Important 2D Artist Interview Preparation Guide

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Everyone has a pet project they would want to make if they had the chance -- it's just inherent in the game developer psyche. This is your chance to expound on it, and the more realized your idea is, the more it will be seen as proof that you know what you're doing.

Taking an existing idea and adding, "but I'd make it cooler!" isn't the answer (the number of times I've heard Q/A staff wanting to become developers tell me they want to remake Counter Strike "but better" is staggering); it just shows you have enthusiasm, but no original ideas.

Bonus points if you can take an existing IP license and make a compelling argument for a game out of it. People who can actually do that are at a premium in our industry since most tie-ins, well, suck.

Every day was a surprise. The students’ work, and the amount of time and effort given by them, was very inspiring to me. I was surprised how well they did their work and the amount of thought that went into it. We had good surprises with their art and their growth as people.

My best asset is to be create appealing poses that work with the timing required my the shot.

My career is to be a popular animator, work on big level and make a big name of my parents ...

I am sure that I would have done some things differently, but I can’t think of them now. I could have been harder on some, and I counseled many a student who thought of me as young and that I would guide them through life. That was scary. I didn’t have many problem students, but I could have handled them better. As for my curriculum and the way I taught, I would not change anything.

This is a general question that applies to all interviews. There are two ways to answer: the big answer and the little answer.

The big answer requires you to have some knowledge of how the company operates. Who does what? Your goal is to slot your experience, passion and skills (and if you are a student, your passion, skills, and desired career direction) into any holes the company may have -- and it should have some. Otherwise, why are they hiring?

The little answer is to name some of your previous experiences and best qualities and hope that's enough.

Care needs to be taken that a) you don't sound arrogant in assuming the company will die without you and b) you don't say negative things about the company. Statements like, "Well, you obviously can't do good Q/A. You need a good Q/A manager," are likely to go down like a lead balloon. Frame your answer to suggest that you would bring extra expertise, and therefore improvement, to something that's already in place.

Many things are rewarding being a teacher. The thank you’s from students at the end of the year used to make me cry. I have heard from many students over the years. Many have gone into teaching art or are professionals in the arts.

Also very rewarding is seeing a student “get it”! That is really cool. I had many talented art students, and they would always be surprised by what they could do. We won many awards at the End of the Year Art Show. I liked going to school every day. I was only absent 6 days in 37 years.

If you plan to work for a video game company, you'd better be playing games -- and you'd better be able to demonstrate that.

It's good form to mention some games that are in the same genre as the games made at that company. It's even better if you mention playing some of the games that were actually made there. Again though, don't go over the top.

At the very least, play the demo of anything they've produced. You need to be knowledgeable about the genre, what you enjoy about it, and how the development of these games is affected by the genre (as much as you can be). So research the company before the interview.

How you answer this question can be a deal breaker or a deal maker for hiring managers. They want to hire people who are demonstrably passionate about the games their company makes. Saying, "I have a level 70 mage in World of Warcraft and a level 40 druid in EverQuest," to Blizzard makes the point that you are immersed in its product genre.

Demonstrating some knowledge about older games also shows you're grounded in game history, which is never a bad thing. The wider your knowledge base, the more you can forestall going down blind alleys in terms of implementation and design, which benefits everyone, and that's exactly what a company is looking for in its employees.

This is a common question in all job interviews. There are generally two kinds of responses: the brutally honest and damning one ("I get upset with people who don't carry their load"), and the sycophantic one ("I'm a perfectionist").

What most employers are looking for is an honest answer that is followed up with an example of something you have done to work on your weakness. For example, you can say, "My workspace tends to become extremely disorganized," as long as you follow it up with, "but recently, I've put in a lot of effort to go paperless, and I'm extremely systematic in the way I manage my email inbox."

The other secret to this question is not so much in the answer but how long you take to respond. If you answer too quickly, you might be suggesting that you already know all your worst points because they are blatantly obvious and you've been told so many times. If you take too long, it will seem as if you're searching for an answer that sounds good, doesn't make you look bad, and is something the interviewer would be happy to hear. Again, it gives the perception that you are being ingratiating rather than honest.

By the way, the best answer I've heard is, "I don't know. What do you think I'd regret in six months if I worked here?"

You'd be surprised how often this question comes up, even if you aren't interviewing for a design position. Everyone wants a developer who has design sensibilities because it inevitably means she or he will be more involved and engaged in whatever is going on.

Knowing ahead of time how you might answer this question means you'll come off sounding like you've actually thought about a game in development terms. Game studios are looking for people who think as they play -- about what they're playing, how it's done, what could have been improved, and most importantly, what they can rip off.

One downside to adopting this mentality is that it becomes harder to enjoy a game for what it is, but that's an occupational hazard in all jobs.

Believe it or not, you can answer this question in an entirely positive way. However, if you decide instead to criticize a design or implementation decision in a game, be sure you have a solution to the problem too. It's not enough to moan about the final strider battle in Half-Life 2: Episode 2; you have to have an idea of how it could have been made more enjoyable, perhaps through easier car control, or not destroying all the supply stations so quickly.

If you decide to bash a game that the company where you're interviewing developed (and that takes courage; some companies will applaud you while others will diss you for not drinking the Kool-Aid), then ensure that what you're criticizing isn't something subjective but something that everyone has had a pop at. Be ready to back up the criticism with proof that it's an agreed-upon flaw, not just you being nit-picky.

