UX Interview - Candidate Questions

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‍Before the Interview 

Gather info on the industry and company. 

• Where is the industry going? 
• What has this company been in the news for? 

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During an interview 

• Be well versed about the position and company 
• Ask how much time you have 
• Understand what the job entails and have suggestions 
• Eye contact is key 

General 

• What are the prospects for advancement within the creative team? 
• What are some of the typical projects? What is the turnaround time? 
• "What is the most important thing I can accomplish in the first few  months? 
• How would you describe the culture at ___? 
• What are the day-to-day responsibilities? 
• What sets apart an excellent one from an average one?

Hiring manager 

• How do you deal with stakeholders with  strong perspectives? 
• What is your superpower (excel)? What is your kryptonite (area of  improvement)? 
• How do you reward a job well done? 
• What are the common attributes of your employees? 
• What are the things driving results at this company/team? 
• How do you reach when a plan/approach needs to change? 
• What is your management philosophy? 
• How do you see the team growing in 1 year? 5 years? 
• Where do you see the future of in the next 5-10 years? 
• Ultimately, who has the final say? 
• What do you wish you did a better job at? 
• How is the relationship between creatives & other departments?

Project scope 

• How do you know when a project is done? What happens next? 
• What is going to be the biggest challenge in the first 5-6 months? 
• What data is used to validate design? 
• Hand-off process? 
• How do you get into users' mindsets? 
• How do you anticipate users' needs & actions? 
• How do you choose what method to use for a particular project? 
• What was the last time you had to change the plan or approach? 

Team 

• Team structure? 
• Who doe the team report to? Who does that person report to? 
• Who ultimately has the final say? 
• How does the team collaborate w/ PM, PO, dev, stakeholders, etc? 
• What part of the process is the team most involved in? 
• Where does the team need the most support? 
• What is's plan to keep customers loyal, engaged, or consequently continue to generate revenue? 
• How will this role assist in achieving this? 
• What could I do in the first 3 months to set myself up for success? 
• Are there learning opportunities at __? 
• What attracted you to this company/role? 
• Who do you think is doing a good job at [insert industry]? Who do you think is doing a bad job? 

Other team members 

• What are you most proud of at ___? 
• Give me an example of a time when you solved a difficult problem? 
• Can you tell me the story of your prior success, challenge, or major responsibility? 
• Tell me about your failure. 
• What has been a positive influence in your life -personal, professional? 

Last questions 

• Imagine we're sitting here in 12 months - celebrating a successful year- what did we achieve together? 
• Can I get feedback on how I was able to communicate my experience? 
• What can I improve on if given this job? 
• Any advice? Book recommendations? 
• What is your timeline for getting back to candidates about the next steps? 
• I'm interested in this job, here's why I'll be a great fit..... 
• Now that we've been chatting for XX minutes, what are some of your fears of me getting this position? (especially helpful if you sense it's not going well) 
• What are the next steps in this process? 

If you don't get the job 

• What advice can you give me so that I can be a better applicant next  time? 
• What experiences did the candidate have that I lacked? 

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