How to become an artist: interview questions

We continue to talk about how to become a professional artist from scratch. Today we will discuss how to build a dialogue with an employer at an interview and why it is important not only to answer questions, but also to ask them. At the end of the material, you will find examples of questions that you can (and should!) ask before accepting an offer from a company. The material was prepared on the basis of a methodological manual with tips for beginning artists from expert Tatyana Nazhimova.* *Tatyana Nazhimova is a 2D artist with eight years of experience in developing mobile games. Now she collaborates with CM Games as a Senior Artist and, through her experience, tells how the life of game development companies works and helps beginning artists feel more confident in the industry.

The first dialogue with an employer

— The interview stage comes after successfully completing the test task. The conversation can be quick, but sometimes it drags on for several meetings/calls with different people. At the first meeting, you will be greeted by a recruiter and, most likely, your future manager. All candidates are worried at interviews. Therefore, the conversation usually begins on abstract topics to soften the atmosphere. Then you will be told about the work in the company, you will discuss in detail everything that was not mentioned in the correspondence earlier, and ask your questions. You will be asked what you expect from working in the company, what your plans are for personal development and what professional skills you are most interested in developing. You may think: “I don’t care, I just want to find any job in game development.” Of course, you shouldn’t say this directly, because such sincerity will be regarded as “I’ll gain experience with you and then move on.” Yes, often communication in the industry is informal, but still talk about work-related topics as professionals.

Example of an answer

“You say that the project lacks environment artists. Recently I have been interested in the history of architecture and making a lot of sketches. I will be very interested in continuing to delve into this topic within your project, styling the work according to the desired setting. For example, I can enhance the narrative in the environment with interesting easter eggs, which will definitely make the locations in the game memorable and interactive.” In other words, everything you say should be aimed at benefitting the company.

How to prepare for an interview?

— First, study the company's website — be sure to look at the About tab and get acquainted with it in general terms. Looking through the portfolio of projects, note which one you like the most and why. Visit the company's social media pages — there you can also find useful information. Remember that knowing what the company is working on will help you be in context already at the first meeting. Write down the questions that concern you the most. Work on their formulation, still giving priority to the interests of the company. Do not hesitate to ask the most banal ones in your opinion — everyone understands that you are a beginner. Your questions create an impression of how seriously you are настроены on the result, how much you want to learn to be independent.

Examples of questions

• What types of tasks need the most work now — icons, render by 3D model, character, decor or something else?
• What expectations does the company have of me as a specialist?
• Is there an adaptation plan for employees without work experience?
• How does a typical artist's workday usually go — what time does it start and end, are there any special features?
• Can I work remotely?

At the end of all interviews, you will be sent an email with an offer or a refusal. If you are rejected, you can ask for feedback if it was not obvious to you. The rest of the articles revealing the topic of where to start for an artist: How to become an artist: software for communication within the company How to become an artist: 5 important skills Meanwhile, we invite you to take part in the only beta testing of express courses in an asynchronous format — with an individual schedule. This is a great opportunity to purchase an express course at a bargain price — with a discount of up to 45%, get new knowledge and skills in full and at the same time contribute to the creation of a cool product that thousands of people will use later. You can buy several courses at this price. In this case, the courses can be taken sequentially one after another (for example, the first course starts on October 24, and the second — two months later).