How to tell a compelling design story in interviews

Most designers think “storytelling” means showing slides of sticky notes. It doesn’t. Storytelling gets thrown around a lot in design. But what does it actually mean? Too often it is used as a buzzword without clear guidance on how to present your work. Sometimes it feels like people say “storytelling” without ever showing what strong storytelling looks like in practice. So when Tom Scott asked if I wanted to collaborate on an article about it, I jumped at the opportunity. Together, we focused on making it tactical and concrete. I hope this piece helps designers at all levels, especially those on the job hunt, sharpen how they present their work and land the opportunities they deserve.

Do we fake it? I just got some very thoughtful feedback from an interview. The positives: strong cultural fit, good storytelling, asked smart questions. The negatives: my case study didn’t have enough visuals or end-to-end artefacts to follow the flow of the work. Here’s the issue. In an agency setting, or when you’re added into a client’s Figma team, you’re basically a guest in their house. You get access to their files while you’re working. But once the project ends, access is removed. The visuals I shared were the only ones I had been allowed. When the work ended, access was removed. I asked for supporting material, but that’s all they were willing to provide. This means you don’t “own” the artefacts. You can’t and shouldn't grab screenshots of their boards, early explorations, or stakeholder comments. You leave with what the client is willing to give you, sometimes just a handful of final screens. So I am genuinely curious , what do we do? - Do we fake visuals afterwards, to create a more complete story? - Do we stick to the narrative and hope it’s enough, even when recruiters say hiring managers care more about process than polish? - Or do we risk underselling ourselves by presenting only the scraps we’re allowed to keep? It feels like a catch-22. Designers are judged on storytelling and artefacts, but in cloud-based workflows, much of that work lives and dies in someone else’s system. Do For those of you in agency or freelance work: how do you handle this? Do you recreate? Mock up? How do you handle people that just want to see some nice images? Or do you just accept the gaps? I want to do the best I can, so would be great to hear from you.

Most designers don’t get rejected for bad work. 🤷♀️ They get rejected for weak storytelling. I learned this after applying to 120+ jobs… and not getting a single interview. Back in 2024, my portfolio surely felt “done.” 🤦♀️ But here’s the truth: it wasn’t designed for the person reading it. 😭 So I treated my portfolio like a client project: 😌 I optimized images for responsiveness (no recruiter should fight with load times). 😌 I spent as much time writing the story as designing the visuals. 😌 I made sure the visuals did the teaching — so a recruiter who didn’t know the problem space could still see my process and impact. ❤️ And I was radically honest. No inflated jargon. Just what I actually did, why it mattered, and what changed. With no SEO, no ads — just a private link — my portfolio crossed 1000+ views in <4 months. And tons of interview calls started coming in.🤯 😏 Good portfolios showcase design. 🙂↔️ Great portfolios feel like design projects themselves — usable, honest, and outcome-driven. If you’re rewriting yours right now — ask yourself: “Would a recruiter understand my work in 2 minutes… without me in the room?” Also, feel free to ask for my portfolio link in the comments below!! Good luck. You've got this❤️ #uxportfolio #productdesign #uxdesign #designcareers #casestudytips #jobsearch

Most portfolios get excluded after less than a minute of cursory screening. Not because the work is bad but because it doesn’t speak the right language. I see it happen again and again: Designers pour months into building stunning case studies that don’t seem to land them interviews. Only 1 in 10 portfolios make it past the initial screen. And the work isn’t the problem. When I helped a fintech startup hire their first staff designer, we went through literal dozens of portfolios. Only two candidates got interviews. It wasn’t because they had flashy visuals—it was how they tied their work to tangible outcomes. Think about how a hiring manager actually skims: 0–15s → Homepage scan: “Any business value here?” 15–35s → Work grid: “Do they solve real problems?” 35–55s → First case study: “Where’s the measurable impact?” If they don’t find what they’re looking for by T-minus 56s, then you’re out. This is where most designers get tripped up: → They lead with process instead of problems → They blur their role instead of showing specific contributions → They use design language (“better UX”) instead of business language (“increased retention 34%”) The designers who break through are the most bilingual—able to move easily between user pain points and business results. That’s the difference between being seen as “just another designer” and being someone worth interviewing. So the next time you’re updating your portfolio, try flipping the script: 1️⃣ Frame the business problem before your process. 2️⃣ Make your role crystal clear. 3️⃣ Translate design outcomes into metrics that matter to stakeholders. It’s not about dumbing down your work. It’s about making sure your work actually gets seen. 💡 Want this as a file you can reference later? Drop “PORTFOLIO” in the comments. Remember: Invisible work doesn’t get hired. #uxdesign #uxcareers #designleadership ⸻ 👋🏼 Hi, I’m Dane—your source for UX and career tips. ❤️ Was this helpful? A 👍🏼 would be thuper kewl. 🔄 Share to help others (or for easy access later). ➕ Follow for more like this in your feed every day.

