Cracking the UX Design Job Interview / A Guide from Top Experts
Could you imagine going to your next UX job interview knowing exactly what to expect from the interviewer? Having a clear idea about the UX hiring manager’s goals and knowing how to answer his questions?
In this article, we will show you the tactics and tips to gain more clarity and confidence to ace your next creative job interview. We will start by explaining the interviewer’s goal, the most common questions you could encounter in the job interview and we will finish with tips and advice specific to the UX interview process.
What are UX interviewers looking for?
The primary goal of a UX Interviewer is to validate the assumption that the person getting interviewed is the right match. Technical abilities are important but they’re not the only factor in the decision making phase.
However, understanding the mindset, the work ethics, personality and how the interviewee will fit into the team.
Understanding their goals will give some clarity on what to expect and how to better formulate your answers.
Common interview questions for a UX designer
1 - Tell me about yourself:
This is probably the most asked question in all interviews, classic. It might sound like an icebreaker but it’s a perfect opportunity to walk them through your UX design journey, how did it start? Why specifically user experience and how does your UX story make you a perfect fit for the job.
Make sure to keep it as relevant as possible and aligned with the role you’re applying to.
2 - What is your favorite digital product?
In reality, they don’t want to know your personal preferences but the reason behind your choices. The answer should be related to the UX features and your personal reasoning on what makes a digital product successful from a user experience perspective.
Think about your favorite digital product and craft out their best features, create a story on how their design decisions and choices help achieve a certain goal.
3 - What is UX design?
There’s no perfect answer to this question, even in dictionaries. Even though it’s not actually what they’re looking for. The interviewer (could be a Product Lead, HR Manager or a Senior UX Designer) wants to have an idea about how you see user experience design from your lens.
It’s better to keep the answer concise, aligned with the role and user-centric (user research, personas, user journey maps…)
4 - Why do you want to work here?
The most common mistake when being asked this question is citing a list of personal reasons (Location, salary or field). Obviously, these are the main factors everyone considers before applying for a job. Nevertheless, the interviewer wants to know why they should hire you and how you can be a good asset for the company.
Rephrase your motivations to values you can offer. Show them that the responsibilities of the role are what you believe would make a positive change in the company. Pre-think what you can bring rather than what you can get from the business.
5 - Can you walk me through your workflow?
This is a crucial question always asked in design interviews. The idea is not to go into detail and explain every technical step you take but rather the reasoning behind your decisions. Another reason behind this question could be seeing how you communicate and present your work.
Make sure to start with the “why”, the goal of the project and then move to your role in the project. Try to cover the main tasks you have done, the difficulties you faced, how you managed to overcome them, the synergy with the other teams/ departments and how the final result was beneficial to the user and the company.
HIVE / Extra tips
Be ready to answer most of these questions in simple terms if the interviewer is not a UX designer. That’s also a useful practice in general for UX designers since they work with other departments or talk directly to users.
You don’t have to answer right away, it’s okay to take some time to put your ideas in order to make it easier for the interviewer to follow up.
Don’t be afraid of asking questions about the role or the company. It shows that you have done your research and you want to know more as well as showcasing your interest in the job position. Including if it is a new role or a role because someone left.
Finally, get properly prepared, have good lighting if the interview is online and make sure you’re able to share your screen before the interview. You might be required to do so to walk the interviewer through your portfolio or a certain project.
