In 2020 when the COVID pandemic locked down the world, billions of workers were thrown into a completely new way of working: remote collaboration.

Exciting? We think so. But ask anyone who works remotely: it’s not all smooth sailing. Yes, it’s never been easier to find a remote job or attract remote employees, but for many employers and remote workers, this avant-garde way of collaborating and working remotely came with new and daunting challenges. Distributed teams work across time zones and need to take advantage of asynchronous collaboration and remote collaboration tools to maintain productivity, engage current employees, and to attract and onboard new ones.

Despite this, remote workers are valuing the benefits of remote work. Skyrocketing productivity and improved work-life balance have irreversibly changed how we work and how we think about work. Remote workers tend to be more productive, engaged, and happier and employers who hire remote teams can attract the best talent regardless of geography. Here are some numbers: 97.6% of workers would like to work remotely forever after this pandemic is over and 1 in 2 US employees won’t return to jobs that don’t offer remote work.

Most interviewers expect you have a good base level of knowledge about their company before your job interview.

If you’ve done your research, you’ll stand out from other job seekers who can’t provide relevant answers to the hiring manager’s questions.

Company research also helps you not waste time asking questions about information you can find online. Instead, you’ll be able to ask the interviewer question that will help you assess whether the company culture, mission statement, and values are a good fit for you.

The good news is it’s never been simpler to research a potential employer, and the time you invest will dramatically increase your chances of making a great impression

Whether you’re a seasoned graphic designer with years of experience or brand new to the design industry, one thing never changes: interviews are stressful.

Most graphic designers spend weeks polishing their portfolios in preparation for a graphic design interview but then neglect to spend enough time preparing answers to common interview questions. Portfolios are great to show off your design skills and showcase recent graphic design projects, but in the increasingly-competitive design industry, how well you interview can be what allows you to stand out from a sea of other applicants.

At the end of the day, hiring managers are looking for the best graphic designers for the job. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re looking for the candidate with the most impressive portfolio. The interview process is where great designers can really stand out and is the perfect opportunity to showcase their passion for the role, skills, and creative process.

Thankfully, there are some common interview questions that most hiring managers will ask during the interview process. By carefully preparing answers for these questions ahead of your interview, you’ll dramatically increase your chances of making a good impression and landing a job offer.

We’ve written this article as a step-by-step guide on how to prepare for your graphic design interview, with example answers to common questions.