I’ve noticed a pattern in how founders hire creatives. We chase seniority when we should be chasing skill. Early on, I made this mistake too. I looked for designers who had “been around the block.” Big titles. Familiar logos. Fancy job history. I thought that was the safe bet. But over time, I realized: Some of the best designers we’ve hired were “junior” on paper. Their titles said mid-level. Their portfolios said something else entirely. In fact, some outperformed designers with 10+ years of experience. Now, we hire differently. → We cast a wider net Not “who’s the most senior?” But: “who can actually do the job?” → We vet for skill, not status Every designer we interview goes through a visual portfolio review We don’t just read résumés; we look at what they’ve made → Then comes the design test We’ve got a few options: - Redesign a microwave interface - Reimagine a thermostat - Build a homepage for your favorite product No fake client briefs. No spec work. Just fun, thoughtful exercises that take 2–3 days. Some of the best creatives out there aren’t the loudest. But their work speaks volumes.

I kept changing my portfolio for weeks, changing fonts, rewriting the intros, and optimizing for SEO, but I still did not get any interviews. It felt like I was doing everything right but wasn’t getting anywhere. You've probably felt this, and on my podcast from Sarah Doody that changed how I think about UX job searching, content, and even life: 'If you just focused on being 10% better. Your resume, your LinkedIn, your portfolio, you’ll probably start to see a difference.' That was powerful because perfection was paralyzing me. But progress is something I can control. Here’s how I use the 10% Better mindset now: 🌱 Treat everything like an experiment. Not a final exam 🌱 Send the bad first draft and get real feedback 🌱 Reflect on interviews like a UX researcher (what worked, what didn’t) 🌱 Stop proving I can do UX, and start showing how I handle tension, failure, and collaboration That mindset is what actually looks like senior-level UX. Because confidence isn’t in having it all figured out, it’s in knowing how to adapt and improve without shame. That’s the stuff hiring managers want to see. The best portfolios aren’t the prettiest. They’re the ones that show: You can handle friction You reflect and improve You’re someone they want on the team So what does a 10% better look like today? Then do that. It's less about being perfect and more about you just needing to get 10% closer.

🚨 A cautionary tale for fellow Product Designers 🚨 In the design industry, there’s a recurring concern: some companies may be using the interview process as a way to crowdsource free design solutions. Candidates are often asked to complete detailed test tasks or prepare presentations with product improvements. Later, similar ideas sometimes appear implemented in the product, even when the candidate was not hired. In some cases, these tasks are also used as a way to research new ideas or to validate existing hypotheses, without compensating the designers who contributed. This raises an important question about fairness and integrity in hiring. As designers, we invest our time, skills, and creativity into these processes. When that effort is treated as free consulting, it undermines the value of our profession. To all designers out there: ⚠️ Protect your work. ⚠️ Be mindful of how much you give away in “test tasks.” ⚠️ And don’t be afraid to call out unfair practices. Our expertise has value. It should never be taken for granted. #ProductDesign #DesignCommunity #EthicalHiring #InterviewProcess #ProtectDesign #UXCommunity #DesignEthics

