Our talented people are the heartbeat behind our work, and also the reason we don’t take interviewing lightly. The interview is one of the most important parts of the hiring process at ID8 Architecture. Before adding new members to our team we like to understand your strengths, learn about your experiences, and get to know you as a person. Below are a few interview tips that will help you land a job and knock our socks off at ID8 Architecture. We’re willing to bet other organizations agree with these tips too!
Dress the part
As much as our team loves yoga pants, it’s no secret that they aren’t appropriate to wear to an interview. We don’t expect you to go out and buy a new expensive blazer, but take pride in how you look and dress professionally. It’s better to be over dressed than under dressed, but in our office you’re probably fine in business casual.
Watch your body language
Throughout your interview, be mindful of your body language. Do you look interested in the conversation? Or do nerves have you slouched back in your chair? Having good eye contact and posture indicates that you are confident and engaged, which are two characteristics we like to see in our applicants.
Know the business your applying for
and your interviewer(s)
Study the job description and organization you are applying for. We love it when an interview candidate can talk about why he or she is a good fit for the position, and we love it even more when a candidate can share why he or she is a good fit for our team! Also, know the people in the room. We often have team members sit in on interviews to help decide if you are a good fit for our team, so make sure you acknowledge them and their role. Even direct a few questions towards them on what it’s like to work at ID8!
Ask questions!
Pretty much every interview ends with the big question, “Do you have any questions for us?”. Come prepared with questions to ask your interviewer. Try not to ask us questions that can be answered by reading through our website, dig deep and challenge us with questions about our organizations goals and what success looks like in this position. Well thought questions are another way to show you’ve done your research on us!
Example: During her interview Kelly, an interior designer at ID8 Architecture, asked how she could go from being a good intern to a great intern.
Be Prepared
Make sure to review your resume and portfolio before coming to your interview. Go through your portfolio and practice talking about your work, also review your resume so we don’t stump you with simple questions about your experience or a past project. If you haven’t, it’s usually very obvious to us and makes you appear unprepared.
Be present
Interviews are not just about answering questions, but also listening. Listening carefully to your interviewer shows that you are taking the interview seriously and value what she (or he) is saying.
Be Eager and Enthusiastic
We love our team and are enthusiastic about what we do! We want everyone who works for us to share that passion. Tell us why you chose to apply at ID8 Architecture (or wherever you're applying). This shows us that you are actively pursuing this opportunity because you are excited about the work we are doing, the team dynamic, and the culture we work to cultivate.
Bonus Tip:
We’re going to let you in on a secret. We're going to share three questions we ALWAYS ask our applicants during interviews. So if in the future you find yourself applying for an internship or job at ID8, prepare a well thought out answer for the questions below.
What is your super power? What is your skill that sets you apart from other applicants and peers?
This question is important in understanding what you feel your strengths are.
Tell us about your favorite project. Why is it your favorite? What did you learn and have you applied that in the way you approach future projects?
Note: If this project is your favorite it SHOULD be in your portfolio. For more portfolio tips read our Emerging Professional Series: Portfolio Tips & Tricks blog.
How would you like to grow and what are you most interested in learning?
We’re a team who believes in life-long learning. We love to learn new skills, solve problems, and are always looking to improve ourselves. This question allows us to gauge if you share those same values. And if you do get the job, it also guides us on your goals for the position and helps us teach you what you want to learn!