GOT A JOB INTERVIEW? BE PREPARED!

Is this your nervous job interview face?

This has got to be the most helpful article I have ever linked to on GameCareerGuide.com. I had planned on skimming through the article and taking out a few key points to highlight, and then add my own advice or opinion since I have already completed a lengthy interview with Rockstar games, but the article touches on just about everything I could ever think of to prepare myself for an important first interview. I mean really, this article discussing interview questions and how to answer them is priceless. If you're close to securing an interview, or if you just completed your first or second phone interview, hell, even if you haven't gotten that far yet in the process, it will be a huge benefit to you to read this article now. Write down the questions provided, write down some questions of your own and start preparing your answers. The more prepared you are, the more likely your interview will turn into a conversation. And that's what you want! It's just a conversation. Keep thinking to yourself, you're just talking games with other people who enjoy talking about games. And of course, how you can help them make their games better.

With interviews, I know your nerves get all whacked out. You start sweating. You wonder where the restroom is at in case your anxiety gets the best of you. You start constantly drying off your sweaty palms on your pants in order to present a dry handshake to the art director or lead artist.. I mean, geeez.. my hands are sweating right now just thinking about it. (Quick Tip: Keep some tissue in your pocket to dry off your hand right before the handshake) But the more you prepare, the more you mentally play out the interview in your head, I think the better your chances of a successful interview. Most important advice I could give you is, be yourself. Don't be a prima donna. Don't try to be someone you're not, and don't answer the questions with answers you think they want to hear. Chances are, they've heard them all before and they can pinpoint which candidates are being truly honest with their answers, and which candidates are playing them for fools.

Seriously, go check out this article. Bookmark it. Print it out. This is awesome information to have. If you're doing a phone interview, print this out and keep it in front of you while you're on the phone. Have your notes in front of you as well to refer to in case they ask one of the questions you prepared for. Ask the question out loud to yourself and then provide your answer as well. Practice in the mirror if that helps. There is nothing wrong with talking to yourself. OK, maybe there is.. but day time soap operas can't be the only people in the world who consistently talk to themselves, right? Riiiigght. (Quick Tip: If doing a phone interview, try doing it while standing up. Your voice will project more confidence and clarity in your answers as opposed to sitting down. Also smile while doing the interview, even though the interviewers can't see you smiling, they will be able to tell the difference.)

One last thing, not only should you think about what questions they might ask you and the answers to those questions, you also need to think about what questions you want to ask them as well. I absolutely love turning the tables on the interviewers and start asking them questions as if I'm the one conducting the interview. And in a way, you really are interviewing them just as much as they're interviewing you. Maybe after a couple of hours into the interview you start getting a sense that maybe this place isn't what you expected. Make sure when it comes time for you to ask questions, you actually have some questions for them. It's a negative sign when a candidate does not have any questions prepared to ask as it may show a disinterest in them or their company.

Like Rob Schneider would say, "You can do eeeet!"

Now go get that job man!

Good luck.

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