Often in game job interviews, you will be presented with a problem to solve, or even a full-blown test, depending on the position. It might be grease board work, it might be a conversation, it might be a level design test, it might even be a code test at a PC.

The premise is that the interviewer wants to see how you work. Often, once you've answered the question, the interviewer will change the parameters to see what you'll do.

But what do you do if you have no clue what's being asked, or if it's outside your area of expertise? That's a panic moment if there ever was one. Take a deep breath and realize that this is a moment where you need to say, "I'm not sure I understand the question," or "That's not something I've done before." But immediately after that, start asking questions about the problem and take a stab at solving it.

That's one of the biggest things you can do at this point -- admit ignorance then have a go anyway. Showing a willingness to try something outside your field of knowledge is huge to interviewers. It shows you want to learn and be more than what you are now. Sometimes, the fact that you tried is more important than the actual result, and sometimes, you'll have an interviewer who will give you hints toward a solution just because you showed that willingness to try. The more junior you are the more likely this is to happen.

Occasionally, interviewers will deliberately put you out of your comfort zone just to see how you'll react, so be aware!

We are all different human beings, so it is normal to not always see eye to eye with everyone. If they did not agree we should be able to communicate like adults and find either a middle ground or if they give me a really good reason as to why my idea wasn't up to their standards and I understand then I will back down easily.

☛ What are you looking for in terms of career development?
☛ A team experience you found disappointing.
☛ Have you ever had to deal with conflicting deadlines?
☛ How long would you stay with our company?
☛ Are you planning to continue your studies?

☛ Tell me about your strengths.
☛ What assignment was too difficult for you?
☛ How do you see your job relating to the overall goals?
☛ Who else have you applied to/got interviews with?
☛ What do you believe are your key strengths?

☛ Have you ever had difficulty working with a manager?
☛ What do you think, would you be willing to travel for work?
☛ What would make you happy in a job?
☛ Which subjects did you enjoy during your qualifying degree?
☛ What is the difference between a good position and an excellent one?

Don't stress yourself with the idea of winning or losing.
Just confine your words to better opportunities. Illustrate your examples with experiences from previous jobs, internships, activities, team involvements and community services.

☛ Tell me about a time you had a very stressful day at work and how did you handle it?
☛ Recall a time you had to face a frustrated customer who wasn’t satisfied with the hair or makeup services you provided. How did you handle it?
☛ Have you ever had a conflict with a coworker/supervisor? How did you resolve it?
☛ Recall a time you gave advice to a customer on how to take care of their makeup

☛ - What are the core working hours?
☛ - How do you assign or schedule tasks? Who gets to decide who does what and estimates time?
☛ - What's the career path for this job? How do I get to progress? What is the process for promotion?
☛ - What training approach do you use? How would I learn new skills?
☛ - How are personnel reviews handled? Who does them and how often?
☛ - Are there any specific development processes used here, for example, Scrum?
☛ - Who would I report to?
☛ - If I'm hired, what is the next game I might work on? How much input would I have on that?
☛ - Is there a relocation package?
☛ - What bonus structure or incentives are there?

☛ What was the most complex assignment you have had?
☛ Tell me about a difficult experience you had in working.
☛ Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past.
☛ What are your expectations regarding promotions and salary increases?
☛ What are three positive things your last boss would say about you?

☛ What support training would you require to be able to do this job?
☛ What three character traits would your friends use to describe you?
☛ What is a typical career path in this job function?
☛ What major challenges and problems did you face?
☛ What irritates you about other people?

☛ May I see your portfolio?
☛ What fascinates you about this line of work?
☛ Tell me about two season makeup trends you find interesting
☛ How would you rate your knowledge of the color wheel? How about skintones?
☛ Do you have any sales experience?
☛ What cosmetic products do you use on a regular basis?
☛ When and how do you clean your tools?
☛ Do you have experience with FX prosthetics?

☛ What negative thing would your last boss say about you?
☛ Tell me about your proudest achievement.
☛ What was the most difficult period in your life, and how did you deal with it?
☛ What were the responsibilities of your last position?
☛ Give some examples of teamwork.

Nothing looks worse than a candidate who knows nothing about the company.
Provide truthful answers to 2d artist interview questions and exude confidence when speaking. Ask a friend or relative of yours to help you practice answering 2d artist interview questions.

☛ Tell me about an important issue you encountered recently.
☛ Can you describe a time when your work was criticized?
☛ Tell about a time that you had to adapt to a difficult situation.
☛ What are the qualities of a good leader?
☛ What are three positive character traits you don't have?

☛ Give an example of a time you successfully worked on a team.
☛ Describe a situation where you had to plan or organise something.
☛ What have you learned from mistakes on the job?
☛ How do you keep track of things you need to do?
☛ How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time?

☛ How do you prepare different skin types before applying make up?
☛ If a customer asked you what’s the most suitable foundation tone for them, how would you help?
☛ Imagine a customer asked you for a makeup style that was unsuitable for them. How do you handle it?
☛ Choose your favorite cosmetic product and sell it to me
☛ What would be the effect of analogous/complimentary colors in makeup?
☛ Imagine you make a mistake while you apply makeup to a customer. How do you handle it?
☛ If you had to choose makeup according to lighting, how would you go about it?

The biggest challenges were the paperwork needed. Attendance, grades, home contacts, and grading work. These tasks were necessary but got in the way of teaching art. The most challenging thing was trying to balance being a diving coach, being Department Chairman, and teaching 5 preps for many years.