Hacking the UX Job Interview

UX Y'all 2021 Session with Jake Mitchell

Transcript

1. HACKING THE UX INTERVIEW Jake Mitchell | @jakemitchell
2. This is a story of where I have failed
3. Thank you for taking the time to meet with our team about the product design role at [redacted]. It was a pleasure to learn more about your skills and accomplishments. Unfortunately, our team did not select you for further consideration. “ “
5. You need a strategy
6. https://www.lovethesat.com/sat-math-question-almost-everyone-misses
7. Don’t strive to be “right” Focus on eliminating the wrong choices.
8. Fast forward to today...
9. The UX final round interview Portfolio presentation One-on-one interviews Design Challenge
10. PART 1 THE PORTFOLIO PRESENTATION
11. What we think we are being tested on • Our skillset • Our work experience • Our overall capability
12. What’s really being tested • How we generate impact • How we articulate decisions • Our presentation skills
13. Common presentation errors Being too complex Pontificating Losing your audience
14. Remember They already know you have technical ability
15. New Strategy Have a clear answer to “who is this person?”
16. Have clear answers to: • “who is this person?” • “What are they good at?
17. You need a strategy
18. What 3 things do you want people to remember about you?
19. People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou
20. Talking about your work
21. Use the pyramid principle Impact Solution Analysis and design process How we normally talk about a project
22. Use the pyramid principle Impact Solution Analysis and design process Start first with the result, then support with details
23. Which of these is more effective?
24. We were able to achieve a major lift in our primary metrics and drive $$$ of revenue for the company. Then we came up with a solution that addressed the strategy and research, then built it. Our team learned of a problem, did research and analysis to understand the problem more, then strategized how we could come up with a solution to solve the problem.
25. We achieved a major lift in our primary metrics and drove $$$ of revenue for the company. We accomplished this outcome by building this solution, which was rooted in an insight to a core problem we discovered. We were confident the solution would achieve this outcome because we researched and analyzed the problem in several ways.
26. Comprehension beats being comprehensive
27. PART 2 ONE ON ONE INTERVIEWS
28. What we think we are being tested on • Our work experience • Our ability to succeed
29. What’s really being tested • Our self-awareness • Our ability to learn and change
30. What are your own challenge stories?
31. What are your own challenge stories?
32. Tell me about a time you had to handle a conflict with a team member?
33. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse
35. PART 3 THE DESIGN CHALLENGE
36. Design a... • Pool for our resort • Parking ticket system • Elevator control panel
37. What we think we are being tested on • Our creativity • Our problem solving skill • Catching details
38. What’s really being tested • Collaboration skills • Process maturity • Assertiveness
40. Have a game plan 1. Define the job/biz outcome 2. Map the customer experience 3. highlight pain points 4. Decide on opportunities 5. Solution 6. present
41. Summarize with the pyramid principle Impact Solution Analysis and design process
42. The UX final round interview Portfolio presentation One-on-one interviews Design Challenge 1. Clearly define who you are 2. Use the pyramid principle, communicate top-down 1. Develop your own “challenge stories” 2. Practice them so you’re not ad-libbing on site 1. Have a game-plan in mind 2. Save time for playback, use pyramid principle to summarize
43. How can employers improve the interview process?
44. Flip the interview and pitch the job to the candidate
45. This requires work. A lot of work.
46. Dig deep with candidates earlier in the process
47. You need a strategy
48. Link tktk