Need thoughts, and help for a Interview...

[Cellarstudios]

Hello,

I have just recently stumbled apon this site of great intelligence and information. My recent interest in prepress is from a interview that I am about to go to through and I need your help.

I want to know what you want.

You guys in the Prepress Deaprtments, what are you looking for in a new worker? What are some of the skills you wished they possesed, didn't posses? Anything, you have to offer would be appreciated.

I am currently a designer, sacrificing and looking to go into the production world. I have taken prepress courses in college, I have ran a small order printshop, plate-maker, press, and so on. I am familar with different platforms, different and common applications that are most commonily used from Photoshop to Quark. I have experience, I have been through deadline pressures and blah, blah, blah.

It seems that everyone out there has the same wrap. Well if everyone whos applying for the same posisition, what is it that I can do or let the employer know that I can do to make myself stand out? I'd appreciate any help you can give.

Thank you,
Eric Hunt

[Cory]

I've had the most problem finding people that are able to troubleshoot problems...

most everyone can learn the apps and the printing process, but troubleshooting a nasty file seems to be something that isn't easily taught.

Good Luck!

[Cellarstudios]

Thank you for that thought.

Troubleshooting, even from what I've seen is a huge issue, and I brought that up to my old college instructor. You don't learn everything from college, its definitly the basics, or the groundwork, but the real deal comes from experience.

Not only designwork, filework troubleshooting, but general computer troubleshooting as well.

Thanks again!
Eric

[DCurry]

Troubleshooting is huge - if you are good at it, it makes all the difference. Along the same lines, I would look for someone who has the ability to see the "big picture" of my workflow, and how, why and when to apply a particular solution to a problem. There are often times more than one solution, and being able to decide which one will work best for a given scenario is important.

I would also want someone who is continually educating themselves and reading the latest publications in the industry. Participating in forums like this one will help you learn a lot of tips and tricks, and will eventually let you help other folks when they encounter a problem that you've come across before. Reading magazines like Macworld, MacAddict, Mac Design, and Photoshop User has been invaluable to me in keeping up with what the latest versions can do to make my life easier (or more difficult, for that matter.)

Knowing all the software inside and out is also important, but if you just start with a firm grasp of the basics and learn quickly, you can gain that knowlege as you go. Employers want prepress operators who can get the job done accurately and quickly.