While I cannot guarantee to any of my mentees that the next job will be their dream job, a few advise on optimising the interview process might can improve the search and onboarding experience. The first step is to look beyond traditional job portals such as Indeed, Monster, Monday, and Reed and other syndicates. Tech has its own channels that offer remote and flexible opportunities, modern work frameworks, and transparent hiring processes, all of which is what one would expect from a leading industry.
Discovering more specialised job portals is a good idea because general portals often have lower-end positions for tech and design functionalities. Mostly companies of traditional industries advertise there, and they are commonly unfamiliar with the tech ecosystem as well as the demand of these positions. As a result, design and development roles are managed like any ‘other’ administrative functions and the interview process is unusually long, more demanding and less respectful.
The basic: LinkedIn
Although LinkedIn is a generic platform, it is widely used by tech and design recruiters, which gives it special significance. LinkedIn is a great tool for connecting with agents who specialize in the tech and creative sectors. Since most job postings are done through agencies, applying to those ads will put you in touch with the agency. Building an agent network to receiving first hand information about newly posted opportunities can be done by following theit profile. You can read more about it in Effective job search to get your first or next UX/UI job – Step 1. The key is to have a strong presence on LinkedIn, as it could well become your primary job search platform.
The best job sites for tech and design
The best job seeking experience is undoubtedly from job sites that specifically serve the tech and creative industries. Their browsing experience, approach to candidates, and typical salary is usually above average. The lists below are divided by the focus of the employment type.
Tech / design job sites focusing on permanent offers
welcometothejungle.com/en/jobs
Tech / design gig sites focusing on freelance and contract roles
If you are aware of any other sites that deserve to be added to the list, please feel free to contact me.
Keep track of your applications
To prevent opportunities from being lost in the mailbox, it’s crucial to keep track of your application. You might find 2-3 sites that work specifically well for you, so stick to them. There is nothing more embarrassing than getting an interview invitation but not being able to find your application or job description then trying to navigate the interview blindly without knowing who you’re talking to and what the role is about. In the later stages of your career, you may have multiple CVs that are geared towards different types of positions, often with different salary expectations. Mixing those application up is a small disaster.
The other very important aspect of being able to track your application is the ability to objectively measure the responses. This will give you an overview of the type of companies/roles that responded to your application, which provides an insight into how your CV is interpreted externally. If you’re not happy with the responses, you can shift the tone to attract other types of offers. You can read more about it in Setting up the opportunities entry. You may change your CV and portfolio several times along the way based on the recurring questions and responses. For example, if you get interview requests for visual design and design system roles while you’re UX oriented, you might need to add more sketches to your portfolio and some extra UX keywords in your CV. Or for example, if you receive many responses from fintech companies that you don’t prefer, you would need to place data-heavy, complex projects lower in your portfolio.
Summary
In order to land in a job you like, it is imperative to fine tune your self-presentation according to the opportunities it attracts. Tracking applications, even if it’s just loosely, is essential for building your career. Hopefully, this summary helps guide you through the process and get you where you want to be. To be emotionally prepared for the interview process, you can find guidance in Effective job search to get your first or next UX/UI job – Step 2 – Interviewing.
NikkyUI 29 September 2024
Thanks a ton! It’s a real help!