Conducting a User Experience Design Interview Like a Hiring Pro

*This post was updated on 03/14/2022.

Time to read: 4 minutes

Conducting a User Experience Design Interview Summary:

• Portfolios are a key part of UX Design interviews, but there are other factors to consider.
• It is important to understand candidate’s passion for UX, process and workflow, and their personality.
• Sample User Experience interview questions.
• Profiles UX staffing solutions.

With any type of interview, it’s important to look for candidates with distinguishing qualities. Whether it’s their experience, work samples, or interpersonal skills, these are the factors that set them apart from other applicants and push them through to the interview stage. The same goes for User Experience Design positions.

Prior to the interview stage, you will want to seek out candidates with exemplary User Experience portfolios. They should showcase diverse projects and experience creating work for reputable companies and brands. While these factors are important, there are additional qualities to look for beyond just a strong portfolio that will determine if your UX candidate will be a good fit for your team. 

When conducting a UX interview consider the following:

Passion for User Experience

Employers often underestimate the importance of passion when hiring new employees. Many are swayed by an exceptional resume or an intelligent conversation with a candidate about their previous work in UX design, and hire them on the spot. However, without a genuine passion for their field, it is likely that candidates may lack the intrinsic motivation needed to consistently put forth great work.

When hiring a User Experience designer, you should ensure that the applicant is well versed in the UX landscape. Ask candidates where they find their inspiration for UX design. If the candidate responds quickly and eloquently, it is likely that they are deeply immersed in the world of UX Design and consistently surround themselves with all things UX, regardless of a paycheck. With a passion for the UX design field, the candidate will likely have more to offer than employees who are good at their jobs, but are simply working for the paycheck.

Candidate’s Personality

There is no doubt that a job interview is a good way to get to know someone, but solely asking candidates about their work experience and UX skillset doesn’t allow their full character to shine through.

In a field as collaborative as User Experience, it is imperative that you hire employees with personalities that mesh well with the rest of your prospective team. If a candidate is highly skilled in UX design but lacks the ability or temperament to work collaboratively, they may not be the right fit for your organization.

Process and Workflow

Like most creative fields, a top-notch portfolio is definitely a great indicator of a candidate’s skillset. However, in the UX field, it is just as important to look deeper at the candidate’s research and process in addition to their finished work. 

The purpose of UX is to create a seamless and enjoyable experience for the user. Although a design might look nice on the surface, without any glimpse into the research process, it’s hard to know if it is something that would actually benefit the user. Understanding a candidate’s process will help you see how well they can turn user research into a finalized design.

UX Designer Interview Questions:

1. Walk me through your work process.
2. What experience do you have working with teams of developers and other designers?
3. How do you accept feedback and criticism?
4. What has been your most/least successful UX Design project? Why?
5. Where do you typically go for UX Design inspiration?
6. What challenges have you faced in UX Design? How did you solve them?
7. How would you Improve the UX of our products or services?
8. Tell me about some of your favorite examples of UX Design and why.
9. What kinds of research methods do you use? How do you determine which is most appropriate?
10. What traits do you have that make you a good UX Designer?

Profiles User Experience Design Recruitment

On the hunt for a consumer-focused and results-driven User Experience Designer? You’re in luck. At Profiles, we strive to connect companies with top-tier UX designers and other highly skilled creatives through various staffing solutions. Get in touch with our team or explore our UX Design staffing solutions!