UX design interviews can be intimidating, especially if you are new to the field or have limited experience with design interviews. However, understanding the structure and purpose of UX interviews can help you feel more prepared and confident as you start your job search.

The goal of a UX interview is to assess your fit for a particular project or role, and to get a sense of your design philosophy and skills.

Companies can have different interview structures, but there are some common elements that you will encounter across most UX interviews.

Recruiter screen (30 minutes)

Usually, the first step in an interview cycle is a 30-minute call with the recruiter. During this call, the recruiter is interested in assessing your fit for the position. Typically, you will talk about:

• Why you’re interested in the position
• Your past relevant work experience
• Your knowledge of the design process
• Your ability to work cross-functionally

You will have a few minutes at the end for any questions you may have about the position. This is a good time to ask about the expected salary range to get an idea of whether or not the role is worth pursuing.

Hiring manager call (30 minutes)

The next step is a call with the hiring design manager. They will talk more about the details of the position, the team structure, and learn more about you as a designer and as a person.

In this interview, you will talk about the same things as in the recruiter screen. The hiring manager will also ask you situational questions, such as:

• Tell me about a time where you faced pushback from stakeholders. How did you handle it?
• Tell me about a time when things didn’t go according to plan. How did you adapt?
• Tell me about a project you’re proud of. What was your design process?

Be prepared to talk about projects that you’ve worked on and the challenges that you’ve had to overcome.

If you haven’t worked in design before, draw on examples from your current field or from school that demonstrate transferable knowledge or skills, such as collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking, and empathy.

Resources for UX interview questions

Toptal — 15 Essential UX Design Interview Questions

Brainstation — UX Design Interview Questions

CareerFoundry — 11 Common UX Design Interview Questions You’ll Be Asked

Intellipaat — 35 UX Designer Interview Questions and Answers 2022

Portfolio presentation (1 hour)

Once you’ve passed the initial interview, the next step is usually a portfolio presentation, which is a deep dive into two to three case studies.

Unlike your portfolio website, a presentation should be formatted as a slide deck to present to your audience.

When selecting case studies to present, think about what skills are most relevant to the position based on your previous interview. You want to highlight those skills as part of your presentation.

For example, if the position is looking for experience in user research, talk more about your research process and techniques.

During your presentation, use a storytelling approach to keep your audience engaged. The key stages to talk about include:

• Role and stakeholders — What was your responsibility and who did you work with?
• Problem — What problem or opportunity does this project address?
• Users — Who did you design for?
• Business objectives — What goals did this project align to?
• Process — What was your end-to-end design process?
• Outcomes — What was the solution?
• Impact — How did you measure success?

Finish each case study by talking about the challenges you faced, your learnings, and what you would do differently.

Be prepared to answer any questions along the way, so brush up on the details before your presentation.

Resources for portfolio presentations

UXfolio — UX Portfolio Presentation: How to Structure and Present Your UX Portfolio on a Job Interview

Marvel — How to create a UX portfolio presentation to get your dream job

OpenTable Design — How to create effective design portfolios and presentations

For more tips, here’s a guide I wrote to help you master your UX portfolio presentation.

Cross-functional (30 minutes to 1 hour each)

These interviews involve non-designers, usually product managers or developers. The goal is to understand how you collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders.

Some questions may include:

• How does design play into the role of product management?
• How do you compromise when there is a difference of opinion?
• How do you communicate tradeoffs in your designs?
• How do you prepare your designs for handoff?

These answers may be difficult to answer if you haven’t worked as a designer before. However, they can be answered by talking about transferable skills in a different setting, such as communication, negotiation, and goal-setting.

The point is to show that you can handle difficult situations while being a team player. Companies are looking to hire designers that can solve problems and help the business achieve their goals.

Resources for cross-functional interviews

Climb — 15 Cross Functional Collaboration Interview Questions and Answers

Holloway — Cross-Functional Interviews

Whiteboard challenge (1 hour)

Whiteboard challenges are becoming increasingly more common, yet not every company will ask you to do one.

If you haven’t done a whiteboard design challenge before, you should definitely practice beforehand.

