Navigating UX Design Interviews in Tech Companies

Understanding the interview process is essential for product and UX designers to succeed in big tech and startups.

### Navigating the Interview Process for UX and Product Design Roles
* 🗣 "The interview process is crucial, often requiring you to **discuss your past experiences** to assess your **job performance potential**."
* 💼 In big tech, the roles of product designers and UX designers differ, with product designers being more **generalists involved in various aspects of design**, while UX designers focus on **strategy and execution**.
* 📊 Typically, big tech companies prefer hiring **specialized UX designers**, although product designers can still be considered for certain positions.
* 🤝 When interviewing with general tech companies, it's important to **establish rapport with recruiters**, who share the mutual interest of **helping you get hired**.
* ⏳ Candidates should prepare concise responses about their backgrounds, ideally keeping them **under five minutes** to maintain the interview's flow.
* 📑 The on-site interview usually begins with a **portfolio review**, followed by a design exercise, where candidates must **engage and ask clarifying questions**.
* 📝 Interviewers will cover various topics, including **design leadership** and **problem-solving**, and candidates should prepare stories that align with their experience.
* 🔄 Lastly, remember that interviews assess both **skills and personality fit**, so practice self-presentation to convey your **readiness to collaborate effectively with the team**.

The UX/Product Design Interview Process Explained (2023) - how I landed multiple FAANG offers

May Sun Design

Navigating the Recruiter and Interview Process

Building a positive relationship with your recruiter is important, as they have a mutual interest in getting you hired.

Keep your background story concise, aiming for a five-minute summary, and save salary discussions for after the interviews.

During the on-site interview, focus on two to three case studies during the portfolio review, participate actively in the whiteboard session, and expect one-on-one or two-on-one interviews with different interviewers, each focusing on specific topics.

Navigating the Job Interview Process in Tech

May, a senior UX designer at Google, shares her career journey and insights on the interview process for tech companies.

She emphasizes the importance of aligning personal goals with the company's mission when answering why you want to join.

The interview process for big tech companies like Google, Meta, and LinkedIn typically involves five steps: recruiter call, initial interview, on-site interview, team matching, and offer.

Recruiters provide a walkthrough of the interview process, including a portfolio review and app critique.

The on-site interview is intense, with a focus on bringing your best self and staying hydrated.

Startups offer a faster interview process and direct access to the CEO, while also looking for candidates willing to take on various roles.

Navigating the Interview Process for Tech UX Design Roles

Self-awareness is key during interviews, with a focus on past working experiences to assess job performance.

The main difference between product designers and UX designers lies in their roles, with product designers being more generalist and UX designers specializing in strategy and execution.

Big Tech companies often hire UX designers, but the interview process is generally similar across tech companies and startups.