Chloe Harlig of Squarespace explained the way David Lee, CCO of Squarespace, emphasized the importance of the working space of the company to be in alignment with its design values. This means no harsh edges, clean lines, and lots of black and white. The lobby was huge. Comfortable, but sophisticated. I wondered if this was to cater to the clients. I didn’t think that a tech company would be doing a lot of client work, but it turns out they have high profile clients like Chance The Rapper (who needs a solid, working website to sell his merch since he doesn’t belong to a label).

The significance of the design values of the company couldn’t be understated. Everything must be in alignment because the company’s only brand voice is its aesthetic. That’s a lot of pressure to maintain consistency throughout all aspects of the company. Everyone who works there (at least who we spoke to) had to have some strength in design, even if it wasn’t their primary role. Chloe, a recruiter, explained how she started off as a designer at a different agency, and how that experience led her to be adequately prepared for this recruiting role because she knows what to look for. For those of you going through the job search/interview process, these are the things she looks for:

1. Examples of work (obvi)
2. Passion projects and extracurriculars - what can you do to show us how you use your passions and translate that into something creative that also tells a personal story about you? A great example of this is a production intern we met a JWT - she interned for radio stations and loves podcasts, so she made a podcast with multiple episodes about herself and put it on her portfolio. It was a fun way to show prospective employers her interests, and allow them to get to know her on a personal level.
3. Self motivation (see 2–go above and beyond)
4. Strong judgment (good character, good moral compass)
5. Professional communication - a given, but a good reminder.

I thought these were super helpful, and it was a great opportunity to hear what real recruiters are looking for. It’s not about having tons of work—quality over quantity. It’s all about going the extra mile, and being concise and detailed about what you can bring to the table.

-Audrey Weatherhead