Chasing the dream
Real stories from the hunters and
the hunted in the big job chase
We have all been there
Many of us have sat on one side of the table and some the other. Some we’ve nailed others we’ve blown but regardless of the outcome everyone has a tale to tell about interviews.
Today, as an employer about to embark on my annual graduate hunt — instead donning my deerstalker, tweed jacket (with leather patches), jodhpurs and my trusty blunderbuss and setting off on a righteous rant about the do’s and don’ts of the chase, I would rather share with you some of my own and my colleagues real life experiences that might help in some way give you fresh insight into this stressful time but first:
The DOs (✓ )
- Preparation is key to a good interview — research your interviewer, the company and practice presenting
- The ability to be yourself when talking about yourself — tell stories, be honest and if you have opinions share them!
- Emotional intelligence / soft skills — do you listen, learn and contribute to a team dynamic.
- First impressions count — don’t be a dick!
- Remember you are interviewing us too — we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other so don’t be afraid to find out more about us.
- If you don’t get the job but they say stay in touch. Stay in touch — you might not be right now but clearly you made an impression.
If I didn’t like your work, you wouldn’t be sitting there
— if you think you are right for us, let us judge the real you.
The DONTs ( ✗ )
All the stories below are all true — if you have your own tale please share ☺
‘My little pony’
“I had one guy in an interview, when asked about his hobbies outside of work, go into excruciating detail about how he was a Brony (a boy who liked My Little Pony) and that he’d missed work in the past because of it.”
‘Just one more question…’
“I was once asked the question — If you was a biscuit which biscuit would you be? My answer was a bourbon. I got the job!”
‘Suitable’
“I rocked up in the middle of the summer suited and booted and one of the owners appeared, looked me up and down then said why are you wearing a suit and promptly offered me a beer”
‘Nail biting’
“I went for an interview and was asked if I had strong attention to detail…obvs said I did and started to provide examples, only to look down at my hands and realise I’d only painted my nails on one hand”
‘The right biscuits’
“A good mate was interviewed by an eccentric old news editor in his car — my mate turned up, and was told to get in the car with the editor. They then fought their way through rush hour traffic to pick up the editor’s daughter from school and drive her back to the office. The trip took about 90 minutes and the interview was only halted for my mate to be sent into a shop to buy a packet of biscuits without instruction other than: “If you don’t get the right biscuits, you don’t get the job.” Dark chocolate digestives saved his career!”
‘The hangover’
“I knew about the opening and was asked to drop a CV in (this was 1998- so email was not as ubiquitous as it is now) at the office and the boss was waiting in reception. I was interviewed in my hungover glory of shorts, thongs (flip flops) and ludicrous long surfer hair because I was a backpacker. Happily it all worked out.”
‘The receptionist’
“The first job interview I went for as a green graduate had an technical part and an HR part — I was a bit early so hung around the reception talking to the receptionist who was asking what I liked to do. To which I replied standard answers like “not much” or “gaming” or “drinking”
The technical guy turned up and we had a good chat and tour around the office which went really well — The HR interview never happened. It was only the way home that I realised the receptionist was the HR interview.
Needless to say I never got past the 1st round — Moral: be nice to anyone you meet in the building.”
‘Isn’t it rainy out?’
“So I was going for a second interview and was met in reception by the interviewer, I was frog marched straight down to the pub where we proceeded to have a chat. After 21 minutes the ‘interview’ was stopped and I was told I had the job.
I later found out I got the job because the other candidate in the same scenario had only lasted 4 minutes before conversation moved onto the weather!!! They had judged me on the art of my conversation.”
‘Poo-gate’
“So this guy came in for an interview to be a supplier, he sat himself on our brand new agency sofa in reception only to realise on his way to the meeting room that he must have sat in dog poo at some point, had it all over his trousers and all over our brand new sofa! Needless to say we didn’t use him in the end”
‘My first day’
“Not quite an interview anecdote, but and interesting insight into agency life. On my first day of work in my first job — I arrived to be told Debby would be looking after me all day (nice touch I thought).
With a glass of water in hand I was then shown downstairs into a user testing session only to be greeted by two puzzled moderators who didn’t know who I was. Cue being ushered out the back door and asked who I was and reprimanded for not stating my intensions clearly enough.
After a little while of sitting in reception and a few more puzzled faces asking who I was and what I was here for all the pieces then fell into place and it transpired the two people who hired me were out of the office that day and hadn’t told anyone that I was starting today. Needless to say it was an interesting experience, I received a few apologies, a nice lunch and had the rest of the day to take in a bit of culture at the Tate modern.”
‘The underdog”
“A bit dry, but I have employed the 3rd best designer I interviewed because they were by far and away the best person who fit with my team. You can have skills but if you don’t demonstrate the right attitude to fit in, learn and contribute then you will come up short”
‘The naysayer’
My most memorable lecture during my time University was by a woman whose message and delivery still haunts me — She spoke of her experience working in the design and advertising industry. And if I didn’t know better I’d say her main goal was to put every single one of us off from ever attempting to follow in our passions for a career in the industry.
She spoke of long hours, intimidating bosses, ludicrously high expectations, terrible briefs, and a competitiveness that would intimidate even the biggest egos.I’m not ashamed to say I cried that evening. I figured my 3 University years invested so far were a complete waste, and that IF I was one of the very VERY few that would find work, I would hate it because everyone would be a complete arsehole.
Turns out she was wrong —Either that or she was working at the worst agency EVER KNOWN TO MAN.”
‘Tattoo much information’
“Two of us interviewed someone who when we asked to tell us something he was passionate about outside of work, said: “I’m getting a small tattoo of myself doing graffiti when I was younger, I know — not exactly street legal. It’s not that big though, it runs from under my armpit all the way down my side to my ankle!
I responded with “well it’s not that small is it?!!”
‘Dodging the bullet’
“I once interviewed one Friday evening at a well known ad agency, that I was very excited to be considered for.
The office was heaving despite it being 7pm on a Friday night and the discussion went well, until the interviewer warned me that if I wanted the job, I would have to… and I quote “completely give up my social life.”
He went on to say that all employees are so committed to the agency that they are happy to make the sacrifice.
I wasn’t and I didn’t.”
‘We’ll call you soon’
“Never trust a recruiter you haven’t met. They wont know you, your agency, what you like and dislike etc. Inevitably they will send you a ‘simply unmissable’ client and then when you meet them you experience that wave of depression sweeping over you knowing they will not be a good fit. You go through the motions feign interest and talk about the great things we could do together, you send them on their way, say you are at the beginning of a long process and will be in touch… You never will…
You will never get that time back! and will never use that recruiter again!”
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