How to prepare for a Hollywood job interview

You got the call for a job interview! Yay! But you can’t just roll into the interview in your best outfit and wing it. That’s not going to get you hired. Here are a few things you need to do to prepare:

1. Research the company. Before walking into an interview, you should know who you’re meeting with, what the department does, what the company’s projects are, and the latest company news. If it’s a production company, network, or studio, make sure to watch their top shows. You can never research too much, and we recommend spending at least an hour digging around to see what you can find (not including watching content).
2. Practice answers to common interview questions. There are a few standard questions you’ll get asked in almost every interview, like “Tell me about yourself,” “What are your strengths/weaknesses,” and, especially in Hollywood, “What are your favorite shows?” Check out our resource library for a handy workbook that walks you through common interview questions, and make sure you have answers for all of them ready to go. It's best to practice these answers out loud, so you might consider completing a mock interview. By showing the interviewer that you expected certain questions and prepared for them, you’re letting the employer know that you’ll be an organized, reliable, and proactive employee.
3. Know your story. In any interview, there will be some questions you won’t be able to predict. But you do know who you are and why you’d be good for the job. Think about your career trajectory and biggest accomplishments to date, and practice telling your story from the beginning. We like the technique of pretending you’re further along in your career and have been asked to share how you got to where you are. Imagine you’re on an alumni panel at your college, or you’re being interviewed for a major publication, or your grandkids want to know how you became successful. Choose of a frame of reference that makes you feel like you’re on top of the world and recite your story, including any achievements you’re proud of, any missteps along the way, people who’ve helped you, things you’ve learned, etc. Tell yourself your story in the shower or while stuck in traffic. If you do this multiple times, you’ll get a confidence boost and the muscle memory to pull up interesting anecdotes or examples when you’re asked unexpected questions.

The hiring manager assumes that the amount of effort you put into a job application is the greatest amount of effort you’re willing and able to commit to any task. If you don’t prepare at all, the hiring manager will expect that you’ll do even less when you actually have the job. And of course, the more prepared and polished you are, the more you’ll convey that you're enthusiastic about the position and can be trusted to prepare for a big pitch or handle a large project once you've been hired. Don't skip out on this crucial step.

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--Angela Silak & Cindy Kaplan