Applying for a design job? 60 seconds is all you need

Tips for getting your next application shortlisted

Imagine you’re reading an ad for your dream design role. You know you’d be perfect for it, if they’d just give you a shot.

Now imagine you’re on the other side of the screen. You’re a hiring manager or a recruiter, reviewing hundreds of applications, wishing there was an easier way for the right candidates to just stick out.

And there is.

I’ve canvassed through hundreds of applicants in order to successfully scale a strong, cross-functional Product Design team for Australia’s favourite property app*, Domain. Whether they’re visual, product or full-stack designers, the candidates who stand out to me all have one thing in common: They can communicate their value in 60 secs or less via a social-proofed CV and a process-based portfolio.

Inspired by those candidates and their applications, I’ve put together some tips for how to make a great impression in under 60 seconds. If you’re applying for design roles, I hope these tips will help get you shortlisted, or at the very least, help you avoid common design application mistakes. And if you’re on the other side of the fence, I hope they’ll help you find the best candidates in the shortest amount of time.

Start the clock.

0:00–0:15 A brief history of everything (important) you’ve ever done

You have about 15 seconds to demonstrate your professional experience and qualifications and to prove you are who you say you are. The solution? Forget about a cover letter and CV. Instead, spend that time updating your LinkedIn profile, where social proof will tell the story for you, and much more meaningfully.

Do I need a cover letter and CV?

Think about how you make a first impression in the real world. You’re somewhere, doing something, interacting with your surroundings. First impressions aren’t just about you; they’re about you within a particular context.

So you could waste your time writing a cover letter (which by the very name “letter” indicates is an outdated formality), and a resume — but these won’t give us any reliable context. No matter what you write in these documents, we’ll still need to fact check them.

This is where LinkedIn comes in; it saves us time by giving us context in the form of social proof. It’s much harder to fabricate your experience or achievements on LinkedIn, as it’s a public platform, so it holds more credibility than a PDF resume and is generally the first port of call once we’ve received an application.

If you’re not applying through LinkedIn, then keep your resume brief, adding more weight to recent roles than older ones. If you can’t keep it under two pages without cramming, then try again. And while you’re at it, you may as well make the most of this somewhat archaic format. If you have a graphic design background, use it as an opportunity to show off your typography and layout skills.

How do I tell you everything in just 15 seconds?!
Let’s start with your bio. This is the first thing that we’ll read so it has to be sharp. Whether you’re a full stack product designer, UI/X, interaction designer, visual designer, graphic designer, experience designer or the mystical jazz-hands unicorn that does it all — make your skillset clear and to the point.

Next, move on to your roles. I know it can be tricky writing about yourself or hacking up your position descriptions, but don’t fall into the trap of thinking a company logo and title is enough. Try not to make us do the research; add a brief line or two about the company so we understand it at a glance. This is particularly important if you’re applying for a role overseas, or your experience is with small, lesser known local companies.

In terms of your responsibilities, give more detail for the most recent roles and a couple bullet points for the older ones. Talk about your success. Add some high-level metrics. How many hats did you wear? Who were your key stakeholders?

0:15–1:00 A portfolio that details your best design achievements

Now we’re about 15 seconds in, which leaves 45 seconds put your best foot forward. Your portfolio is where you bring your first impression to life; we’ve read all about you, and now we get to see you in action. Use this space to highlight what you do best and how you do it. If you’re applying for a product design job, don’t highlight your illustrations. Hero your real work. If you’re applying for a UX role, don’t make it look too polished. Show your passion.

As you’re putting it all together, remember the age-old saying… A picture tells a thousand words, but a picture and 500 words tells a story.

What do you mean “500 words”? I’m not a writer.

Maybe not, but all designers are storytellers. Set the stage. There’s no point in just showing a series of UI screenshots without explaining the objective, and yet it’s both surprising and disappointing how frequently I see this in portfolios. Dribbbble is UI porn — straight to the action, without the storyline. While it can complement a portfolio, it shouldn’t be the hero.

If 500 words sounds like a lot (it’s just a guide) then here are some questions to help get your story flowing:

• What were your assumptions?
• How did you arrive at the solution?
• What methodologies did you use along the journey?
• Did you facilitate a design sprint?
• Was there a pivot point?
• How many users did you test to validate your assumptions?
• What preliminary research was carried out?
• What were your responsibilities throughout the whole process?

How do I end my story?

Two things are for sure. The first is your story shouldn’t end with you handing design specs over to an engineer (although you should mention them and other colleagues throughout your story so we can get a feel for how you work in a team).

The second is don’t leave your audience hanging. We’re sitting here wondering …

• Did it meet your success criteria? If so, which assumptions were validated after the release?
• What did you learn?
• How did you validate your assumptions?
• Is there a live version?
• Where are the obligatory photos of the post-it notes wall?

If your story doesn’t have a typical happy ending– in other words, it failed — that’s OK. Call it out and wear that badge with pride. It’s how we learn and that’s what iterations are for.

How should I present my portfolio?

As effective visual communication is supposed to be your speciality, be sure to keep the look of your portfolio simple and clean. Avoid bells and whistles that steal the stage from the real hero — your projects.

There are some great CMS portfolio sites that make it easier to share your work — I’ve personally used Semplice and Adobe Portfolio. Each have their limitations, but that can have it’s advantages. It’s also fine to just send a PDF if you’re worried about publicly sharing work, or you’re just pressed for time.

How many pieces should I include in my portfolio?

Less is more. Three to five strong pieces is all you need, but it’s really the first one that matters most. That’s all we’ll have time for in the last 45 seconds of your 60 second first impression, so make it a good one… and we’ll be back to see the rest.

1:01 — onwards The second impression.

If you nail your first impression (which you totally will if you follow those tips), then it won’t be long before you find yourself ready to make a second one.

When it comes time for your first interview, come prepared. It’s always impressive when a candidate has done their research and knows about the company structure, leadership, and any other relevant news. Research podcasts or articles by designers at the company to get an understanding around how they approach design and insights into what it would be like to work with them. This background knowledge can really help steer the conversation in your favour.

I haven’t heard back yet. What do I do?

It never hurts to research who the hiring manager is for the role you’re after, and reach out to them with a personalised note. Sometimes we’re just busy, or waiting for someone else to send us the shortlist. On that note, while LinkedIn is a great starting point to find advertised jobs, it’s also a great place to connect with recruitment specialists from the companies you want to work for.

TL; DR for candidates

• You have 60 seconds to make a first impression
• Scrap the cover letter & CV; convey your value & qualifications in 15 seconds via your LinkedIn profile. This is where you tell us who you are…
• … then show us who you are in your portfolio. Highlight what you do best; stick to your strengths.
• Keep your portfolio process-based by using visuals and words (around 500) to tell the story of 5 key projects from ideation to results. At each stage of the project, explain what you did, why, and what happened.

TL; DR for design recruiters / hiring managers

• Look for candidates that can convey their value in under 60 seconds
• Look for candidates who don’t just rely on their designs to speak for themselves but have demonstrated their design processes in their portfolio
• In their portfolio/case-studies, look for how they include other team members in their project stories; a sign that they value teamwork and the contributions of others

* This is a personal belief that Domain is Australia’s favourite property app. It’s certainly my favourite, and we even have anecdotal evidence to support this personal belief.