Asking the Right Questions
It’s okay to not know everything.
Trust Your Instincts
I reader wrote in about an odd job interview she obtained through my site: I got an interview for [company], but it’s in an apartment and no one signed their name on the email so I can’t even confirm the company or producer. I’ve generally only been to interviews in offices and am unsure whether […]
Trick Question
It’s less common than “What’s your biggest weakness?” but I’ve had several interviewers ask this– “What’s the worst experience you’ve had on a show?” This is one of those times when honesty is not the best policy. You see, what they’re really asking is, “Are you a complainer? Do you get along with people? Do […]
Video Interviews – Not a Thing
Sarah asks: I’m wondering if you’re familiar with interns/internships in the industry. I’ve applied to an internship with [studio]’s television development department, and I’ve received positive feedback–they’d like me to come in for an interview. The thing is, I’m a recent graduate and haven’t yet relocated to LA; i.e. I’d have to travel a few […]
Tell Me About Yourself
Carlos asks: On an interview, what do you say when they ask that question: “Can you tell me about yourself?” Should I be brief and just talk about what I want to do (be a producer) and go over my resume, or you should mention where you studied, skills, etc. Whats the best way to […]
How to Interview
[Redacted]{{1}} asks: I just got a call to come in for an interview next week on a new show. Over the past decade of my production experience, every significant job I’ve had came from word-of-mouth, friends, people I’ve worked with before, etc. – I’d never even had a resume till recently, and I’ve never actually […]
Faking It and Following Up
Seán commented on Wednesday’s post: Be careful with the template resume though; I dismiss resumes I get which are not for the job on offer and are just boilerplate stuff. A very good point. As best you can, you should include information given in the job posting, just to show you actually know what job […]
Post-Interview Thank You Note
Bianca asks: I just had an interview with a coordinator. What are your thoughts on sending a post-interview note? Is that appropriate and what would I want it to say? Yes, it’s perfectly okay to send a quick email after the interview. In my experience, it probably won’t do much good one way or the […]
Interview Prep
I had an interview yesterday for a writer’s PA gig on a new TV show. My last few interviews have gone pretty well, so maybe I walked in a little too cocky. It turned out to be my worst interview in years. Part of it were elements beyond my control. While in the lobby, I heard […]
When to Lie in an Interview
I interviewed recently to be the assistant to an EP on a network TV show. My interview philosophy has changed over the last few years. When I first started out, I lied my way through nearly every question in an interview. When they’d ask what I wanted to do in Hollywood for the rest of […]
Interview Advice
Since I’m looking for a new job right now, a former boss gave me some advice about interviewing: “Don’t want the job too badly.” People don’t like to see desperation. They want to see calm and confident. Someone who’s desperate for a job will say anything to get it; it’s impossible to judge if they’ll actually […]
What to Wear to an Interview
Patrick asks a question I’ve touched on before, but I think bears some detailed answering: What should I wear to an interview for a P.A. job? Should I dress formally? My dad used to tell me I should dress one level higher than the guy I’m interviewing with. If he’s wearing shorts, I should wear […]