Interviews

Even if they don’t start with “name a time when…” - answer the question and then mention something that actually happened to back up what you’re saying, and to shed more light on your accomplishments. You can use the STAR method to structure your answers, which includes: Situation, Task, Action, and Result.

Your experiences don't have to necessarily correlate 100% with the new job. Especially as a recent grad, you might not have any professional experience, so think about things you did through school that involved leadership, communication, problem solving, time management, and collaborating with others. Were you in any clubs? Part-time jobs? Volunteer orgs?

Do not tell them your age, or dwell on when you graduated. When introducing yourself - focus on what you can bring, what you're curious about and most importantly, show your passion about the trade.

It might feel okay to slip out a tiny white lie about how you know a certain program. But the truth is, we all have things that we are bad at, or know nothing about. Turn your negatives and lack of knowledge into “an area of growth” and avoid putting yourself in a situation where you are not able to back up what you say.

If someone asks about a previous experience that was bad, be sure to put a positive spin and not fall into the pit of ranting- even if you ended on poor terms or they were abusive to you. You don't need to lie and say it was a great experience, it's okay to say it wasn't a good fit or relationship, just don't trash them.

Talk about how you want to contribute to the company and learn. You probably won’t be working at the same company for the next 50 years, but when asked why you want to work there, talk about connections to the company’s goals and projects.

Always have questions to ask at the end of an interview! I like to have at least 5 questions prepared. For example, "How is the team structured?" "How is feedback given?" "Are there any mentorship and growth opportunities?" "How is your work-life balance?" "What do you like about working here?"

Think beyond the “Tell me about the culture.” It’s a valid question, but think about questions that someone can't just give you a canned marketing response.

Send over a quick "thank you for your time" email within 24 hours to be polite and show an extra level of engagement.

The interviewers have already seen your portfolio so now's your chance to take control of the narrative. A deck will let you choose what you want to present, give you control of the what you're highlighting, look really polished, and give you a chance to show off your presentation skills. Here's a great video to create a UX deck.

Employers are people too, and they can tell if you’re being fake or trying too hard. Stop adjusting your personality into what you think they’re looking for, pay attention to see if what you have to offer is what they want, and why not? If you like what you hear. It’s like dating, you don’t want to set off any red flags by being too perfect, don’t you?