Your portfolio is hurting your chances of getting hired. I’ve seen so many talented designers fail not because of their skills… But because their portfolio doesn’t tell the right story. Here are the mistakes I see over and over again: Only showing final UIs No explanation of the process Zero context about the problem you solved Case studies missing or half-done A wall of pretty screens with no substance And here’s the truth: Hiring managers don’t hire pixels. They hire problem solvers. That’s why you need a T-shaped portfolio: Step 1: Show breadth Include a variety of projects to demonstrate range. Apps, websites, dashboards, experiments. Show you can adapt. Step 2: Show depth Pick 1–2 projects and go deep. Explain the challenge. Show your process. Share what worked and what failed. Highlight impact with numbers or results. Step 3: Make it human Tell a story. Write it so anyone can understand, not just designers. Show your thinking. Show your personality. Because here’s the hard reality: A hiring manager might spend 2 minutes scanning your portfolio. If they don’t see proof you can solve problems… They’ll move on. Your skills might be world-class. But if your portfolio doesn’t communicate that… You’ll stay invisible. Fix this. Your next opportunity might depend on it. Follow & Repost Chetan Sagar for no-fluff lessons on UX and bouncing back stronger.

Many believe that having excellent design skills guarantees great job opportunities. This is incorrect. Being an exceptional designer and securing a job are two distinct abilities. I've witnessed this many times: DESIGNER A: → Impressive portfolio → Struggles to articulate their thought process → Fails at problem-solving interviews → Stays jobless DESIGNER B: → Average portfolio → Shares compelling stories → Questions effectively, justifies their choices, and formulates and tests hypotheses in real-time → Receives job offers What's the difference? One has mastered design. The other excels in both design and interviewing. THE PORTFOLIO DILEMMA Creating products ≠ Crafting portfolios Products require: → Quality → Functionality → User satisfaction Portfolios require: → Storytelling → Clarity → Demonstrable business impact Most designers get caught up in perfecting visuals. Successful candidates emphasize telling a great story. Let me clarify!!! BOTH should be AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND IMPACTFUL. However, the priorities differ in these two scenarios. You wouldn't bring a "skateboard" to an interview. You would deliver it to a user. WHAT I WITNESS WEEKLY A designer referred to me. Their portfolio? Just average. Then they start speaking: ↳ They present solid metrics and a clear understanding of the results they achieved ↳ Provide explicit examples of conducting research along with major INSIGHTS ↳ Able to express the user and business problem clearly, its significance, and how THEY addressed it Hiring manager: already convinced THE TREND Mediocre portfolios + Compelling narratives = Hired Stunning portfolios + Weak storytelling = Rejected Why is that? Because I'm not recruiting for aesthetics. I'm looking for problem solvers (who can design effectively too). THE EXCUSE I'M DONE HEARING "But I lack access to metrics!" Seriously. We've been discussing impact for YEARS. No concrete metrics? Look for indicators: → Support inquiries → User comments → Time savings → Team productivity → Adoption statistics Still nothing? BEGIN REQUESTING DATA. - Email your former project manager: How did that project perform? - Reach out to an ex-colleague: Do you recall that feature? What was the outcome? - Review analytics personally: Most tools provide basic access - Ask your client: I need access to X data to evaluate how our solution is performing Stop making excuses. Start seeking answers.

Many designers make one avoidable mistake that gets portfolios ignored: they skip the first step. Imagine you're hiring, and 100+ people reached out to your "help wanted" ad. Are you:   1. Going to pore through every application from start to finish, spending 1 hour per application, and waste hundreds of hours?  2. Going to skim the portfolios, find the ones that interest you, and then explore those further? If you answered #2? You're thinking like an employer. You have 30 seconds to pass step 1 of the application. Step 1 isn't about finding the ideal candidate. It's about "getting on the shortlist" of applications to look further at. If you talk at length about a complex design process... If you never define what the problem is that you're solving... If your impact is buried at the bottom of your portfolio... If it's not immediately visible what your actual value is... 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩 𝟏. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬. Before diving into your 8-step design methodology, show the impact:   • "Increased conversion by 47%"   • "Reduced user drop-off by 30%"   • "Saved the company $200K annually" 𝐌𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. Use visual hierarchy that lets busy hiring managers spot your wins instantly:   • Bold the results   • Use before/after comparisons   • Add clear project titles that communicate value 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝. Once you've hooked them with results, THEN walk them through how you got there. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: Your portfolio isn't a detailed case study. It's a sales pitch. Make the first impression count, then earn the right to tell your story. Want to learn how to do this? Join my Maven course where I break down exactly how to create portfolios that get you shortlisted (and hired). What's the biggest mistake you see in design portfolios? 👇 #DesignPortfolio #UXDesign #DesignJobs #Portfolio #DesignCareer