Egor Krasnoperov · July 21, 2025 · 6 min read
One of the core skills every designer masters is presenting ideas, building arguments, and "selling" solutions to stakeholders. We know how to craft compelling narratives around our work, defend design decisions with data, and win over skeptical product managers. Yet when it comes to interviews, even experienced designers suddenly forget this fundamental skill.
They present their experience like a dry project summary rather than a compelling story. They focus on deliverables instead of impact. They undersell their contributions and fail to connect their work to business outcomes. In essence, they stop being designers and start sounding like any other job candidate.
The irony is striking: designers who can convince a CEO to invest in a complete redesign struggle to convince a hiring manager why they're the right person for the role.
What this article will help you with
This guide identifies the six most common mistakes I've observed in hundreds of design interviews over the past eight years as a hiring manager. More importantly, it provides practical solutions for each one. By the end, you'll know how to present your experience as compellingly as you present your design work, turning your interviews from missed opportunities into memorable conversations that lead to offers.
They present their experience like a dry project summary rather than a compelling story. They focus on deliverables instead of impact. They undersell their contributions and fail to connect their work to business outcomes. In essence, they stop being designers and start sounding like any other job candidate.
The irony is striking: designers who can convince a CEO to invest in a complete redesign struggle to convince a hiring manager why they're the right person for the role.
What this article will help you with
This guide identifies the six most common mistakes I've observed in hundreds of design interviews over the past eight years as a hiring manager. More importantly, it provides practical solutions for each one. By the end, you'll know how to present your experience as compellingly as you present your design work, turning your interviews from missed opportunities into memorable conversations that lead to offers.
6 Common Mistakes Designers Make in Interviews (and How to Avoid Them)
Mistake 1: Not Preparing a Short and Compelling Self-Introduction
This is probably the most common and most underrated mistake. Many designers jump straight into discussing projects or tools without giving a clear, memorable introduction. That first impression often sets the tone for the entire interview.
A strong self-introduction should quickly summarize who you are, what you specialize in, and what makes you unique as a designer. It helps interviewers remember you and makes it easier for them to connect your experience to their company's needs.
The fix: Craft a self-introduction that's brief (one to two minutes), focused, and tailored to the role. Practice it aloud until it feels natural.
For example:
"I'm a product designer with eight years of experience in fintech and SaaS. My strength is transforming complex workflows into intuitive user journeys and improving onboarding metrics. In my last role, I redesigned a mobile registration process that increased Day 1 retention by 30%. I'm excited about joining a team that values both creativity and measurable impact."
A strong self-introduction should quickly summarize who you are, what you specialize in, and what makes you unique as a designer. It helps interviewers remember you and makes it easier for them to connect your experience to their company's needs.
The fix: Craft a self-introduction that's brief (one to two minutes), focused, and tailored to the role. Practice it aloud until it feels natural.
For example:
"I'm a product designer with eight years of experience in fintech and SaaS. My strength is transforming complex workflows into intuitive user journeys and improving onboarding metrics. In my last role, I redesigned a mobile registration process that increased Day 1 retention by 30%. I'm excited about joining a team that values both creativity and measurable impact."
Mistake 2: Speaking Only in "We" Instead of Owning Your Impact
Many designers default to "we" when describing their work. While teamwork matters, interviewers want to understand what you specifically contributed, not just what your team achieved. However, there's a delicate balance here: you need to own your individual impact while still demonstrating that you're a collaborative team player.
The key is showing your proactive actions within the team context. Rather than diminishing the team's role, highlight how you took initiative, facilitated collaboration, or drove results through your leadership.
The fix: Use "I" when describing your actions, but frame them within collaborative efforts. Show how your proactive approach benefited the team and project. Instead of "We redesigned the checkout flow," try "I identified issues in our checkout flow through user testing, then led collaborative design sessions with the team to develop solutions. I worked closely with developers to ensure feasibility and with product managers to align on success metrics."
This approach demonstrates both your individual contributions and your ability to work effectively with others.
The key is showing your proactive actions within the team context. Rather than diminishing the team's role, highlight how you took initiative, facilitated collaboration, or drove results through your leadership.
The fix: Use "I" when describing your actions, but frame them within collaborative efforts. Show how your proactive approach benefited the team and project. Instead of "We redesigned the checkout flow," try "I identified issues in our checkout flow through user testing, then led collaborative design sessions with the team to develop solutions. I worked closely with developers to ensure feasibility and with product managers to align on success metrics."