Interviewers aim to understand how you approach solving a problem and designing a solution under a stressful situation. Although it doesn’t simulate a very realistic situation, it has become a norm across many design interviews.

You will receive a prompt, usually a vague problem statement. Then, you’ll be asked to speak out loud as you walk through your design process on the (digital) whiteboard.

Here are some questions to ask during whiteboarding exercises:

• Users — Who are you designing for?
• Problem — What exactly are the users’ pain points?
• Context — When or how do users experience this problem?
• Business objectives — How will this design contribute to the business’ goals?
• Constraints — What limitations should the design adhere to?
• Success — How will you measure success of the solution?

Resources for whiteboard challenges

Coursera — How to Prepare for the Whiteboard Design Challenge: A Guide

UX Design Institute — 19 whiteboard and take-home design challenges for UX designers

Manisha Varma Kamarushi — UX Whiteboard Challenges

dscout — How to Ace the Dreaded Whiteboard Challenge

App critique

Hiring managers may ask you to conduct an app critique as a way to assess your approach to problem-solving. An app critique allows the employer to see how you analyze and evaluate the user experience of an app.

During an app critique, you’ll demonstrate your understanding of design principles and UX best practices. Identify strengths and weaknesses in the app’s design and make recommendations for improvement.

An app critique also allows the hiring manager to see how well you can communicate your ideas and how effectively you can defend your recommendations. This is a valuable skill for UX designers to have, as you will often need to present and justify your design decisions to stakeholders.

Here are some tips for conducting an app critique during a UX job interview.

1. Start by introducing the app and its purpose. Explain what the app is intended to do and why it might be useful to users.
2. Analyze the user flow and navigation. Look at how the app guides users through different tasks and how easy it is to find specific features or information.
3. Consider the user interface and visual design. Look at how the app uses colour, typography, and other design elements to create a cohesive and visually appealing experience.
4. Evaluate the content and messaging. Look at how the app communicates with users and whether the content is clear and easy to understand.
5. Think about the app’s overall usability. Consider whether the app is intuitive and easy to use, and whether it meets the needs and expectations of its target audience.
6. Make recommendations for improvement. Based on your analysis, suggest specific changes or enhancements that could improve the app’s user experience.
7. Be prepared to defend your recommendations. The interviewer may ask you to explain your reasoning behind your recommendations, so be prepared to discuss your thought process in detail.

Resources for app critique

Holloway — Acing the App Critique

chunbuns — How to ACE your design app critique in interviews

Marvel — What You Need to Know about the Facebook Product Design Interview

Questions for the interviewer

At the end of an interview, you will be given some time to ask the interviewer some questions. An interview should be a two-way conversation, so be prepared with some questions regarding the role or company.

Some examples of questions you might ask include:

1. Can you describe the design process and team structure at the company?
2. How does the company measure the success of its products and how does UX fit into that process?
3. How does the company support professional development for its UX team members?
4. Can you tell me more about the company’s design philosophy and culture?
5. How will my role fit into the larger design team and what type of support will I have?
6. Can you tell me about any challenges or opportunities that the UX team is currently facing?

Remember that the specific questions you ask will depend on the company and the role you are applying for. It’s a good idea to tailor your questions to the company’s needs and goals, and to the specific aspects of the role that you are most interested in.

Face rejection but don’t give up

Getting a UX job is no walk in the park.

You will get rejected again and again throughout your career.

Rejection shouldn’t be seen as a reflection of your worth or abilities, so don’t be too hard on yourself. There are several reasons you could get rejected that are out of your control, including:

• the company hired internally,
• the hired candidate had more relevant project experience, or
• the position got cancelled.

This doesn’t mean you aren’t a good designer. The right opportunity will come your way.

Forget the idea of a “dream job”. In fact, a small no-name company could offer a better work environment and growth opportunities than working in Big Tech.

As long as you don’t close yourself off to any opportunity, you will eventually get your foot in the door.

It’s normal for new (and experienced) designers to feel imposter syndrome due to lack of experience. The more you do something, the better you’ll get at it as you gain confidence in your skills.

Be relentless in your job search. Ask for feedback from interviewers. Learn from the mistakes you make in each interview. Ask better questions and provide better answers.

Remember that every person follows their own path, so your time will come when you are ready.