I think we can all agree that job hunting sucks. And job hunting in a brand-new industry is on a whole other level. While sending out your resume and portfolio can be nerve-wracking, the part that really keeps me up at night is the interviews. The idea of sitting across from someone with way more knowledge than me, trying to convince them that I belong there, makes my stomach do flip-flops.
When I encounter something that makes me nervous, my coping strategy is this: prepare, prepare, prepare. I have yet to send out a single application, let alone sit for an interview. But I already have a bank of questions I expect to be asked at some point in my product design career journey, and you can bet that I have my answers ready. One question that has come up a couple of times in my group crits is, What makes you unique as a UX designer? And for me, it’s a two-part answer.
Where You Come From
I’ll start with the obvious: leveraging your past experience is a must. If you’re a career-switcher like me, your professional background probably doesn’t include wireframing and prototyping. But here’s the thing — anyone can learn wireframing. It might take some practice, but it’s discrete knowledge that can be picked up and put down easily. On the other hand, there’s a whole host of other skills, (maybe you’ve heard of them) called soft skills, which are hard-won through trial and error, lots of experience, and more than a few mistakes. So play up those people skills. Brag about your report-writing acumen. Upsell your mastery of marketing. Hiring managers are looking at a dizzying number of resumes that all list the same skills and experience: UX research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, etc. So how do you stand out from the litany of cookie-cutter resumes? Focus on the non-UX experience and skills you gained from your previous industry.
Where You’re Going
This piece isn’t quite as obvious, but I think it’s a lot more fun to talk about than what I mentioned above. The key to nailing this question isn’t just about selling your past experience, it’s also about selling your future. What are you interested in learning as a UX designer? Is it UX writing? AI? Extended reality (XR)? This is your chance to share your vision for the future and explain how you want to grow as a designer. Chances are, the person sitting across from you is very aware that you are new in your UX career, and they know that your background in the field is limited. But your future is full of potential, and explaining how you want to evolve not only demonstrates a growth mindset but also gives you more leverage. Hiring managers want fresh vision and talent who can help round out the skillsets of their teams, and even if you don’t have unique skills yet, you’re demonstrating that you’ve put thought into how you’re going to work towards being an irreplaceable asset.
・・・
In short, your answer to this question doesn’t have to be a restatement of your resume and portfolio. The person interviewing you has already read through those and even potentially Googled your name to try and discover everything they can about you. This is your opportunity to share your vision for what you can bring to the company now and in the future, and get the person on the other side of the table just as excited for your new career as you are. Now go out there and crush those interviews!
