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Have questions or comments on job interviewing? Send them to The Midnight Charette's "Design Companion" phone hotline!

2019-11-05T16:13:00-05:00

Here's a phone number worth having on speed-dial. The Midnight Charette podcast recently launched a “Design Companion” phone hotline that welcomes architects, designers, or anyone else, to call in with questions, comments and the like, on buzzworthy topics relevant to the community.

The Midnight Charette is currently accepting your most burning questions about job interviewing for their next Tips & Tactics podcast episode!

Here's how it works: Anyone who wants to share their questions, insights, observations, or concerns can call or text — if that's more your style — the Design Companion Hotline at 213-222-6950. If you call, the number goes straight to voicemail. The Midnight Charette will then play your message on the podcast and build a discussion around it. The hotline is always open for any topic, but as of right now, The Midnight Charette is focusing on interview-related questions.

With this episode, callers will have the opportunity to ask specific questions and receive spec...

Informational job interviews are still a thing

2019-09-26T00:00:00-04:00

A lot of times those still in school and even those actively searching for a job want to know what can be done to heighten the chances of being selected for an opportunity. One frequently untapped strategy is capitalizing on the informational interview. In a simple sense, this is merely a meeting for you to "learn more" about a firm. You aren't going in expecting anything in return, just to get to know them.

How can this be effective?

It allows you to build your network. If you know that a particular firm isn't currently hiring and you still go in to talk with them about their work. When an opportunity does come up, who do you think will be top of mind? You are also getting your foot in the door and giving them an opportunity to learn about you too.
It displays your proactivity. When you reach out to a firm and express an interest to learn about them for your future career decisions, it sends a message of proactive enthusiasm. It shows that you take your career seriously and that you...

6 important tips on following up after a job interview

2019-09-11T13:30:00-04:00

You've just walked out of a job interview and you're feeling pretty good about how things went. You prepared beforehand, researched the firm, had solid answers to their questions, and even posed some good questions of your own. As you drive off you take a deep sigh of relief, you've done all you can, now it's just a waiting game.

One might think this is true, but a crucial step still remains—the follow-up. Following through with a thank you email after an interview is a powerful display of professionalism, gratitude, and class. But, how should one go about crafting this message to a prospective employer?

Here are some things to consider:

Send the initial thank you promptly - It's a good idea to send your initial thank you email on the same day of the interview or the following morning.
Keep it brief - Chances are the people who interviewed you are very busy. If you send over a long email, the likelihood of it being read is a lot lower. Keep your message brief and to the point.
Be spe...

Answering "So, tell me about yourself" in an interview

2019-08-12T19:00:00-04:00

Nailing the “Tell me about yourself” question starts with realizing that your interviewer already knows your job history thanks to your resume. Performing a monologue based on your LinkedIn page is pointless, yet job applicants do it all the time. Remember that interviews are more about making strong matches than proving qualifications. If you weren’t qualified, you wouldn’t be in the room.

We've all had this question in our job hunt. And it can sometimes be a perplexing one to answer. Presentation coach, Joel Schwartzberg, identifies this feeling in a recent article. "Receiving such an open invitation invites more perils than opportunities because you’re given no framework for your response—just a blank, clue-free canvas. Your mind may have myriad internal considerations," he writes. Things like, "should I tell my life story? Should I run through my job history? Should I share my hobbies and favorite movies? Or, should I talk about my last job or boss?"

It can be tough, but Schwartzberg recommends that we "be more than our bio," that the essence of answering this question lies in aligning ourselves with the needs of the employer. That we should research the company beforehand and have a good understanding of what they're looking for. "Pick a story from your professional life that illustrates you filling that particular need in another job, preferably one in which the ...