3 Tips for Aspiring UX UI Designers

Getting an entry-level UX UI job, like most other entry-level jobs, is a challenging task. Most hiring managers prefer UX UI designers with experience. This is so that the new hire can jump straight in and work as part of a team. Unfortunately, freshers opting to make a career out of UX UI design lack the experience to land the job. So, while there are a lot of UX positions available, there aren’t enough qualified candidates to fill them.

I have some critical pointers that can help you make use of this gap and impress your interviewer enough to break into the field. You need to focus on three things during your assessment:

I. your design portfolio,

II. the interview itself, and 

III. the questions that make the interview.

How to Present Your Portfolio?

Quality: It’s tempting to put everything you’ve ever done on your resume. However, people looking at your portfolio are more concerned with quality than quantity. Therefore, if you only show three or four of your projects, your audience will rest assured that they see your best work.

Moreover, all of your focus shouldn’t be on the visuals. Sticking to a minimal design allows your work’s quality to speak for itself. Videos, animation, and scroll-jacking tactics, unless handled flawlessly, are more likely to detract from your work than to add to it. So, ensure that anything you use for your portfolio contributes to the overall storytelling and presentation of your skills, not just focusing on the visuals.

Research: Your portfolio should help your audience understand your approach towards different projects. When evaluating your work, the interviewer wants to know why you designed something the way you did. And your portfolio is their medium to it.

After all, there’s a story behind each screen, each design element, and your audience benefits from knowing it. 

I. How did you arrive at this conclusion?

II. What were your deciding factors?

III. What was your main problem statement?

IV. Who was this problem statement for?

Make sure you have detailed answers prepared for all of these questions and more. 

Storytelling: Because you’re only showing a few of your best projects, you’ll need to convey captivating stories about each one. Your portfolio works as a storyteller, taking your audience on a journey of each of your projects and you as a designer.

Ensure that you follow a linear approach that can thoroughly detail the design problem, the process you used, and the solution you provided. 

Things to Keep in Mind to Ace Your UX UI Designer Interview 

No matter how good your portfolio is, the way to get a job still requires you to interview with the companies of your choice- be it a design studio, a product company, or a consultancy. And, what might seem like simple UX interview questions reveal a lot about you as a designer to the interviewer.

Here are a few tips that can help:

1. Study the Company Profile:

Do a complete study of the company, their work, and the job profile you are applying for. Try to find out what the company hopes to achieve with the role and align your experience and skillset to the job profile and expectations.

2. Research Your Interviewer:

If possible, research your interviewer beforehand to find out what they do in the company and gain talking points to impress them. If nothing else, this will help you feel more confident for the interview. 

3. Be Answerable:

Make sure to explain all your projects and the decisions you made for those. Don’t make the mistake of ‘swinging it as you go’ as it doesn’t help your cause and indicates to the interviewer that you were part of the project by proxy and weren’t involved in any of its executive decisions.

4. Explore the Company Culture:

Always ask about the company’s culture and then propose how you can add value to the overall team. This shows that you’re engaged and curious about how good a fit the company is for you. 

5. Do Not Panic:

Keep calm. If you panic, simply breathe and regain your composure. Think of the interview as a conversation between two people who are trying to figure out whether they are compatible to work together or not. So it’s okay to ask for some time if you feel like your nerves are getting the better of you.

Pro Tip: How to Answer Common Design Questions Credibly?

There are many different design approaches. But, what matters most for UX UI designers is their understanding of the users and the business. If a product or service does not meet the audience’s needs and expectations, it will struggle to find any appeal. Therefore, the colors, fonts, layouts, and patterns you employ should be based on what you feel would be the most appropriate for the user and the business. That means you need to ask the right questions before you begin to answer. 

Any design that does not prioritize the demands of the users is doomed to fail. As such, your focus should always be on how you can contribute to their growth and the value you can add to their business with your design abilities.

Remember, if your users are happy with a design and believe that most of their needs are being addressed, the design will develop popularity and trust, leading to increased profitability and further room for development. Similarly, through your answers, display your ability to comprehend and match your design’s target audience’s needs. Employ this methodology to every question thrown at you, and you’re sure to make an impression on your interviewer and grab that UX UI designer job opportunity. 

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