not try to
show everything.
๏ Be sure to consider all of the scenarios in which
you’ll need to present your work to those who want
to hire you.
56. What Goes in a Portfolio?
๏ Show your diversity with your portfolio.
๏ Even if you only work on certain types of projects at
your current job, be sure you have variety.
๏ For example, you might work for a manufacturing
company, but don’t only fill it with work samples
from your current job.
57. What Goes in a Portfolio?
๏ You want several samples of work, ideally done for
real-world clients.
๏ You may think that’s impossible to land ‘real’ clients,
but it is not.
๏ Offer to do internship or externship work, in
exchange for copies of the completed piece and a
letter of recommendation for your portfolio.
58. What Stays Out?
๏ There is such a thing as “too much.”
๏ It is important to screen out the less then stellar
examples from your portfolio.
๏ This can be accomplished through peer review or
professional insight.
๏ Ask a friend or colleague to look at your work
samples.
59. What Stays Out?
๏ It’s a bad idea to fill a portfolio with spec projects.
๏ Unless you happen to work for a particular agency,
no one wants to see your ‘spec’ Apple ad.
๏ It is far better to have projects where you played a
significant role in the execution.
61. How Often Should You
Update a Portfolio?
๏ No job or client is 100% secure.
๏ You always need to be ready for that next interview
or proposal.
๏ Be sure to update your portfolio a minimum of every
6 months.
๏ Certain mediums (like a website) are even easier to
update regularly.
62. How Often Should You
Update a Portfolio?
๏ Always save copies of your latest work. Archiving all
of your work to disc.
๏ Some jobs require you to get permission before
keeping work samples.
๏ Be sure to credit the company that you did the work
for.
64. Why you need a great demo reel
๏ You need a great demo reel to show clients what you
can do.
๏ Demo reels are your primary sales tool for landing
good work that pays well.
๏ The best demo reels not only show what you can do
but also WHO you are.
๏ By displaying a bit of your personality, demo reels
convey to your audience why you are the person they
want to hire and work with on important projects.
65. Are ready for a demo reel?
๏ Is the work you’re showing the result of your
creative efforts or those of a lesson in class or an
online tutorial?
๏ Assets and tutorial content from learning sites like
Lynda.com or Video Copilot are easily recognized by
professionals in the industry.
66. Are ready for a demo reel?
๏ Are you proud of the work you’ve done?
๏ Every clip and every frame that you include in your
demo reel must present your very best work.
๏ Do you have enough different, short clips to last 60
seconds?
67. Are ready for a demo reel?
๏ If you answered "yes" to all of these questions, then
you’re ready to build your reel.
๏ If not, don’t worry. Take the time to build a body of
work that you’d be proud to show to strangers — not
just your friends and family.
๏ Many pros will tell you that it’s better to not have a
demo reel than to present an amateurish one.
70. Keep it Short
๏ A successful demo reel does not show all your work
but rather highlights your best work.
๏ Most employers agree that one to two minutes is
enough for them to determine whether your reel is
what they’re looking for.
๏ Indeed, many professional editors feel that 90
seconds is the sweet spot for a great demo reel.
71. Keep it Short
๏ Rarely have I heard an audience complain that a
video was too short.
๏ There is a reason to edit and it becomes
increasingly clear when you actually watch people
as they watch your reel.
๏ Do your best to strip a reel down to its essence and
only add what is needed.
๏ When in doubt… cut it out.
72. Keep it Short
๏ Grab the viewer’s attention from the start.
๏ Sometimes a first impression is all you get with
potential clients or employers.
๏ Because of the number of submissions they review,
you may have their full attention only for the first 20
seconds.
75. Keep it Short
๏ Show your most recent work first.
๏ No one wants to see what you worked on five years
ago. Show them what you’re working on now.
๏ Include only your best current work.
๏ Replace clips that show an older style or are not as
strong as your later efforts.
๏ Include only those clips that showcase a modern
style and make a strong, professional impression.
