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I’ve been interviewing a lot of junior designers for roles in London and Paris lately. This reminded me of the misconceptions I had as a fresh graduate.
Here are 10 lessons 10 years later
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Here are 10 lessons 10 years later
A thread
You don’t get hired because you are ‘passionate about UX’. No one says the opposite so avoid this truism. Once you’ve made it to the interview stage, focus on what makes you different instead. Make your application more memorable. 1/10
Timing is the biggest factor in a hire. Most teams open roles during specific windows of time. They& #39;ll stop as soon as they find someone who meets their criteria. Do not leave your application for later. Do not waste hours compiling the perfect cover letter. 2/10
Some channels work better than others and have different gatekeepers. By order of effectiveness: 1st-degree and 2nd-degree network. Team& #39;s design website. Companies& #39; career website. LinkedIn and job boards. It’s okay to duplicate your applications (more screening chances). 3/10
Hard skills are overrated. At the end of the day, people decide if they want to spend up to 8 hours a day with you. Try to build a strong connection with some of your interviewers. Maybe they& #39;ll stand up for you if several candidates pass the final stage. 4/10
Don& #39;t rush. Ask for time if you need to think about an unusual question. It proves that you are able to pause and organize your thoughts. That you don’t jump straight to conclusions. Add as much structure as possible in your answers. 5/10
Admit when you don’t know something or are unsure of your answer. As a junior candidate, you can’t be expected to know everything. Being able to recognize when it’s time to ask for input or help makes you more trustable. Be self-aware. 6/10
Your questions are part of the interview. You may be shy or think (like me back then) that you’re going to bother the interviewers. Or that you have no leverage anyway. But skipping this part can make you seem unprepared or disinterested. Show people that you& #39;re interested. 7/10
Your follow-up emails are also part of the interview. Afraid of annoying your interviewers? Then keep it short. It will leave a positive impression and can bump your application to the top of the shortlist. In all cases, being courterous won& #39;t ham your application. 8/10
All details matter. Spelling mistakes in your portfolio. Getting people’s name right. The cleanliness of your desktop during a screen share. Your clothes. Your background environment. Don& #39;t give people any chance to wander off or lose track. 9/10
A sad truth is that having too much experience can work against you, and get you discarded. Many orgs (especially big ones) have guidelines on who qualifies as a junior applicant. Like having less than 2 years of experience. Be mindful of this when working on your resume. 10/10
