Job Hunting (the trials and tribulations of a Product Design Manager in London)

Job hunting is tough. It’s often said that it’s a full-time job in itself which is certainly my experience right now. From trawling LinkedIn, filling in application forms, fine-tuning your C.V., polishing your portfolio, talking to recruiters, travelling to interviews, attending (sometimes very lengthy interviews), researching and creating presentations, the process is exhausting and can be stressful — especially if you’re out of work and not earning.

A couple of months ago I found myself out of a job. My journey in helping a brand new start-up launch their first app product had come to an end. No problem, I thought, the tech scene in London is buzzing, i’ve got a wealth of experience, something will turn up pretty soon…

48 applications, 12 first-round interviews, 5 second stage (4 of which were final stage) interviews later that first offer still eludes me.

I’ve had plenty of time to contemplate on why this is, looking to learn and improve from each application and interview. I know there are a couple of interviews where I underperformed and didn’t present my best self. Equally I know there are interviews where I feel I was at the top of my game and could do no better.

The tech scene, certainly in the field of Product Design is very strong right now. It seems that a new FinTech pops up everyday. New HealthTech, PropTech, AutoTech ventures — essentially suffix Tech on any industry — are thriving in London. But according to a couple of my contacts in recruitment, competition for jobs, especially in leadership roles, is fierce. This is partly fuelled by a migration of contractors looking for permanent positions amongst other factors.

I don’t have all the answers as to why this is. Most likely if I did I would be sitting in a shiny new office and not writing this article. However, i’d like to share some of the things I have learnt on this epic job hunting quest so far:

First through the door isn’t always best

Through a network of very helpful contacts on three occasions i’ve been put forward for positions before they’ve been advertised. This may seem to be a good thing, to sneak in ahead of any competition saving everyone time and money but so far this tactic hasn’t paid out. Bear in mind that the interviewers have no-one to compare you to yet, they may be underprepared for the process. In a couple of instances there hasn’t even been a job spec written which puts you as a candidate at a disadvantage, which leads me too…

Don’t be the guinea-pig

Unfortunately this has happened a few times now. I have been the first or very early applicant and whilst going through the interview process the interviewers have readily admitted that this is the first time they have interviewed for this position or that they are trying out a new system. On at least one occasion i’ve been asked to re-run one of the stages as they weren’t sure they were doing it right. This is very disconcerting and can knock your confidence in the people making decisions about your future. Ask upfront for definition on what the process is, perhaps even insist on it. Don’t be the guinea-pig for someone else’s career.

Find out who the decision maker is

Behind every new role is a hiring manager who should be working closely with the recruiter on detailing requirements and outlining the process. However, it’s likely you’ll be interviewed by several people along the way each of whom have been asked to add their opinion. If you’re interviewed by more than, say, six people ask what their part is in making a decision on whether to proceed to the next stage. I’ve been in interviews lasting up to five hours meeting multiple people in groups and individually. I’ve tried to be the best I can with each and everyone of them but with so many different personalities and the fatigue of several hours of talking this is incredibly tough. Are they looking for 100% agreement or a majority decision? Be candid in your feedback.

As an extra note i’d add that when you’re interviewing for management positions you are often being interviewed by the people you will be managing. This hardly ever happens in the non-tech/start-up, more traditional and larger industries. It may be that one of them was passed over for promotion or covets your role, it could be they are quite junior with little experience of interviewing. In any case it’s vital to establish rapport and trust (or as much as you can in an hour). My personal opinion from being on the other side and hiring many designers over the years is that the teams opinion is very, very important but they should not be the ultimate decision makers. Hiring managers take note.

Be polite to recruiters

I mean, be polite to everyone of course, but recruiters are at the front line and often working at the whim of poorly prepared hiring managers and juggling many diaries if they are in-house. Good recruiters will be able to tell you up-front what the interview process is and be timely in responses to your questions. Do the same by responding in good time to anything they need. There has been one notable FinTech company for me where that broke down and responses were slow and in one case undecipherable — never email candidates out of hours after a few wines, you know who you are… It’s a tough job, be a goodie.

Call out culture

Every company i’ve interviewed at has highlighted culture as super important to their business. I also believe in this 100%, I want to work somewhere where I am supported, respected and encouraged to grow. However, after a while all these company values, as they may appear on the career page of their website, seem to meld into one. What do they really mean? Some interviewers will be looking to see if you are a good cultural fit for the company. Equally you should challenge them to explain what they mean beyond the headline. Ask an interviewer to give an example of how one of their — often just one word — values manifests itself in day-to-day life.

Keep iterating

Every good product designer knows that a product is never finished. We launch and learn and adapt. The same is true of your C.V. and portfolio. Learn from feedback and adapt if necessary. Portfolios especially can be a labor of love and time consuming to put together but they should be fluid and potentially tailored to your prospects.

Be kind to yourself

As I mentioned earlier, looking for a job can be at least as exhausting as doing a job. Conversely, with no office to commute to and no meetings to attend there are many distractions, e.g. diy, Playstation, long lunches, etc. My advice is to keep a similar routine as you would have if employed. Have a 9 to 5 day. I have my morning coffee and trawl through LinkedIn and Indeed, save the jobs i’m interested for further review or application, organise calls with recruiters and work interviews around this. If i’ve exhausted these things i’ll review my C.V. and portfolio or read through articles on Medium or other sources that could advance my learning. Put in a good shift but try to stop at office hours. Tomorrow is another day and you will burn out from stress if you are job hunting 24hrs a day. And remember, on a late Friday afternoon, most of the companies you want to work for are winding down with a beer. Reward yourself, you’ve had a hard week. You’ve not just been a designer, you’ve been a marketeer and salesperson, you’ve been putting yourself on the line. Relax, refresh and come back Monday.

Thanks for reading. Good luck if you’re looking for work right now. For recruiters and hiring managers please take note of a candidates experience.

And goes without saying, i’m available for hire!