{"id":6844,"date":"2022-06-17T12:33:13","date_gmt":"2022-06-17T12:33:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=6844"},"modified":"2024-01-16T12:33:54","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T12:33:54","slug":"what-to-expect-ux-job-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-to-expect-ux-job-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"What to expect in a UX job interview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now that you\u2019ve got the skills to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">become a user experience designer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, you might be wondering how you land the job that will change your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/category\/career\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">career<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Getting a job as a UX designer can feel like an overwhelming undertaking if you\u2019re not prepared.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we\u2019ll dive into the phases of a UX job interview, how to present your portfolio, how to carry out practical tasks and how to prepare for your interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h2><strong>What to expect in a UX job interview<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/can-we-ux-the-hiring-process-for-ux-roles\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX hiring process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is usually broken out into phases. These phases will happen on different days, usually throughout a couple of weeks. You\u2019ll likely spend upwards of five hours interviewing for a design job.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phone screening<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the phone screening, you\u2019ll chat with the recruiter, human resources or the person who posted the job opportunity to learn more about the job description. They\u2019ll ask questions about your work history and make sure you\u2019re a good fit.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Phone or video interview: baseline experience<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the recruiter thinks you\u2019re a good fit, they\u2019ll schedule a phone interview. During this phase, you\u2019ll chat with other designers or the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-hiring-managers-look-for-in-ux-designer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hiring manager<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This interview usually lasts 45-60 minutes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019ll ask you questions about:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The basics of UX design\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What challenges you had<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How you collaborated with engineers<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Onsite interview: design task<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the biggest piece of the UX job interview. Nowadays, this phase of the interview is often held virtually and they can sometimes be an all-day affair or spread out over a few days, depending on the tasks you are asked to carry out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this interview, you\u2019ll go over your portfolio, meet individually with members of the team you applied to and do a design task.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ll meet with designers, engineers and product managers. They\u2019ll be looking to see how you deal with challenges, how you collaborate with different teammates and whether you\u2019re a good fit for their team\u2019s culture.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Portfolio review<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Normally, your <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/8-ux-portfolio-best-practices\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">portfolio<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> review will be a part of the onsite interview process. But, occasionally, this review may happen virtually. This 45-60 minute session is where you\u2019ll pitch to your potential employer and teammates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your portfolio is essentially a design problem in itself. You need to satisfy the needs of all of your potential employers while establishing your brand and expertise. If you don\u2019t have experience, your portfolio \u2013 and how you present it \u2013 is one of the most important aspects of the interview process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During this session you should focus on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/uxpamagazine.org\/onsite-ux-interviews\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Four Ps<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Person: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Invoke empathy by showing your potential employers who you are beyond your designs.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Projects: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spend roughly 50% of this interview phase on this. Start by giving a broad introduction to your portfolio and choose two portfolio projects that are most relevant to the company you\u2019re interviewing for. Take 15-20 minutes to show an in-depth review of those two projects specifically.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Philosophy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share your design philosophy to show the hiring manager whether you\u2019ll be a good fit for their team.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Process: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share examples of your design process or how you overcame a challenge when resources were in short supply. Sharing your process will help them see how you can work within their constraints and still produce a good design. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Design task<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sometimes the design task is done virtually but traditionally, it\u2019s done in person. Design tasks are one of the most important parts of the UX interview process. During this phase of the interview, the recruiter will be looking to see how you think under pressure. During a whiteboard challenge especially, the interviewer is looking to see how you approach a problem and how you\u2019ll work with others on their team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three types of design tasks:<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Product critique: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">critique a product (maybe an app) and provide strategic feedback during an interview.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Onsite design challenge: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Work with the interviewer to solve a design problem onsite, usually through whiteboarding. You\u2019ll have about 45 minutes to prepare beforehand.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Take-home challenge: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The interviewer will send you a topic that you\u2019ll work on at home. You\u2019ll research and design, submit your work and then present it when you come in for onsite interviews.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, you\u2019ll only be assigned one of these challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the challenge, the interviewer will be looking for answers to these questions:\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate ask clarifying questions?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate focus on the users?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate make accurate assumptions and ask the right questions?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate dive deeper than the UI and consider the entire citation?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate exhibit an understanding of basic design principles?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate notice weaknesses and suggest improvements?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate make suggestions for user research?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Did the candidate understand technical constraints?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>UX interview tips<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ready to start preparing for your UX interview? Try these tips to make sure you\u2019re prepared for the big day.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create a process for design challenges<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Having a process for tackling design challenges will make it feel less daunting. If you know how to move through a design problem step-by-step, you can stay calm and confident in the interview.