This approach demonstrates both your individual contributions and your ability to work effectively with others.
Mistake 3: Failing to Tell a Clear Story
Unstructured answers make it difficult for interviewers to follow your thought process. Jumping between topics or focusing only on tasks rather than the complete narrative leads to confusion.
The fix: Use frameworks like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or STAR+L (adding Learning). This structure helps you clearly explain the context, your role, what you did, the outcome, and what you learned from the experience.
The fix: Use frameworks like the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or STAR+L (adding Learning). This structure helps you clearly explain the context, your role, what you did, the outcome, and what you learned from the experience.
Mistake 4: Underselling Your Achievements
Humility is valuable, but if you consistently downplay your impact, interviewers might miss your real value. Many designers struggle with this, especially those from cultures that emphasize modesty.
The fix: Highlight your results with specific details and numbers. Don't be afraid to celebrate your wins. Instead of "We made some improvements to user engagement," say "I redesigned the dashboard navigation, which increased user engagement by 25% over three months."
The fix: Highlight your results with specific details and numbers. Don't be afraid to celebrate your wins. Instead of "We made some improvements to user engagement," say "I redesigned the dashboard navigation, which increased user engagement by 25% over three months."
Mistake 5: Not Preparing for Behavioral Questions
Designers often expect to focus primarily on their portfolio, but interviews always include behavioral questions like "How do you handle feedback?" or "Tell me about a conflict with stakeholders." Without preparation, your answers may sound vague or generic.
The fix: Prepare three to five stories from your experience that demonstrate how you solve problems, adapt to change, and collaborate effectively. Practice them using structured frameworks, and make sure each story highlights different skills or situations.
The fix: Prepare three to five stories from your experience that demonstrate how you solve problems, adapt to change, and collaborate effectively. Practice them using structured frameworks, and make sure each story highlights different skills or situations.
Mistake 6: Not Asking Thoughtful Questions in Return
An interview is a two-way conversation. When designers don't ask meaningful questions, it can appear as if they're less engaged or genuinely interested in the team's culture and future direction.
The fix: Come prepared with questions that demonstrate your curiosity, values, and interest in growth. Here are some effective examples:
Asking thoughtful questions helps you evaluate whether the company is the right fit while showing that you're thinking strategically about your career.
The fix: Come prepared with questions that demonstrate your curiosity, values, and interest in growth. Here are some effective examples:
- "How do you support professional development and growth within your design team?"
- "What does collaboration look like between design, product, and engineering here?"
- "How does your team measure design success?"
- "What are the biggest challenges your design team is facing right now?"
- "Can you tell me about a recent project the design team is particularly proud of?"
Asking thoughtful questions helps you evaluate whether the company is the right fit while showing that you're thinking strategically about your career.
Summary: Turn Your Interview Skills Into Your Competitive Advantage
The best designers don't just create great products; they know how to communicate their value effectively. Practice remains the most powerful tool for improvement. Consider using mock interview platforms designed for designers, where you can simulate real scenarios, refine your self-introduction, receive feedback, and rehearse both portfolio presentations and behavioral questions.
Remember that even the most skilled designers can stumble in interviews. The goal isn't perfection but thoughtful preparation. By avoiding these common pitfalls, practicing your stories with the same rigor you'd apply to a design project, and maintaining genuine curiosity about each opportunity, you'll stand out for the right reasons.
Every interview is also a learning opportunity. Even if one doesn't result in an offer, the experience helps you refine your approach and storytelling skills. The more you practice presenting yourself as effectively as you present your designs, the more natural and confident these conversations will become.
Your design skills got you to the interview. Your communication skills will get you the job.
Remember that even the most skilled designers can stumble in interviews. The goal isn't perfection but thoughtful preparation. By avoiding these common pitfalls, practicing your stories with the same rigor you'd apply to a design project, and maintaining genuine curiosity about each opportunity, you'll stand out for the right reasons.
Every interview is also a learning opportunity. Even if one doesn't result in an offer, the experience helps you refine your approach and storytelling skills. The more you practice presenting yourself as effectively as you present your designs, the more natural and confident these conversations will become.
Your design skills got you to the interview. Your communication skills will get you the job.
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