Visit our Resume and Interview Preparation Training page to learn more about our available training, including a recorded webinar. If you would like more information on preparing for an interview, please call or e-mail CMO. Employee Services Interviewing Purpose An interview is an opportunity for you to verbally convey to the employer that you are the right person for the job, through your personality, qualifications and skills. Preparation Research the agency and the specific position for which you are interviewing.
Look at the agency's website to get an idea of its mission and goals. Review the job posting to understand what is expected of the position and how your qualifications and skills align with the position. Develop some questions to ask relevant to the job you are seeking, such as: how will my performance be evaluated; are there any opportunities for promotion or training; if hired, would I report directly to you or someone else?
Know the time and location of the interview. Take a practice run to the location so you know how to get there, how much travel time you'll need and parking availability. Do a mock interview with a friend and have them ask you practice interview questions samples below. Interviewing Questions No one can predict the exact questions that an interviewer will ask, but you should prepare answers to common questions. What are your strengths as an employee? Can you take constructive criticism without feeling upset?
When digital content is good, viewers will quickly share without hesitation. When engagement rates are high, it's a quick indicator that your content is on point.
The media industry is fast moving and ever-changing. How do you stay on top of changes and trends? With the fast pace of online and print content, all forms of media must move quickly to be the first and most reliable source of news and entertainment.
Assure the interviewer that you can remain on top of trends in your industry. Example 1: "Trends and stories are constantly changing, so my favorite sources for industry-related content comes from a variety of sources such as The Economist, Consumerist, and Contently. These sources are consistent and reliable, helping me remain up to date on what's happening in the print and online media world. Which are your favorite ways to stay on top of media-related trends and changes?
How do you react when you are dissatisfied with the quality of your work, or the outcome of your work? The interviewer would like to know how you respond to failure in the workplace.
There will always be a time when you are not happy with your work, but your reaction is what will determine whether or not you recover from the disappointment. Show that you have the maturity to be able to respond to dissatisfaction productively.
Example 1: "The last time I was dissatisfied with my work I asked my boss if there was time for me to re-do the components with which I was not happy. The deadline was tight, but I did not believe that it should affect the quality of what I delivered. She agreed, and gave me the time to revisit the aspects that I felt were not up to my usual standard.
I allow myself to make mistakes, tweak my work, and play around with different designs, for instance. A creative mind is always seeking improvements. How would you increase newspaper subscriptions in an online-centric world? In a world immersed in online content, the hiring authority would like to know how you would capture the interest of new subscribers.
Discuss one idea you have that would help print subscriptions to stand out in an online world. Example 1: "Print media is still very relevant, especially when a publication attracts a particular niche. In an online-centric world, I would place focus on the nostalgia that comes from reading your favorite paper, along with the fact that The New York Times has been a trusted newspaper for many generations. To increase newspaper subscriptions, I would focus on those offerings, that are not as convenient with online methods.
How often do you take work home with you? The majority of people will work overtime hours or take work home with them on occasion. Talk to the interviewer about how frequently you take your work home. Example 1: "I make sure to utilize my work hours very efficiently, so the only time that I take my work home is when there is an extremely stringent deadline. I would say that, overall, I take my work home maybe twice per week.
It's all about being diligent with your time in the office! Some positions I have held, I work from home nearly every day. Other roles, such as my current position, I work from home just a couple of times per month. Outside of work, what type of creative activities do you like to pursue? The New York Times seeks creative people for their teams, no matter the department or role to which you are applying.
The interviewer would like to know how you express your creativity, outside of the workplace. A genuinely creative minded person will have outside activities aside from what's happening in the workplace.
Tell the interviewer about the variety of ways in which you express your creativity. Example 1: "I have a lot of energy, so I like to bring out my creative side on the weekends by attending local art events, going to the theater, or trying a new paint and sip class. I look forward to bringing this creative energy to The New York Times. Cooking is also art for me, and I try to incorporate creativity into the fun meals I prepare for family and friends.
The media industry is all about communication. At The New York Times, strong communication is at the forefront of what we do. How would you describe your communication skills? Rate your communication skills from In any media related position, you must be a clear and concise communicator.
Talk to the interviewer about your communication style and how you feel it will work with the communication standards set by The New York Times. Example 1: "I would rate my communication skills as a 9 out of 10 because they are exceptional; yet, there is always room for improvement.
I would describe my communication style as thorough, upbeat, yet concise. I firmly believe that my communication skills will meet the standards you have set at The New York Times. It is the foundation of all success in business. I am always striving to be a better communicator, so I leave the rest of the scale as an aspirational measure. What has been the best short-form content project you have worked on this year?
The interviewer would like to have more information on the project in which you are most proud. If you have a digital portfolio with you, this is a great tool to use when describing the best short-form content project you have worked on this year.
Example 1: "I genuinely enjoy working on both long and short-form content projects; however, I do find short-form digital content to be especially thrilling to create. A favorite short-form project that I worked on this year was a series of educational shorts for a children's channel with which I collaborated. It was important to me that the messaging be clear while also being fun and educational.