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider these four topics when creating your process:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Define the problem: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">describe what you think the problem is. Then, ask questions to specify the challenge, the users and the context. Write out the main aspects of the story to summarise.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Explore solutions: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">write down potential opportunities, vocalise issues you\u2019ve identified, note possible roadblocks and clarify assumptions that you deem reasonable to make.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Focus: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">identify the top two problems you\u2019ll focus on and their solutions.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Present: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Show the interviewers your design process and use design artefacts (workflows, sketches or concepts) to illustrate your ideas.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice design challenges<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You need to practice in order to present well in person. Try presenting for friends and family, classmates or in front of a camera for full effect.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get a whiteboard at home and get to work. You can find potential design challenges all over the internet just by googling \u201cUX design challenge\u201d. Give yourself 45 minutes to come up with a solution. Then, time yourself while presenting. Aim for your presentation to be 40 minutes or less.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Articulate your thoughts out loud<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t work silently. State your thoughts out loud and don\u2019t be afraid to ask your interviewer questions. Your interviewer is looking to understand your thought process, so don\u2019t be afraid to share it with them.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t be defensive<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When your interviewer asks you questions during your portfolio review or design challenge, don\u2019t get defensive. Occasionally,\u00a0 interviewing can lead you to feel like your interviewer is picking on you but, in reality, they\u2019re probably trying to understand your thinking process.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re feeling defensive or like you need to answer quickly. Take a deep breath and buy yourself more time. Say something like, \u201cThat\u2019s a great question, let me think about how to answer that for a moment\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Showing that you\u2019re calm and thoughtful will always make a good impression. Focus on problem-solving and stay positive.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Practice presenting your portfolio<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just like design challenges, you need to practice presenting your portfolio in front of other people or a camera.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider these points when presenting your portfolio:<\/span><\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Provide context: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What was the problem?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Establish relevance and evoke empathy: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why was it important?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Share your process:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> How did you go about solving it?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Show results: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How did you know you solved it?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Exhibit strategy and problem-solving: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What challenges did you face?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat a big meal before your interviews<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You don\u2019t want to run out of energy or get irritable during your interviews. Eat a big meal before your interview starts. Keep your brain fuelled and your mood in check. Especially if you have an onsite interview.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be honest<\/span><\/em><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you encounter a question or skill that you don\u2019t have experience with, be honest. As a new UX designer, no one expects you to know everything. They just want to know how to prepare to onboard you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What questions will I be asked in a UX design interview?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We spoke with graduates and job interviewers to find the top UX design interview questions. Try answering these at home before an interview to get in the right headspace.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top 20 UX design interview questions:<\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/the-value-of-ux-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tell us about yourself. What makes you right for this position?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What are your favourite examples of good UX?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-vs-ui-design\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">difference between UX and UI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How would you improve the UX of our product?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How would you split an unlimited budget for a UX project? In which part would you spend the most money?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is your approach to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/design-handoff-developers\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">working with software engineers<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and developers?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When would you engage the software engineers and developers in a UX project?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Walk me through your workflow.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where do you find inspiration?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why did you choose UX design as your career?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tell us about a UX project that didn\u2019t go according to plan. How did you manage it?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you make feature-related decisions?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you practice accessible design?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What research methods have you used?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How do you respond to negative feedback?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tell me about your least successful UX design project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tell me about your most successful UX Design project.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does \u201cdesign thinking\u201d mean to you?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What analytics tools and key performance indicators have you used to evaluate your designs?<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Top takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you feel more ready to ace your UX design interview? We hope so. When you put time and effort into practising for your interviews you\u2019ll not only feel calm and capable, but you\u2019ll also come across as a valuable employee.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll dive into the phases of a UX job interview, how to present your portfolio, how to carry out practical tasks and how to prepare for your interview.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":6863,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[266,265],"tags":[322],"class_list":["post-6844","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-breaking-into-ux","category-career","tag-ux-job-interview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6844","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6844"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6844\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9733,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6844\/revisions\/9733"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6863"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6844"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6844"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6844"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}