In the Emirates, the UX interview is always a surprise as we really never know what to expect! Sometimes our interviewer is not a UX Designer. But what if he or she is a UX Guru? The goal of this presentation is to discuss the best way to make you ready and rock at your next UX interview! In order to get there, we'll talk about: • The UX Role and types of UX roles • The interview and a few suggestions on do's & don'ts • The Recruiter's point of view • The Candidate's point of view • What are you really looking for in a UX job?

1. The UX Interview
Guilherme Rodrigues
@ux_uae / #uxUAE

2. Robin Deegan @ux_UAE
@ deeganrob #uxUAE

4. Welcome!
Introductions
- Name
- What you do?
- How UX relates to what you do?
- Thoughts on <insert subject here>

5. Driverless car

6. Agenda
What we’re gonna talk about
The UX Role
Recruiters
Candidates
Some thoughts

7. A bit about myself

11. A bit about yourself

12. – A brilliant mind
“A quote for an
inspirational moment :D”

13. Interview / Video
https://youtu.be/Cer8I4cX-vs?t=29s

14. The UX Role

15. Types of UX roles
User Experience Designer
User Researcher
User Experience Architect
UX/UI Design
Interaction Designer

16. Expertise

17. Technical?
Digital?
Research?
Marketing?
Website / App / Software
Digital service
Conversion
“Out of the box”
Magic

18. Some suggestions
Know more about the company and what they do
- Latest achievements / Products
- Investors
Interviewer research
Ex-employees or current UXers working at the company (if any)

19. The Recruiter

20. The interview will start!
Don’t worry. It’s like diarrhea. It’s not gonna be the first. Not
the last too.
Confident on yourself. It’s your chance to see the potential
“marriage” between you and the company.
Shake hands, eye contact, hands positions, your position, your
clothes, take a shower, etc… ALL OF THESE STUFF ARE
IMPORTANT TOO!

21. What they wanna know?
KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
ATTITUDE

22. If the recruiter is a
UXer?

23. Questions
How do you structure an AB test?
How do you validate the data that comes out of that testing?
How do you measure the ROI on your UX?
Is it content first or mobile first?
How do you incorporate UX into an Agile team?

24. What would you change here?

25. And If the recruiter is
not a UXer?

26. Tell me about yourself
Where would you be in
5 years?
Which tools do you
use?
Why should I hire you?
Specially at the end of the conversation

27. Behavioral questions
Be ready for them too!
These ones are people-type behavioral questions
- What’s the project you worked on that you’re most proud of?
- Have you given feedback on someone else’s designs before?
What about receiving feedback?

28. Behavioral questions
And these are project-type behavioral questions
Can you describe a time when the requirements changed in the
middle of a project, and how you handled that?
We want to make our website responsive. How would you
approach this?

29. The Candidate

30. Now it’s your turn
It’s like a marriage. Both have to like each other. “IDEALLY”
Be ready with your stuffs! CV, portfolio, process, etc...
Do some questions too, not just because you wanna look
interested, but because they will support on your decision.
Consider you might say no too.

31. Possible questions
How does UX contribute strategically to the company’s
success?
Helps you to identify how company sees UX and the level of understanding
from top to down.
How is the team structure?
Tells you if you’d have to design, or craft some code :)
Not necessarily, but gives you a glance about the challenges and
opportunities.

32. Possible questions
Who is the decision maker when it comes to design approvals?
Is there a formal process?
Tells whether the company is data driven, or takes its own way of approving
designs.
What part of the design process does the team spend the most
time on?
Tells you a lot regarding the company’s process. Whether they dedicate
time on initial UX or just jump into execution.

33. Overall, I wanna say…

35. Be confident.
Be yourself!

36. “There is always an old flip flop for an ugly foot”
• Translating: Got a NO. Don’t worry! One door
closes, a window will open. It’s a matter of time.

37. Heinecken job interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aq
6y3RO12UQ

38. References
• UX Switch
http://www.uxswitch.com/questions-to-ask-at-a-ux-interview
• HelloErick / Blog - Erik Flowers
http://www.helloerik.com/what-ive-learned-as-a-ux-interviewer
• Smashing Magazine
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2012/02/how-to-recruit-a-ux-
designer

39. References
• Usability Counts - Patrick Neeman
http://www.usabilitycounts.com/2014/01/29/kill-ux-interview
• Robert Powell / How to recruit a Senior UX Perm
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-recruit-senior-ux-perm-robert-
powell

40. Thanks!
@UX_UAE
Jonathan | Robin | Katral

41. Thanks to you folks!
globo.rodrigues@gmail.com | @globo_rodrigues