I’ve been doing some interviewing lately and even though our careers are unlike most others, I’m finding that the basics still come into play.

I have friends who have given me advice on what to wear and how to look for work.Throwing on a suit, pulling out your standard form resume and attending career fairs is not the path for an advertising creative.. Friends have disagreed with me these topics and the debates usually ends in me saying, “Advertising’s not like that.” Saying it over and over and shaking my head.

For years, I’ve heard that it’s all about the portfolio. But this is a competitive industry, so it seems to start with the portfolio. From there on you still need to work to get the job.

I recently met up with the co-author of Working World 101, Bridget Graham, and discussed interviewing. Being a HR director by trade she pointed out some questions interviewers ask to probe on topics like team work, dedication and general personality traits. There’s a reason the biggest strengths and weaknesses question has been used for years and years.

If you don’t have a shelf full of awards or a “fuck-you” portfolio (as my friend once referred to it), then these are points that are easy to take for granted. I hear that Creative Directors and agencies are looking for good fits, so it’s easy to feel comfortable going into an interview, winging it and just being yourself. That’s not the worst plan, but you’re still going to be asked about your past agency experience, a project you felt you had a big impact on or if you play an instruments (a question that threw me off because I don’t think my Recorder concert in 5th grade counted.) It doesn’t hurt to think out the common questions before hand.

On the flip side, bad mouthing your last employer, talking about what you want to get out of the job versus what you can do to help their agency and farting during an interview could the difference between getting the job and not getting it.

It seems like common sense, but as creatives we’re told to think different. But we still can’t forget the basics of the job market.

- Mike Palese