Internet & Digital Media Interview Questions & Answers

I first applied through enternships who are working with Spring Project. The Spring Project is a group dedicated to the "UnRecruitment" process. This process involves a menu made up of brutal honesty, constructive criticism, some rather strange group exercises and a lot of looking at yourself.

My first interaction with spring project was a previous CV which admittedly I fired off after work and in a rush. Their response was prompt and along the "Distinctly below average"

So when I saw a new opening through these guys I rolled up my sleeves and answered their personal statement questions with wit, humour and most importantly my personality. This was welcomed and I received an interview request the next day.

The first stage took place mid week and was given 3 hours to complete. A large group of 30 nervous looking hopefuls sat in a circle and were asked various questions which were met with answers and long periods of silence, then more answers and more silence. This is where you could already see some people drop off the interviewers wish list. It is sometimes better to say nothing at all rather than an answer without too much thought behind it. I offered a few sentences (and got in early with them so to not give anyone else the chance to say what I was think and leave me with nothing). The UnRecruitment process differs in many ways but I was most perplexed by the fact that you decide whether or not you come along to the second stage... So one day over, no one on one contact and I could immediately say I had secured a second stage!

The next day was on a wednesday (The 1st stage took place on the previous Friday). Having been given the chance to decide your fate for the second stage I had presumed every face would be back for more... Thsi was not the case and out of a total of 60 people only 40+ returned.

This stage of the interview could be linked with the apprentice. Lots of people, very confident in themselves and eventually shooting themselves in the foot with this over confidence.

The biggest failure I made was to not wear the write deodorant in the morning. The little things make the biggest differences and this new type left me with patches and therefore moving abit like a T-Rex throughout the day!

My tips that will surely help anyone applying for anything:

- Unless you are a developer or the company says not to: Suit Up
- Do as much research on the company as you can but never quote back to them what is on their website
- Speak using I (it is so easy to speak saying YOU all the time, when you use I you own what you say and therefore sound like you stand behind what you say...Listen to people in a group interview. They will all sound like this "Its easy in life when you say you are organised but are not, you have to do things to prove it")
- Dont be yourself too much: It is good to have some of your personality in the mix but you have to play the game, be what they want in the core and you on the outside. Once you are in the company you can yourself as much as you like.
- If there is an assessment, do what you can to play a big part in it, you can take a back seat only if you feel you have made an impression previously and made connections with the interviewers. If you have done the research prior to the interview you can take the lead without the fear of shooting yourself in the foot.
- Dont be too early, arrive at the stage or a coffee shop round the corner an hour before by all means but register you are there with reception 5 mins prior to the actual interview time.
- Only put relevant things on your CV, 2 months bar work is not really CV worthy.
- Be calm, if you have done your research you will be confident in what you are saying.

It is the toughest job market ever. If like myself you have graduated with a standard 2:1 degree, did nothing but have fun at uni and have did not do a sandwich year then you have to do everything in your power to make yourself look good. Do yourself a favour and work hard at applying for jobs, take time in every job application, tailor your CV to the job specification and most of all: DO NOT GIVE UP, APPLY AGAIN AND GO THROUGH THE MOTIONS.

The afternoon section of the second day was a presentation on "Finding key themes and who we would like to invite to the event"

I was able to take the lead in this section as I had been a little keen and over the weekend I had researched this exact presentation so could bring plenty of ideas to the table. I did not know we were doing this presentation and had simply sent my research to the interviewer the night before to make me stand out amongst the crowd. It worked!

