How to Approach Job Hunting Like a Design Challenge
Land your dream job — and learn a lot in the process
When I started interviewing for my first product design job, it was a thrilling but challenging time. I was excited and determined, but also overwhelmed and intimidated by the lengthy process. So many questions swirled around my mind: How many interview rounds are there? How should I present my portfolio? They say “product designer,” but do they mean UX, visual, research, or everything?
And, of course, the worst: I made it to the final round after weeks, but didn’t get the job. Argh! Now what?
Thankfully, through lots of trial and error as well as mentor advice, I was able to answer many of these questions myself. More importantly, I started looking at job hunting as yet another design challenge. Once I applied design-thinking principles to my job hunt, I had a lot more success—and even some fun.
If you’re new to product design or making a career transition (as I was), I hope you apply some of my strategies to your own job search. (Let me know how it goes!) As always, if you have thoughts or feedback, or just want to chat, feel free to reach out via email or meet up if you’re in San Francisco. Cheers!