76. Keep it Short
๏ Express your personality.
๏ Whether you are serious or a joking, laid back or
hyperactive, let it show through in your reel.
๏ You may have just the personality the client or
employer is looking for.
79. Show Some Emotion
๏ Let people see what you’re passionate about.
๏ Add a musical soundtrack.
๏ Pick music that complements your professional, or
personal, brand and then cut your reel to that beat.
๏ Show a variety of work. The more the merrier — and
the better chance you’ll have of showing something
that interests others.
80. Show Some Emotion
๏ Focus your reel on the type of work you’d most like
to be doing.
๏ If you’re really excited about editing music videos,
cut a reel that focuses primarily on that type of
editing.
๏ If you don’t have much content of that type, then go
out and create it!
82. Structuring Your Reel
๏ Open with your name or company logo.
๏ Let people know who you are up front.
๏ A cool intro with your name or company logo is a
great way to grab the viewer’s attention.
83. Structuring Your Reel
๏ Highlight work you’ve done for recognizable brands.
๏ If relevant, give a little extra screen time to logos
that people will recognize.
๏ The more people who recognize the companies
you’ve done work for, the better.
๏ Give on-screen credits
85. Structuring Your Reel
๏ Show "before" and "after" clips. This is especially
true if you are a colorist, audio engineer, or similar
specialist.
๏ Show sequence shots.
๏ This is particularly important if you build visuals in
stages, like 3D modelers or compositors do.
87. Structuring Your Reel
๏ Close with your contact information.
๏ This is your call to action.
๏ Include your full name, phone number, website, and
professional e-mail address.
๏ Your reel is worthless if people don’t know how to
contact you.
89. Demo Reel Mistakes
๏ Mistakes will happen, but you only get one chance
to make a first impression.
๏ Take time to review (& re-review) your reel so that
errors don’t slip in; they will be noticed.
90. Demo Reel Mistakes
๏ Don’t take credit for work you didn’t do.
๏ Clearly label any clips in your reel for which you
only did part of the work.
๏ Adding a text overlay to the clip that simply says
"Premiere Pro editor," "3D modeler," or "responsible
for motion tracking" goes a long way toward clearing
up any confusion and speaks volumes of your
character.
91. Demo Reel Mistakes
๏ Don’t repeat any footage.
๏ It gives the impression that you haven’t done
enough work to fill a reel.
๏ Make your demo shorter instead.
๏ Don’t include errors!
๏ You would be amazed at how many demo reels
contain spelling errors, audio glitches, clips with
squeezed-looking aspect ratios, and so on.
99. – N E I L L A B U T E
“We live in a disposable society. It's easier to throw things out than to
fix them. We even give it a name - we call it recycling.”
102. Check Your References
๏ Make sure your references know they may be called
on to speak about you
๏ Ask each reference what your strengths and
weaknesses are
๏ Ask them which type of job they think you’d be best
at performing
๏ Make sure a reference is worth listing
104. Check Your Network
๏ What do you connections know about the company?
๏ Who do they know inside the company?
๏ Can anyone speak on your behalf?
๏ Can anyone offer advice?
108. Research the Position
๏ What does the job entail?
๏ What skills do you have that meet the
requirements?
๏ Are the gaps critical or solvable?
๏ Who depends on this position?
๏ Have you filled this role before?
110. Physically Visit the Location
๏ Don’t get lost the day of the interview
๏ Figure out the commute time (the double it)
๏ Evaluate the size of the company
๏ Ensure your commute is feasible (or movable)
114. Multiple Copies
๏ No single point of failure
๏ Multiple copies of resumé
๏ Demo reel on 2 formats
๏ Extra business cards
๏ Electronic versions accessible
118. ๏ Don’t be a liability
๏ Don’t steal music
๏ Don’t use work sample without permission
๏ Attribute your sources
๏ Be wary of issues and able to respond appropriately
119. Online Resources on Copyright
๏ Copyright Tutorial
http://asmp.org/tutorials/copyright-overview.html
๏ Copyright and the New Economy
http://asmp.org/content/registration-counts
๏ Copyright Basics from U.S. Copyright Office
http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html
๏ Taking the Mystery Out of Copyright from the Library of Congress
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/copyrightmystery/
๏ The World Intellectual Property Organization
http://www.wipo.int/copyright/en/
120. – I N D I R A G A N D H I
“There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those
who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less
competition there.”
