One of my last journal posts involved looking at a job advert within the web design industry and to where I am at, in relation to applying for jobs.
The next logical step is to look at the interview process and start to prepare myself for this. As such this journal post will put me in the position of an employer looking to hire someone within the web design industry.
For this, I am going to look at a number of questions I would ask and give explanations as to why I would ask them.
What sort of previous experience (if any) do you have in the web design industry?
Although this question is a pretty standard question it would get a simple enough response. From this it should be easy to ascertain whether the candidate would be of suitable experience for the role.
What do you do outside of web design that you feel passionate about?
It is important that employees have things outside of work to do. Being able to go home and relax is an important part of a work/life balance. A candidate who may not be able to switch off from work, at first may seem like an ideal employee. But in the long term may find things more stressful than someone who is able to go off an chill out.
How would you explain to a client that their requests to amend your design are not going to improve the design and you know best?
This would show the interviewer whether or not the candidate understands their role within the client/designer relationship. Someone who can put the client first whilst also maintaining essential aspects of their design may be invaluable.
To you what does coding semantically mean, and how does this impact on the websites you build?
Although people can use the word semantically when talking about their coding. It is more important to understand the reasons behind why code should be semantic and what benefits this holds. Hopefully the correct answer here would indicate that the candidate has a thorough understanding of these principles.
Apart from your practical skills what other skills do you think a web designer should possess and why?
A reworking of the standard interview question “what else can you bring to our company” a candidate who can’t answer this question may not actually have the skills required to carry out the role. On the other side a person with a full understanding of the requirements may be more likely to have these skills. Someone who is also able to justify why these skills are important should be able to put these skills into practice.
Ultimately, why should I employ you over any other person with the same practical skills?
This should tie into the previous question and responses here could indicate that the candidate is a rounded individual who can provide more than just filling the requirements of a specific job advert.
