Job Interview in a hour or so, what questions should I expect?

longhornfan25

More details:
- Phone Interview
- Environment Artist job
- I have no other previous experience in the industry
- Is a smaller studio 40ish-employees


Thanks for your help

nyx702

"Describe your process" is a one that I have gotten almost every time.

"What games do you play"

"What is your experience with 'X' software"

"Describe a time when you worked with a team." I got this a few times when I was starting out and didn't have XP.

"Would you rather cut corners and meet the deadline or make it perfect and blow the deadline?"

I answered "make it perfect because cutting corners usually bites you in the ass" and this is a big part of why I didn't get the position. It was for smaller studio that just needs to get stuff out the door even if it's not perfect.

low odor

"Would you rather cut corners and meet the deadline or make it perfect and blow the deadline?"

This is a trick question..the correct answer is make it perfect AND meet the deadline..

but seriously, they don't want to hear that you will blow off a deadline...I'd probably say that I would make it as perfect as possible in the allotted time, and then talk to my lead about why I thought the deadline was tight and could have benefited from more allotted time

R3D

Do you mind working overtime?

The answer is no, you dont mind.

ZacD

The main thing is you want to be asking just as many questions as they ask you.

nyx702

Ryswick wrote: »

Do you mind working overtime?

The answer is no, you dont mind.

Ohhhh yea this is good one.

Dan!

if you have a portfolio online they may ask you about certain pieces and what you like/dislike about them or what your processes were for creating them.

Computron

Great thread guys.

Avanthera

Wow, too late to be of any use, but on the phone interview for my first job I was asked to explain how I worked with and created modular assets.

It doesn't sound like a hard question till you try to come up with an answer that covers all of the bases on the fly (while you're nervous and talking to two art leads ) Come to think of it, I'm kind of surprised I got the job with all of the stumbling I went through on that question.

Frump

You've had your interview by now, but, you should also consider what questions you have to ask them. At the end they'll ask "do you have any questions for us?" and you don't want to be left with "uuuuuuuuuh..."

That's happened to me before and my improvised questions were kind of dumb.

ZacD

Frump wrote: »

You've had your interview by now, but, you should also consider what questions you have to ask them. At the end they'll ask "do you have any questions for us?" and you don't want to be left with "uuuuuuuuuh..."

That's happened to me before and my improvised questions were kind of dumb.

Yeah, be prepared, I'm sure there's hundreds of questions you'd have about any studio you'd like to work at, just focus on those things.

What software do you use?
*what kind of technical specs do you work towards??
what is the normal work schedule like?
what is the team culture like?
What is the size of the team?
what kind of perks are there?
what is the normal computer/work hardware for an employee?
How long was *your last game* in production?
How is a typical prop handled in your companies work flow?
What is a typical work day like?
ect

Yozora

ZacD wrote: »

what are typical polycounts in your games?

This to me sounds like a extremely stupid question, I think it makes the artist look like a beginner.
What difference does it make if their response is "200 tris" or "20k tris"? If the response shocks the artist, then surely the only thing it shows is that the artist didn't bother looking at any of the company's games...
I can't see how it'd affect the artist's decision to take the job or how it'd make the artist look intelligent, sounds like a dumb "filler question". Might as well ask if it's okay to walk in to work with an iron man mask (probably would be), at least that's a little more fun.

I wonder if I'm alone in thinking that though. Am I?

ZacD

I could see it mattering more to character artists, some games seam to use 3k others 20k, that's a pretty big difference. I wouldn't ask the question like that, I'd focus it in depending on what you are interviewing for. I meant it more as an engine spec question, do you use color spec maps? how big of textures are you working with? Is there light maps or is it defered? Is there any big limitations or rules about the engine?

fearian

I think a better question (for environment/prop artists) would be more like, "what kind of technical specs do you work towards?" or "what's your pipeline like?"

Great thread. Bookmarked and hopefully will need it soon! :x

ZacD

Yeah fearian's wording works best.

slipsius

Actually, I have a question for everyone.

Is it possible to ask TOO many questions at the end?

haiddasalami

The question that I always hate, what are your 3 strengths and weaknesses. Most people say to give a positive spin on it but most likely by looking at your portfolio they know your strengths and weaknesses.

A question I got that was different was "Without adding any new assets, what would you do to change X piece?"

SnowInChina

you shouldnt ask questions just to ask questions.

the point is to actually ask questions which you would like to know the answer to because its important to know them FOR YOU.

ZacD

I'd say talking is normally good, people will remember you more, as long as they are not annoyed and the conversation went well. It shows you are intrested in the job and you care about your work. But I'm not an interviewer.