We all know competition is the name of the game at digital agencies. But that same friendly rivalry can often spark the most creative, thought-provoking ideas. Because UX is such an important piece of a successful digital project, we wanted to talk to some of the folks who call themselves UX designers at Fi. They gave us the inside scoop on some of their UX interviews over the years, common mistakes and tips that helped them land their dream jobs. 

Here’s the Top 5 (we could go on for days about this, but for the sake of brevity, we’ll keep it short and simple).

Irene leads our team of UX designers at Fi and regularly meets and interviews job candidates from all areas of the business. In the last two years, she’s guided and encouraged her team to deliver the most intuitive and interactive user experience possible for brands like Google, CNN, Xbox, The History Channel, Ducati and Porsche. 

Irene insists, “The UX test can be a very telling tool in the hiring process. It tells me your strengths and weaknesses. But most importantly, it tells me how you approach and solve problems.”

Irene suggests including concept sketches in your UX test and all of the processes associated with them.

If you understand gestures, movement and interaction (think of something as intuitive as swiping your Metro card from left to right), it’s a sign that you don’t just do what’s asked of you or what you read in a book. Look around, observe, notice and question why every single thing is the way it is. Then solve it.

Yuwei, one of Irene’s right-hand men, can tell you just how valuable solving problems can be in UX interviews. What helped him get through the interview process? He always put the user first, not the technologies.

Yuwei grabs a pen and sketches concepts for a pitch meeting.

“Don’t just think of what looks cool or beautiful. Think about how you can even out the balance between functionality and sensibility. Helping users achieve what they want on their computer, mobile device or tablet is just as important as making the entire experience feel effortless and enjoyable.”

Everyone has horror stories from previous jobs. It’s just par for the course. But don’t bring those bad experiences into your interview. No one wants to hear you complain, rant or whine about what went wrong at previous jobs. It might seem harmless to do so, but trust us, it’s an immediate sign of character.

UX designer Jack is part of the UX team at Fi New York and works closely on a number of the agency’s digital projects. “It’s about being human. Treat the interview like a conversation, not an interview. Your future employer simply wants to talk to you, develop a rapport with you and understand what motivates, challenges, inspires and makes you think. So breathe, think and just be natural.”

For UX designer Chris, his 3-ring binder stuffed with nearly 250 pages of wireframes, concept sketches and research is like his Bible. “I don’t use every single page, but I focus on what’s most important and make sure I have an answer for why every single detail works (or doesn’t). If you can’t answer the ‘why’, then it’s more than likely you won’t receive a job offer.”

Once you’ve done your homework and wrapped your head around every single function and use of a design, it’s time to prep for the interview itself. Pretending you’re on stage is one of the best prep techniques. As a UX designer, you’ll be doing a lot of talking, brainstorming, pitching, interviewing and presenting not just internally within your own team, but also with senior executives who’ve seen it all and done it all.

Are you speaking clearly? Can you make your future boss (and clients) think and laugh? Does your voice carry well? Do you have solutions that even the most seasoned UX designer and strategist overlooked? These are all questions you should ask when you’re standing in front of the mirror at home, prepping for your UX interview.

Too many people throw around the word ‘passion’ without adding any real substance behind it. One thing we’ve learned over the last twelve years is that passion cannot be learned, taught or forced.

It’s an intangible trait that you either have, or you don’t. It’s a genuine love and appreciation; it’s a natural curiosity to challenge yourself and grow by observing industry experts; it’s a desire to surround yourself with innovators and game-changers; it’s a need to do what you love (better) every time.

How many computers, laptops, Smartphones and tablets can you fit on your desk?

If you come into an interview excited to show us what you’ve created, designed and produced on your MacBook, iPad, iPhone or any other gadget, that speaks volumes for how you feel about your profession and industry. 

For those of us in the interactive community, we love talking shop with each other and finding people online who are doing amazing things. Often, you’ll see that the best UX designers are the ones who are reading, blogging, following, tweeting, liking and sharing their own innovative work (as well as work that inspires them). They’re also writing blogs as well as engaging in editorial pieces in well respected industry publications like FWA, Smashing Magazine, .net Magazine, UX Magazine and UX Booth.

Check out Irene’s Top 10 tips for an engaging interactive user experience.