Hobby Center Questions

Question 1

Why did you choose to apply to The Hobby Center?

Answer 1

The Hobby Center is the number one place I wanted to be a part of. When you emailed me to set up the interview, I was very excited. I love that it emphasizes connecting artists, audiences, and communities together through performances and programs. It also felt very familiar to me because many of the tasks described I have performed before. Although I know there will be new challenges and I’m excited to take those on.

Question 2

What did you do at HSF?

Answer 2

I created identities for their plays each summer. I’d come up with a symbol for each of the two plays and then I’d have to find a way to marry them into one cohesive poster. For collateral, I’d create merchandise like t-shirts, a program cover, thumbnails, social graphics, stage signage and signage that went up around the park at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Question 3

What did you do at KGMCA?

Answer 3

When I started designing for KGMCA, I was on creating designs for their Theatre & Dance seasons. I was operating within strict brand guidelines of essentially 3 colors and 2 fonts. I had to figure out for every project how I’d keep it exciting and not repetitive. Eventually, they trusted me enough to give me more tasks and I created collateral like posters, social graphics, illustrations, digital and physical signage, templates, ads, invites, email banners, mailers, and identities for special events. I would often be assigned and working on multiple projects at once.

Question 4

What’s your favorite thing to do as a designer?

Answer 4

Storytelling and creating strong, unique concepts is my favorite. I love doing that through branding and illustration.

Question 5

Why do you like to design?

Answer 5

I love design because it’s a way to get people to engage with the world around them. I find that this sort of work is so rewarding because of the overlap I have with other creatives and artists. Their world merges with my own and I get to create cool graphics that represent their art.

Whether I’m building something from scratch or going off brand guidelines. I love taking people’s ideas and nourishing them with my skillset to help them communicate their vision and tell a story.

Question 6

Why did you leave your last place of employment?

Answer 6

I was seeking full-time employment and I had been in talks with the Marketing Director at KGMCA to get that, but ultimately they weren’t able to.

Question 7

Could you explain the gap in your resume?

Answer 7

Of course. After I left KGMCA, I took some time to think about what my next steps were and what I wanted to do next.

Question 8

What does your typical creative process look like?

Answer 8

I start off by asking what the client envisions for this project or take notes on what ideas or guidelines they have for it. Then I sort through inspiration and create multiple moodboards. I show clients the moodboards and have them pick a style they gravitate towards and then I instantly get to work on sketches. I like to get to work immediately after I get the green light because my ideas are sparked then.

Question 9

What designers, trends, or brands have most inspired and shaped your graphic design style?

Answer 9

I take a bit of inspiration from everywhere. I enjoy referencing different eras in my art and modernizing them. I really love looking at book covers and movie posters too.

For typography, I really love Paula Scher. Her type treatment is so graphic and bold. I really like Saul Bass’s work too and how he’s able to communicate and surmise an entire story with just a minimal graphic so effectively.

I’m also inspired by today’s current trends of minimalism with bold type, color, shapes and texture. It’s clean with a bit of edge to it.

Question 10

How do you work with a team? Tell me about a time you ran into issues with a team member or a project and how you resolved it.

Answer 10

Since I’ve worked as a contractor for the past few years, I haven’t worked on a design team in a while. Although, I tend to consider my clients or whoever I’m working under as part of my team. I had quite a few group projects when I studied Graphic Design in college. For our senior show, I was on the branding team and my team members started to lose motivation since our ideas were getting rejected. Since they were losing steam, I decided to try leading us into a new direction by experimenting with color and texture for our poster. My team and my professor approved the new direction, and because I took the initiative we gained back our confidence and could move forward.

Question 11

How do you incorporate client or team feedback into your work?

Answer 11

I like to view getting feedback as a team effort, whether it’s with a literal team or with a client. I see it as we are brainstorming and collaborating to complete the same goal of telling a great story. I appreciate critique when it’s constructive and we can work together to make the project better.

Question 12

When it comes to deadlines, how do you rein in your creative process to make sure you hand off project deliverables on time?

Answer 12

I am highly organized and always have deadlines written down or in a calendar so that they’re at the forefront of my mind and I can manage my time accordingly.

Question 13

In your opinion, what are a few of the most important skills a graphic designer should have?

Answer 13

I think more than anything a designer has to be adaptable and collaborative. Things tend to move pretty fast in design, so being able to adapt when things go awry or need a quick turnaround is really important. Collaboration is also very important, even if you’re the sole designer, because you need to be able to work together with the client and your team to create an amazing product. Getting other people’s perspectives and fusing ideas together makes for a more interesting project in my experience.

Question 14

What are your strengths?

Answer 14

Tenacious, reliable and detail-oriented, love to learn, friendly, collaborative, make people feel comfortable

My biggest strength is that I’m very tenacious and have been able to overcome any issue that comes my way and learn new tools to help myself accomplish that. Even if I have to start from scratch, I’ll buckle down and do it to make sure it’s an amazing project. I won’t stop until it’s done.

Question 15

What is your biggest weakness? (How do you overcome it?)

Answer 15

I would say that I can be hypercritical of my work, but I’m learning to overcome it by allowing myself the grace to fully go through my sketch process, even when it’s reallyyy rough, and then polish it.

Question 16

Which portfolio pieces are you most proud of?

Answer 16

I’d say that the Houston Shakespeare Festival identities are my favorite. I really got to try new things within their guidelines and make unique visuals for the plays. Those hold a very special place in my heart. Another favorite project would be the Insight Card Deck I designed branding for. It was such a cool process and I got to illustrate for the cards, which always makes me love a project even more when I get to do that. I also fully hand-lettered the logo and created a logo animation for it. I love that project.

