Part 1

UX research interviews: what to expect

Photo by author.

When I first started interviewing for UX jobs in 2006, I really had no idea what to expect or how to best prepare for my interviews. And being new to tech, the whole process seemed really strange and complicated. Every time I went through an interview process with a company that I was really excited about (like Google or Microsoft), my chances of getting an offer seemed so improbable.

At this point in my career, I’ve played a few different hats in the interview process. I’ve been a candidate (and interviewed at several high profile companies in the Valley). I’ve been an interviewer at Google, Microsoft, and Samsung. And I’ve been a hiring manager at Google. In part 1 of this guide, I’ll explain how the process works and share some tips and guidance based on my time in the industry. In part 2, I’ll provide detailed guidance for preparing for the on-site interview (the most important step in the whole process).

The interview process explained

Most UX research interviews at tech companies follow a very similar process:

1. Online application. You’ll first need to submit your application and resume to the company’s website. If you’re looking for ways to optimize your UXR resume, the folks at dScout offer some really good advice. At this point, a recruiter will review your application and resume and determine if you meet the base requirements for a UXR job at that company. They may also circulate your resume to hiring managers to see if there is interest in having you go through the interview process. If you happen to know someone who works at that company, I’d highly advice you to reach out to that person and see if they’d be willing to submit your resume for you through that company’s employee referral program. Some companies receive millions of job applications per year and your resume is more likely to make it to the next step if a friend, former colleague, or classmate can vouch for you. And that person will probably get a referral bonus if you get hired! So it’s a win-win!
2. Phone screen with a recruiter. The next phase in the process is usually a phone call with a recruiter. In my experience, this conversation is rarely an interview but it’s always good to mentally prepare for that in case the recruiter…