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Interviewing 101: What are your strengths?

January 4, 2010 I have found that the majority of creative students and alums I work with are, well, too humble – i.e., they don’t give themselves enough credit for what they KNOW and what they do WELL and all of the challenging situations they’ve overcome and ACHIEVEMENTS they’ve had both at CDIA and in the workplace. Often, people are not comfortable talking about themselves because they may feel they’re boasting or tooting their own horn. The truth is that in an interview situation, you *need* to articulate your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a clear and *confident* way to the employer in order to impress them over other candidates in the running – so go ahead and toot that horn – in a clear, concise, and professional manner, and back it up with examples of real-world work and life situations. Really what they are getting at with this question is:  What are you going to bring to the table here when you walk in the door? What value will you bring to the team? How will you help us meet our goals? How will you help us grow? How will you make our lives easier here if we hire you? You’ll want to keep these questions in mind as you formulate your answer. The strengths question can also be phrased another way, such as “Tell me about yourself,” “Why should we hire you?,” or “What qualifies you for this job?”
 
So when the interviewer asks “what are your strengths,” think back to the job description you pored over before the interview and mention the software skills you used at CDIA that match up with those required for this job (i.e., “I used InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop day in and day out for months . . .”  The second part of your answer will be the other relevant skills you bring to the table, such as “In addition to my computer skills, I have a traditional illustration and painting background [and a BFA, if applicable] . . .” The third part will address your “how are you going to be as an employee” skills, such as “I’m a self-motivated, reliable worker who works well independently AND contributes to the value of a team . . .”
 
Now, let’s put it all together – let’s say you’re a 3D student/grad answering the question while sitting across an interviewer at a video game company:  “Well, I’ve used Maya 40+ hours a week for a year, and I’m most confident in modeling and animation. I’m also very comfortable with Photoshop, After Effects, and Premiere. In addition, I’ve been drawing and painting my whole life and enjoy creating my own comic books and characters for fun. I have strong communication and organizational skills, as I was elected Team Leader for our Practicum Project and acted as the main client liaison and oversaw the work of four other 3D Artists, keeping all on track to meet the strict, intense deadline.” [Later, you’ll explain in more depth what Practicum is, how you were involved, the positives and challenges, the final outcome, results, client satisfaction/comments, etc.]
 
As before any interview, you’ll want to practice-practice-practice these and other questions and answers so that they roll off your tongue in a clear, natural way. It can help to write down notes and examples you want to remember and say them out loud at home or in your car, or practice with your roommate, significant other, or dog.
 
For more information on interviewing, please see the Career Services section of MyCDIA.com – General Section, then Interviewing Section for helpful articles on “Questions you will likely be asked in an interview,” “Questions to ask in an interview,” “Phone interview tips,” and more:  www.mycdia.com. And if you have a particularly important interview coming up, you’ll want to contact your Career Services Rep to do an interview coaching session to ensure you present yourself in the best possible way.
 
Next up:  Interviewing 101 – The Weakness Question

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