My interview was conducted solely via telephone and lasted for 30mins. I was interviewed by a panel who were friendly, and genuinely interested in me as a person. The interview began by the panel introducing themselves to me, and what their role was in the organization, and because this was a telephone interview, I was placed on a loud speaker so each person could hear me. I found this slightly daunting at first, but soon tried to relax. The first set of questions were focused on my experience, and what skills I had gained from previous jobs I had. Transferable skills were heavily talked about, and one particular interviewer was keen to understand what additional skills I possessed which would make me stand out. I tried to give examples from similar roles which I had in the past, and how those experiences provided a firm foundation for the role I was being interviewed for.
I was then asked some personality based questions, such as "How would you describe yourself?" and "What is your greatest strength?". I then found it interesting that a few of the interviewers described what their personalities were like. I liked this as it made me feel more relaxed and gave the interview a conversational tone.
The interview then progressed on to why I wanted the job. I found this the most challenging part of the interview because at the time I was living at my home in Northern Ireland, and this job was based in Dundee, Scotland. The interviewers were heavily focused on why I wanted to move away from N.Ireland, and I explained that I was passionate about progressing my career within an area that had an excellent reputation for digital and artistic development which boosted numerous opportunities for the future.
I was then asked some competency based questions which were focused on social and digital media development within the arts industry. I think they were eager to engage in my innovative skills and what ideas I had for developing their online presence. After this, I was asked about what I knew in relation to not only Dundee City Council, but also the area as well. I mentioned how I had taken the time to look at their website as well as their recent publications. I also answered with some facts which I had researched and about their plans for the future.
The opportunity then arose for me to ask the panel some questions. The first question which I asked was "What training opportunities do you offer?", and the second question was "What is the overall work culture like at Dundee City Council?" . The panel seemed eager to answer these questions, especially the second one as this provided them with the opportunity to market the organization in a positive light.

The most difficult questions which I was asked were:

1. How would you utilize digital media platforms in contrasting ways to widen target audiences?

2. What are the most difficult challenges you have faced in a work environment?

3. What makes you different from other candidates we have interviewed?

The top five tips I would give are:

1. Research the company/organization thoroughly beforehand, because they are going to be interested to see if you are genuinely enthusiastic about working there, and whether you are prepared to put effort in for them as potential employers. Look at their website and annual reviews or monthly newsletters they produce for facts, figures and information.

2. Think of questions which you might be asked and rehearse the answers by writing them down, and then repeating them to a friend/family member/, or even in front of the mirror! This will make you feel more mentally confident and prepared. This is also a great way to get feedback from other people on your answers, and if there are any improvements which could be made.

3. Keep up to date with any recent news related to the company/organization, and try to mention this at the interview. This will show that you are passionate about your job, and take a real interest in your potential employer. Also - you could research any current news in the media within your career field as well, because I have been asked this in the past. Employers want to know that you are using your initiative as well as showing your love for your chosen career.

4. Plan your journey to the interview location the day before. This may seem obvious, but a simple thing like this can add a lot of additional stress if not done. Organize any transport arrangements and make sure you know exactly where the location is of the building you need to go to. This will make you feel more prepared, and will mean that you are not rushing at the last minute.

5. Ask questions! This is such an important factor in an interview, and one that many people overlook. This gives you a chance to question the employer, and for you to gauge whether the company is the right employer for you. Additionally, this also can be a good indicator for the employer of how interested in them you are, and whether you can see a future with them in years to come.

As this interview did not require me to attend an assessment centre, I will describe how I found the overall interview process.

I found this particular interview slightly different from any others which I have had in the past. This was my first telephone interview, and in some ways, I found it more difficult. I didn't have the chance to express myself through body language, and I couldn't experience or see the working environment of the organization. This meant that my verbal communication counted for everything, however this did provide me with the opportunity to show that I can communicate very well via telephone, and this was one of the compliments given to me in the interview feedback. They said my verbal communication skills were excellent, and perhaps this was aided by the interview format.
I found the panel to be very friendly, but also felt that they weren't completely comfortable with conducting telephone interviews. The questions which they asked proved to be very challenging, although they did provide me with some assistance by referring to the job specification.
Overall, I found the process highly challenging, but productive as well. I now have more confidence when participating in telephone interviews, and understand how important it is to give confident, and detailed answers.