Besides, he can tell whether anyone would want to hire you by just looking at what you have to offer.
You can bite your fingernails to the quick trying to convince someone you have a great portfolio when you really don't. You'll leave a much better taste in your interviewer's mouth if you just let your portfolio do your talking for you. If your portfolio really is great, it'll do all the convincing that's necessary without any help from you. If it isn't, all the talking in the world isn't going to make it any better.
If your interviewer offers some comments about how to make your portfolio better, don't turn a deaf ear to them, and don't feel insulted. Accepting help is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, being offered help by a pro is an honor. Thank him for his interest and try to remember everything he says. Take notes if you want to. Take advantage of the chance to improve your portfolio.
If he doesn't offer any comments, ask for some. Some interviewers are a little timid about offering unsolicited criticism, because they don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. But if you seek their advice, they'll invariably try to help you.
Defend those elements in your book which you like. Don't give the impression that you have no respect for your own work, but don't stubbornly disagree with everything your interviewer suggests, either.
There's a fine line here, but if you take your time, it's not that hard to follow.
Simply discuss in greater detail the parts of your portfolio on which you and your interviewer disagree. For example, if there's a headline that you love but your interviewer doesn't, find out what he thinks the problem is. You'll learn something about what makes an ad successful.
If there's something you're not satisfied with but which your interviewer thinks is good, find out what it is that you couldn't see in your own work. It'll probably be the most concentrated learning experience in advertising that you've had up to that point.
Another thing to remember: don't ask for money when you're first starting out. True, there's a lot of money to be made in advertising, but it takes time. If you learn the business, the money will come. In the beginning, the best policy is not to ask for more than you need to eat and pay the rent. Save the summers on the Riviera for later.
One thing you should forget forever is the idea of walking around with someone else's work in your book. That might be the quickest way there is to kiss any hope you ever had of breaking into this business goodbye. You'll show a complete disrespect for yourself, your interviewer, and everyone else in this business. Even if it got you a job, sooner or later you'd have to produce ads as good as the ones in that portfolio. Then you'd really be in a fix.
Trust your own abilities. They're a lot easier to live with and, in the long run, a lot easier to get a job with.
Don't talk yourself blue in the face trying to make an interviewer believe you can do better work than your portfolio shows. Don't say you'll start doing good stuff after you have a job. Your interviewer will never believe you.
It's much easier to be honest by saying that you're trying as hard as you can, but you need to learn more about advertising, and that you're willing to work as hard as necessary to get that help.
Don't waste your time using words that no one else has ever heard before in an effort to sound intelligent. Intelligence in advertising isn't measured by the number of syllables in the words you use, but rather by the ease with which your words communicate what you're trying to say. Advertising is a business of communication, and you should keep that in mind whenever you're trying to impress someone in the business.
Also, don't think you'll score points by claiming you can do something you really can't. It doesn't work in advertising. There's always too much money on the line. Besides, there's no crime in not knowing something. No one's going to hang an "I am dumb" sign around your neck.
If you can't do something, admit it. That's the only way you'll ever learn, and showing your interviewer you're anxious to learn is the only way you'll ever score points.
Don't try to act tough or too important to sit through an interview if you're told up front that no job is available. Good job applicants have a way of creating job opportunities. Get as much out of that interview as you possibly can, even if it's only experience to make you better on your next inter-view.
If there's not a job for you now, don't forget to ask to come back for another interview later. That's a great way to show that you're serious about getting into the business, and it's a fine way to develop a relationship with someone who could teach you about the business and tell you when he hears about job openings.
If you relax and try to be yourself, it's easy to succeed in job interviews. Just because you don't get a job offer doesn't mean you failed; if you've just come out of a meeting having learned something about the business, or with a suggestion on how to make your portfolio better, or having started a relationship with someone who can help you, or even if you just got some good interviewing experience, then you've had a successful interview. And successful interviews are the only things that lead to jobs.
Maybe you don't believe that doing well in an interview is as easy as it sounds. Maybe you'd like to give this advice a little test.
Fine.
