Design & Style, Arts & Entertainment, Business

Starting Out: Finding Your Voice and Succeeding

Lesson time 10:59 min

Anna discusses her dos and don’ts for interviewing. She also shares practical tips for those starting out in their careers, including how to discover your creative voice and the best ways to interact with your mentors.

Students give MasterClass an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars

Topics include: Interviewing for a Job · Your Creative Vision · Take the Time to Learn and Gain Experience · Act Like No One’s Telling You “No” · Choose a Boss, Not a Job · Don’t Exhaust Your Mentors

Anna Wintour

Teaches Creativity and Leadership

Anna Wintour gives unprecedented access to her world, teaching you how to lead with vision and creativity—and without apology.

Preview

[MUSIC PLAYING] CREW: A/B mark, soft sticks. INTERVIEWER: What do you expect of your assistants? And has that criteria changed over the years? - Well, I hope my assistants won't write books about me. [MUSIC PLAYING] Well, when you are interviewing for a job, first of all, always tell the truth. Second, don't say, I love the theater, because you happen to know that whoever is interviewing you loves the theater unless you really do, and you can give an example. Don't go on an interview unprepared. Be on time, and be yourself. Somebody showed me a video recently-- I think was on "The Cut"-- where they interviewed 10 young women who were interviewed by me, and how much care they had put into what they were going to wear for the interview process. And to be honest, I don't ever really notice what people are wearing when I'm in an interview with them. I'm much more interested in finding out what they've read, the movies they're interested in, why they want to be at Vogue or another title within the company. I'm much more interested in finding out more deeply who they are than anything that they have put on that morning. I mean, I certainly will notice it, but it's not something that I focus on. So I think when you're coming in for an interview with whoever it might be, much more important to be clear in your replies, to be honest in your replies. Don't pretend that you're somebody that you're not. I can't tell you how many people have told me they love tennis, and they've obviously never been to a tennis match in their life-- than to be concerned about surface appearances. You need to be direct. You need to be honest. And you need to be very clear about what it is you want to do with your life, as much as you can answer the questions that are asked. [MUSIC PLAYING] Developing a creative eye or developing taste-- I think that's something that you have within you from a very early age. But it is also something that you can develop through exposure to culture, to the arts, through reading, visiting museums, looking at what's going on in the world around you. I think that there are so many ways to tap into creativity. And particularly in today's world, when information is so readily available, there are many ways to grow one's eye and to expand one's creative vision. I also think it's very important not spend the time glued to your phone or glued to your computer. There is nothing as rewarding as the seeing something in person. Creative exposure, cultural exposure, I think, is so important to spend as much time on that as you possibly can. And of course, it comes with maturity, and it comes with time. When you look back at early collections, for an instance, there may be a kernel of what a designer may have become or a writer may have become. But it isn't all-- it's rare that somebody is great from the word go, unless maybe you're an athlete, when you have to be good a...

About the Instructor

A fashion and media icon, Anna Wintour has been driving our cultural conversation for more than 30 years. The Vogue Editor-in-Chief and Artistic Director of Condé Nast takes off her signature sunglasses and gives you unprecedented access to her world. See how Anna nurtures talent, makes bold decisions, and evolves a brand. Learn how to lead with impact from a visionary creative leader.

Featured MasterClass Instructor

Anna Wintour

Anna Wintour gives unprecedented access to her world, teaching you how to lead with vision and creativity—and without apology.

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