123. How to Dress
๏ Research company
๏ Take a look around
๏ Slightly over-dressed is better than under-dressed
๏ Favor clean, but not flashy
๏ Show small amounts of personality
๏ Minimize art and piercings
125. When to Arrive
๏ On-time = Late
๏ 15-minutes early to parking lot
๏ 5-minutes early for appointment
๏ Call ahead if you’re running late
๏ Drive the route the day before at the same time
127. How Long to Stay
๏ Don’t double-book
๏ Be prepared to stay all-day
๏ Be prepared for multiple interviews
๏ Arrive with a (slightly) full stomach
๏ Don’t seem rushed
129. What to Bring
๏ Note-taking materials
๏ An electronic portfolio
๏ Backup portofolio
๏ Multiple copies of resumé and references
๏ A list of prepared questions
๏ A briefcase or portfolio
130. What Not to Bring
๏ Games
๏ Social media
๏ A visible phone
๏ Gifts
134. Have Questions Ready
๏ People like to talk about themselves
๏ Ask intelligent questions, not generic
๏ Customize based on your research
๏ Ask about tenure and growth
๏ Ask about business practices
135. Have Questions Ready
๏ What motivates you to work each day?
๏ Which recent project was your favorite?
๏ What skills help someone succeed here?
๏ Does the company promote from within?
๏ What’s gotten in the way of someone succeeding?
137. Prepare for the Unexpected
๏ The employer may cancel
๏ Things may be running behind
๏ You can’t access the Internet
๏ They may know a lot about you
๏ Explain short tenures
๏ Explain employment gaps
139. Know Your Longterm Goals
๏ Most employees last 3-5 years
๏ Make sure you want this job, not just a job
๏ Be specific in your search
๏ Be able to describe your 5-10-15 year plan
141. Avoid Delusions of Grandeur
๏ You are not an expert… you have core skills
๏ You are not a director or a DP… you have been a
crew member
๏ Do not boast, but show work you’re proud of
๏ Clearly identify your role in a project
142. Avoid Delusions of Grandeur
๏ There are no stock options
๏ Don’t ask what the schedule is
๏ Don’t ask about vacation time, do ask if any benefits
are included with job
๏ Be prepared for low-end work
“If I can’t trust you with the small stuff…
how can I trust you with the big stuff?”
150. Ask About Next Steps
๏ What’s the timeline to hire?
๏ Anything to send afterwards?
๏ When can I expect to hear from you?
๏ Is there anything you need me to do?
151. – A L B E R T E I N S T E I N
“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has
exceeded our humanity.”
154. Electronic Followup
๏ That evening, follow up
๏ Send an individual message to each person you met
with on the team
๏ Thank them for the meeting and express your
interest in the position
๏ Write a unique message to each
(zero copy and paste here)
156. Written Followup
๏ Send a handwritten note the next morning
๏ Thank them for the opportunity
๏ Express interest in the position (if you have interest)
๏ Express desire to continue in the application
process and assist with any next steps
160. Check References
๏ Alert any listed references that they may be
contacted by prospective employer
๏ Confirm if they know the employer
๏ Contact any other references discovered during the
job application process
162. Stay Off Social Media
๏ Do not discuss the job interview on social media
๏ Do not complain about the company
๏ Do not attempt to engage or friend the company
through social platforms
๏ Do not connect with people that you interviewed
with via social media
163. – B R U C E L E E
“The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”
182. You're Hired!
How to Not Screw Up a
Job Interview
Richard Harrington | RHED Pixel
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