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Screening Your Tastes: Revealing Motivation In Entertainment

Published: Mar 10, 2009

 Interviewing       
Question: I'm interested in media and entertainment, but sometimes in my interviews I feel stupid saying that I like to watch TV, or I am a movie junkie? What's appropriate here?

Gabrielle: It's important to remember that the more passionate and excited that you are about something, the easier it is to convince others that your interest is real. Invariably, people with whom you are interviewing are going to assess your interest whether it is founded in something real ("I am interested in the economics of the industry and think that there are some real opportunities as the industry is reinventing itself"), or something superficial ("I really like movies, and I want to be in a job where I can be next to stars and ask them to help me build my autograph collection"). But the fact is, your passion for the industry could be founded in something as basic as "I love TV!"

~In fact, it's important to be able to talk about what kinds of entertainment you like and don't like in an interview. You might be asked what your favorite movie is, what TV shows you do/don't like and why, what magazines you read regularly, and/or what music you tend to listen to. These questions provide insight into what your interests are. Interviewers also like to conduct mini-focus groups to see if an idea they worked on might have merit (be careful how much you trash a new show or magazine; you never know if/ how the interviewer might have been involved or worse yet, if their husband/wife is a writer on that TV show you just slammed). But it is always good to have an opinion. Be prepared to answer these questions - they sound like easy ones, but if you haven't thought about them beforehand, you might surprise yourself by going blank at the wrong time!

So, in the name of research, watch a great TV show, go see a hot new movie, and surf a new web site today. It's all part of getting a new job! These questions provide insight into what your interests are. Interviewers also like to conduct mini-focus groups to see if an idea they worked on might have merit (be careful how much you trash a new show or magazine; you never know if/ how the interviewer might have been involved or worse yet, if their husband/wife is a writer on that TV show you just slammed). But it is always good to have an opinion. Be prepared to answer these questions - they sound like easy ones, but if you haven't thought about them beforehand, you might surprise yourself by going blank at the wrong time!

So, in the name of research, watch a great TV show, go see a hot new movie, and surf a new web site today. It's all part of getting a new job!

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