Need Help! Need Good Questions for lunch interview with Director of Design!

[Mchristopherson]

Hi All!

I’m a newbie and learning more about options to learn UX Design and just how to get started in the industry with ZERO experience.

My husband works at BambooHR (tech company) as a Product Manager and has a great relationship with the Director of Design. He’s communicated that I’d like to take him to lunch to to talk about breaking into the industry and his thoughts on potential programs available.

This lunch would be a HUGE deal because here in Utah (Silicon Slopes Area) it’s a small world and he would have TONS of connections down the road for UX Design jobs, contacts, etc.

I really want to have some great questions ready for him that cover my bases but also that are impressive and display my interests and abilities.

If you had this opportunity what would you ask and what types of questions would be a great setup for a continued relationship?

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

1. I’m new to the tech and design world. What do you think is the most important focus for someone wanting to break into UX Design?

2. What pain points is the UX Design industry currently facing and how would you advise a newbie to set themselves up to be able to help and add value to address some of these issues?

3. I understand that the most important item to speak to a designers ability is an amazing portfolio. What types of projects would you be impressed to see for a new designer?

4. I’m planning on taking a part-time online program because … I’m a full-time mother of 2, I work part-time from home. I know I really need the structure, part-time immersion option, and accountability of a program) to accomplish this goal. How are graduates of these programs viewed (I’ve heard negatively) and how could I avoid falling into that category?

5. If I wanted to gain real world experience, and was willing to work for free to gain some portfolio pieces, what do you think the best way to approach people in your position about doing so?

6. What is the best way to position myself in what I’m learning to stay current with the ever changing industry?

7. What do you look for when you hire new designers and what skills do you feel are most important to display on a Resume or Showcase in a portfolio?

8. What tools and software are most important for me to learn and understand?

9. How do you think someone could maximize a 1:1 mentor relationship with an online course setting?

10. If you were to recommend portfolio pieces to a new UX Designer to create, what would they be and why?

[sandervolbeda]

3. I understand that the most important item to speak to a designers ability is an amazing portfolio. What types of projects would you be impressed to see for a new designer?

Also focus a little on if you should document your story. How are you going to become are designer, are you sure this is what you want?

5. If I wanted to gain real world experience, and was willing to work for free to gain some portfolio pieces, what do you think the best way to approach people in your position about doing so?

Prepare some solutions yourself already in case he/she doesn’t know the answer. For example charities (locally or globally), you have in mind. If you have that in mind you can also think about what you can do for them, so you focus on which areas you would like to learn within UX (can be different for each project).

7. What do you look for when you hire new designers and what skills do you feel are most important to display on a Resume or Showcase in a portfolio?

The answer is showing the process of how you did things, so maybe already present some examples of showcases you like (you can find some on Medium). This way it might become a little brainstorm or such, but it shows that you’ve done your research and know what you’re talking about.

8. What tools and software are most important for me to learn and understand?

I would skip this question, you can find enough of this on the internet. In the end, most design tools do the same thing. If you want to go into web design, for example, you can use Adobe xD, it’s free.

Tip:

• Share the process, which means activity tell on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook (only the once you’re active at) by telling what you’re going to do, what you’re doing and where you want to go.

• Get a mentor who can help you with all of this, we had a peer to peer program on UX mastery Slack channel (Don’t think it’s running at the moment). You could also have a look at my LinkedIn profile if you like it I can mentor you (although living in the Netherlands I do have a different time zone)

[Mchristopherson]

Hi @sandervolbeda! Thank you so much for your thoughts and input! It’s most helpful and I think you’re right. I need to do a bit more digging and exploration for those other questions / suggestions you had. Thank you so much and although I’m not quite ready for a mentor (just still getting ready to start a program) I’ll definitely connect on LinkedIn and reach out a little closer to when I begin. Thank you again!

[sandervolbeda]

No problem at all! If you have any questions left don’t hesitate to ask more questions here, in private message or on LinkedIn. No worries about the mentorship, you can always send me a message in the future.

Good luck!