Mission accomplished, as the series received more shares, comments, and downloads than any other we have released in the past five years. To include interactive elements such as reveal marketing, contests, and gamification, we grew engagement exponentially. I would love to show you more from my portfolio, which I prepared for you. Have you ever managed or helped with a content budget? If so, what type of budgets are you accustomed to working with? Before your interview, take some time to gather data related to the budgets you have worked with, and the times when you have come in under budget.
This way, you will be prepared with specifics when asked about your budgetary experience. The interviewer wants to see that you have great insight when it comes to being budget conscious.
Appropriate planning is one of the keys to a successful project, so be sure to discuss the steps that you take to plan a project's dollar spend carefully. Every dollar counts, even if you are working for a massive publication like The New York Times! If you do not have experience in budget management, refer to the fact that you are responsible and resourceful.
Example 1: "Most of the budgets that I have worked within are spread amongst a variety of digital production and creative costs. No matter the size of the budget, it's incredibly important that every dollar is treated as though it's my own; being wisely allocated and accounted for. I feel that with the right training, and some more work experience, I will be ready to assist with content budgeting in no time. Name for me one skill mentioned in our job posting, that you do not possess.
How will you gain that skill? The interviewer is asking for you to highlight your weaknesses. There are many ways to ask 'what is your greatest weakness'; however, the interviewers at The New York Times will always have a more thought-provoking way of asking this question. Before your interview, comb through the job posting and pick out a skill where you have room for improvement.
Then, discuss what you could do to strengthen that particular skill. Example 1: "I have an intermediate level of experience with ad creation, but would love to say that I am an expert. When I saw this requirement on your job posting, I knew that I met that basic requirement, but I want to do better than basic. For that reason, I have enrolled in an online course called 'Compelling Ads' I am excited to strengthen my skills in this area.
My sales experience is in selling SaaS and other digital products; however, my sales training will still complement the needs of The New York Times as everything is subscription based, just as it was in my previous role. What do you know about the nature of print advertising?
The interviewer would like to know your current knowledge level when it comes to print advertising. Most newspapers rely heavily on the revenue that comes from advertising, so it's essential that you bring an understanding of how this style of advertising operates. Example 1: "The whole 'print is dead' argument that some people make, when they argue against investing in print advertising is one hurdle that I love to overcome when it comes to print advertising.
By nature, a newspaper is more targeted to a specific audience, grabbing their attention for longer, ensuring that readers pay better attention to a printed ad than one they come across online. I believe there is strength in targeted print ads with great imagery and smart copy. Print advertising, when executed correctly, can have an incredibly effective impact and strong ROI. How do you think that online media has changed traditional print and broadcast media approaches in the past 10 years?
These questions are designed to understand who the candidate is and how well they will fit your team. Jokes aside, here is the perfect opportunity to understand why the candidate applied for this position.
Did they do their homework and research your company? Do they have the skill-set and feel very confident about it? Bottom line, confidence sells. By having them compare themselves to other candidates, they will display the level of their experience.
As the candidate starts to describe his or her ideal environment, you can start to see if the puzzle pieces fit for your team. The number one value factor is usually money, but ask what are some other values they have that are important to them in this position. The answer can be surprisingly revealing to what upsets the candidate in his or her job. Additionally, how well does he or she manage difficult situations. A great candidate will respond by listing a few concerns while at the same time providing you examples of how they professionally deal with them.
Here, you have a chance to receive feedback on what an ideal manager is to them. At the same time, you can gauge if the expectations are realistic. If you believe in that, this is a great opportunity to understand if the candidate will fit well with you if you are their manager.
By understanding this response, you will get an idea of what is important to them. Additionally, you can use this information to align their skills to a particular project that they would be successful in.
The reason they would be successful in a particular project is because of their motivation for success which in turn makes them very proud. Following up to the previous question, this will give you a preview of how effective the candidate will be both in their role and how well they will fit into the team. If the candidate has made it this far, you are seriously thinking about potentially hiring them. These questions give you an insight on how the candidate would handle difficult situations.
How did you address those disagreements? By asking the candidate to provide you examples, you can see if it aligns with your expectations of professionalism when they disagree with you. How do they handle it and convey their disagreement to you in a professional manner?
By asking this question, you will understand how they deal with the mistake, resolve the issue, and how they prevent it from happening again.
With this question, you want to hear more positives than negatives. A candidate who discusses more negatives will eventually have the same outlook in your company as well. A professional candidate remains reserved about speaking negatively on previous experiences. They bring out the best in their experiences with previous employers.
This is a great way to measure the quality of the candidate based on a previous manager. In performance reviews, managers provide genuine constructive criticism on how the employee can improve. When the candidate shares those constructive criticisms with you, you will be aware of some areas of improvements. Additionally, a great candidate will discuss the resulting improvement plans and how they accomplished those improvements.
Employees are often bombarded with multiple tasks at once.
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