Recently I have been interviewing for many different photography roles. Before now, I had been to many social media and marketing interviews, so I always knew what to expect from them.
But when it came to photography interviews.... well, I had no idea what to expect! What were they going to ask me? Did they want to see my portfolio? What questions should I ask them about the role? Interviews are already nerve-wracking without feeling like you are in the dark.
I had many worries and felt like I was going in blind. Many of us feel that way when we are looking for new jobs. To take this pressure off it is helpful to know what questions they will ask during the interview process. If you do not know what they will ask, then you might end up being unprepared when they start asking them. There's nothing worse than being stumped in an interview. Therefore, even if you have a vague idea of what they will ask, you can begin to prepare accordingly.
So, to help you out and give you a little clarity about what you may experience, here is all of the commonalities I found in all of the photography job interviews I attended. As well, I will offer some recommendations which will hopefully offer you some guidance.
What Camera and Photography Software Do You Use?
Different places use different camera gear and softwares. Some may primarily use Canon cameras and Photoshop, for example. Others may use Sony Cameras and work from Capture One.
If you can show them that you have experience using a wide range of editing software and have the ability and will to learn about new ones, that is sure to impress them.
I'm sure they are not looking for you to use the exact same gear and software that they do in their studio, but instead are keen to learn about your awareness of them. If you have used one software, learning another comes easy!
Why Do You Enjoy Photography? How Did You Get Into It?
This one is simple and should promote a response that doesn't have to be thought about much. It should come to you naturally!
However, if you are like me, you may struggle to put your love into words. So, if you are unsure of what specific features it is about photograhy you enjoy, maybe have a little think beforehand. Do you like being creative? Capturing memories? Getting to experiment with crazy ideas? There are so many things to love about photography (as I'm sure you will already know).
Have Your Photography Portfolio To Hand
If your portfolio link is on your CV, it is likely that those who are interviewing you will have seen it and had a browse.
However, do not assume that they have. Half of the interviewers who have interviewed me for a photography job have actually not seen my work prior to us meeting therefore, me taking a physical copy of my portfolio was paramount!
It is very easy to say you have experience in something. But there is nothing better than being able to put images in front of them to show them exactly what you can do. This is certain to change their perspective of you.
Even if you are interviewing for an E-Commerce Photography role and you don't have a lot of this style in your porfolio- don't worry. Show them your editorial work. Show them other styles. This is will reflect that you are able to use a camera and you are able to edit to a high standard.
It is likely that you will become more memorable this way too!
Attention To Detail Is Key
If there is one key skill that is mentioned on every photography job advertisement, it is 'attention to detail'. I saw it everywhere. It was also a skill that I was asked more about in almost every interview too.
So, just like all other types of interviews, inspect the job advertisement before you go. If there are some key skills they mention in the job advertisement, make a note of these. Then think carefully about when you have demonstrated these skills in past roles.
'Attention to detail' is likely to be one of the skills.... I'll be shocked if not...