Question 17

Which project was the hardest to work on?

Answer 17

I would say that the Theatre & Dance seasons always proved to be my most challenging because of the sheer size of that project each year. I grew the most from those projects though. It had so many moving parts and if one show had outdated information, I’d have to go back and change each individual piece of collateral. I think there was one time where I was given incorrect info and I had already completed about 100 pieces of digital signage and social media posts, so then I had to go back and change it all. That happened about two times. But yeah, I had fun. It builds character. :)

Question 18

Tell me about a time wihen you’ve dealt with a difficult client.

Answer 18

I luckily haven’t had too many experiences with a client being difficult. Most of mine have been so easygoing and trusting. I find that within the art world, artists operate on a more leisurely schedule so sometimes it’s hard to get them to reply to emails or get feedback. I wouldn’t call that difficult but it does slow down the process at times. I sent a lot of follow-up emails.

Question 19

Tell me about a time when a client had an idea you didn’t agree with.

Answer 19

I was working on a poster and I had these funky, cool stars in the back as an extra visual detail. My client suggested suddenly that maybe we could try feathers instead of stars, because that was part of their brand. I think hearing them out and sketching it up for them even if you don’t think it’ll work is the way to go. It’s also as if I’m kindly redirecting them to what I think would be best aesthetically.

I think showing people why you’re making your design choices and walking them through it is integral to the process as well.

Question 20

Tell me about a time when someone didn’t agree with your design choices and gave you negative feedback.

Answer 20

There was one time where I was making templates and a member of the faculty didn’t like some of them, which was completely fine. I’m happy to rework anything. There were several categories of templates I needed to complete and I am someone who will re-read instructions over and over. In my meeting to discuss the drafts of the templates with the Marketing Director at KGMCA, she approved it all. However, the faculty member wasn’t happy with one of the categories and asked me to re-do it because she didn’t feel like it fit her vision. So, the Marketing Director and I asked her to provide us with photos and inspo so we could get a better feel of what she wanted. Then I went back and reworked the templates and she was pleased. Really I just want to make sure it’s right, even if I have to correct it several times.

Question 21

Do you have any questions for me?

Answer 21

Just a few.

• Are there opportunities for growth as a designer at The Hobby Center?
• What sort of projects can I look forward to while working here?
• What’s your favorite part about working at The Hobby Center?

Question 22

Do you have experience with video, photo, and motion graphics programs?

Answer 22

Yes, I do! I haven’t used those programs in a while but I feel comfortable enough to jump back in and learn more. I know basic things like keyframes, using the puppet tool, and how to export out of After Effects.

Question 23

What do you know about The Hobby Center?

Answer 23

I know that you’re a nonprofit organization and you host a variety of performances and programs to help engage and connect audiences.

Question 24

What key metrics do you use to track your design’s success?

Answer 24

I think a good indicator of success is if I’m able to engage my audience and inspire them to go see the play or go to this event.

Question 25

How do you stay abreast of the latest design trends?

Answer 25

I’m a big researcher so I like to see what fellow designers do on sites like Behance or Dribbble. From time to time I’ll also look up what’s trending and read articles.

Question 26

What is color theory and why is it important in design?

Answer 26

Color theory is important because color can affect how someone feels about a design. If you’re making a food ad or logo, you use red because it makes people hungry. Things like that. Color is a powerful tool and knowing which ones complement each other and which ones work against your intention for the design.

Question 27

Describe a time you cross-functionally collaborated on a design project.

Answer 27

I am very used to collaborating with different groups in my work. I often would talk to the Marketing Director I worked under, people at different schools within the college, faculty, etc.

Question 28

How do you respond when a client gives you harsh criticism?

Answer 28

It’s important to not take the criticism personally. Ultimately we have the same goal and want the project to look its best. I stay level-headed and incorporate their feedback into my design and strive to improve it.

Question 29

Describe your organization and task-management process for handling tight deadlines and multiple projects at once.

Answer 29

I’d often be assigned multiple projects at once and usually I’d think about which ones I’d need to prioritize first and go from there. I’d consider the deadlines and then break down my tasks into agendas for each day to complete. Writing down the projects I need to complete helps me to visualize better what needs to be done next.

Question 30

Why do you think you should get this job? What puts you above our other qualified candidates?

Answer 30

I am qualified and capable to do this job. I’m very familiar with the job duties and have performed them many times in my previous jobs. I have a great attitude. I’m resilient and positive. I’m also friendly and work just as well independently as I do within a team.

Question 31

What is the latest design campaign that you’ve seen and what did you like or not like about it?

Answer 31

My family is big on drinking Coke. Their Share A Coke campaign is so smart. The cans say things like “share a Coke with your sister, brother, bestie” etc. The messaging that Coke is ingrained into families and friendships is so strong. It’s almost like they’re saying that sharing a Coke is part of caring for your friends and family. The psychology behind that is powerful and since many people already grew up with Coke, they’re reinforcing the nostalgia.

Question 32

Were there any mistakes you've made as a designer and what did you learn from that experience?

Answer 32

I’m sure I have, none come to mind currently. If I do make a mistake, generally I will hold myself accountable and do my best to correct the mistake as efficiently as possible.

Question 33

Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Answer 33

I would love to see myself established at a company or organization. I really would like to plant roots somewhere and invest my time there. I’d love to find a job where I’m constantly growing and I’m also helping the job grow by always being better.