Tuesday 20 November 2007

Lowering The Boom On Round 2

Always, always, always..

Raineys round 2 is tomorrow, and I couldn't leave y'all out in the cold without a post. So, with some help from Anton here's a flavor of what to expect in final round interviews. And we have a post about other ways into the industry sitting on my laptop waiting to be unleashed, so don't worry - it's time will come.

Sam.

So you’ve made it through to round two. You’re wondering what it’s going to be like, what’s going to be expected of you and what is the competition going to be like. Well, if there is one word that sums up how agencies frame the second round it’s teamwork.

The thing about these final round assessment days, is that you'll all encounter people off the charts in the try-hard factor, they'll wanna tell you every joke they've heard, every strategic idea they've ever had, and well...you get the picture.

Get some decent shut eye before you go into the bear-pit of showmanship. Don't let anyone intimidate you into not saying anything, make sure that you do yourself justice and put your personality and thinking on show, they picked you for being you at round 1, so stick the to your guns. If you're crazy stay crazy, if you're not then don't try to be, it gets messy. Man that must sound boring us going on about being yourself, but it's true. If you fit in then you fit in, it’s really that simple and there isn’t really that much you can do to prepare for this type other than keep reading up on the industry from Brand Republic, visit4info and Campaign. And the agency's website, look for the ways they describe themselves, the way their offices look, the colors on their website, this is all their personality, so study it well.

Some you'll be successful at, others you won't. So what kind of things do you have to do?
  • Together build a bridge from this point to that point using these materials.
  • In a group present to us the perfect Graduate Trainee.
  • You’re given 30 items listed, pick 15 you would take with you to a desert island and why and tell us why you dropped the remaining 15.
  • Speed interviewing (this is when you’re all in a line sat opposite a member of the agency, you then have 3 minutes to answer a question and then whistle is blown and you rotate to the next, much like speed dating).

The standard diet of individual questions will come at you as well, so read up on our first interview post, and re-read your application form as well.

You get the picture. Once you’re over the guard up phase and you all collectively realise you’re all in the same boat it can actually be good banter, especially if you feel you’ve done well. We highly recommend spending time with your counterparts afterwards as these could be the people you spend the next year training with….

All in all, keep calm, be yourself and always be witty and reasonable, which I’m sure most of you are anyway.

Watchy'all think about that?

4 comments:

JesseB said...

Best of luck Sam. Thats some great advice.

Jack Bauer said...

never forget that you might always be observed from a camera or hidden mirror so try to consciously make an effort not to yawn into the wall, roll your eyes when others suggest ideas, emit negative body language or general bad vibes, emit gas etc etc

True, some of the other applicants may be your future training buddies BUT on the moment of the second round day they are potential rivals to the job that you have invested so much of your time applying for.

You are likely to be judged on your relationship-building-ability and in such a short space of time this is difficult for most people. Sharpen up your judge of character and you will be able to spot the genuinely friendly people from those that trying far too hard or those that are trying to make YOU look ignorant.
The harsh reality of teamwork is that you may not like everyone on your team - be fake and you will be snipered from a mile off, be brutally honest and everyone will think you are a cock.

Calm, well-mannered,proactive,enthusiastic and bove all - look like you want to be there

Anonymous said...

Reasonable? Winning move one day was painting R2-D2 onto one of the agency's rubbish bins :D

Sam Ismail said...

'Reasonable' is relative

Sometimes a punch in the mouth is reasonable. :P