Last updated on Jul 25, 2024

Here's how you can land a job as a product designer in top industries.

Landing a job as a product designer in top industries requires not only creativity and technical skills but also a strategic approach to your career path. Product design is a field where function meets aesthetics, and as such, it demands a keen understanding of both user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) design, along with knowledge of the product development process. As you aspire to join the ranks of successful product designers, it's essential to hone your craft, understand industry needs, and network effectively. This article will guide you through the steps to position yourself as a top candidate for a product designer role.

1 Build Skills

To kickstart your career in product design, immerse yourself in learning core skills such as sketching, wireframing, prototyping, and user testing. Mastering design software like Adobe XD, Sketch, or Figma is crucial, as these tools are industry standards for creating high-fidelity designs and interactive prototypes. Additionally, understanding the principles of UX and UI design will enable you to create products that are not only visually appealing but also user-friendly and accessible.

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Arkadiusz Radek

Product Designer at ICEYE // Public Speaker // Maker // Co-Creator of Fundament // Sharing 10+ years of learnings
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To become an effective Product Designer, one needs to master a ton of skills. But keep going. There's a specific set of core skills that you will use every day in every project and an additional subset of skills you'll gain along the way. Solving complex problems with elegant and easy-to-use products is paramount. Another would be to learn about users' needs by planning and conducting user research activities. Your third top skill is business acumen – understanding why people buy and use products and how good design can influence the business. Take caution about design software. Figma, Sketch, and any other wireframing or prototyping software are just tools in your hands. If you master the core skills, you will be unstoppable.

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2 Portfolio Power

Your portfolio is your ticket to the industry—it showcases your best work and thought process. Ensure it is well-organized, highlights your design thinking, and demonstrates your problem-solving skills. Include case studies that show how you've applied your skills to real-world projects, detailing the challenges faced and the solutions you devised. A strong portfolio not only displays your technical ability but also tells the story of your design journey.

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Arkadiusz Radek

Product Designer at ICEYE // Public Speaker // Maker // Co-Creator of Fundament // Sharing 10+ years of learnings
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Crafting a well-though and effective portfolio isn't an easy task. You have to remember who the audience of your portfolio is: recruiters and design leads. They would like to understand your approach to solving problems with design. What is your thought process? Why do you make specific design decisions? How do you handle stressful situations that pop up along the way? How do you tackle unknowns? In your case studies, you should answer those questions and show how your decisions impacted the final product and business. Keep it short and sweet, and never explain design methods or pretend that any design process is linear.

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3 Network Smartly

Networking is a powerful tool in the job search arsenal. Attend industry conferences, join design communities online, and connect with professionals on platforms like LinkedIn. Engage in conversations, ask insightful questions, and share your work for feedback. Building relationships with other designers and industry insiders can lead to mentorship opportunities and insider knowledge about job openings before they're advertised.

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Nikolas Bryan-Dunaway, IDSA

Senior Designer at Club Car.
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Networking is very important. especially in our age of Social media. Using social media to grow your personal brand helps get you out there. Your artistic and design skills are important but equally important is how you interact with people. Showing your content talking with people and even doing videos can help people understand who you are in industry.

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4 Ace Interviews

When you land an interview, preparation is key. Research the company, understand its products, and be ready to discuss how your design philosophy aligns with their mission. Practice articulating your design process clearly, from ideation to execution. Employers are looking for candidates who can not only design beautiful products but also collaborate with cross-functional teams and contribute to the company's vision.

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Arkadiusz Radek

Product Designer at ICEYE // Public Speaker // Maker // Co-Creator of Fundament // Sharing 10+ years of learnings
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I love candidates who do at least basic research on the company they applied to. Today, it's super easy to find essential information about basically every company operating on our planet. Personally, I'd never apply to a company whose mission doesn't resonate with my worldview. Be prepared to present and voiceover one of your previous projects. You'll be asked questions that supplement your case study. Could you prepare some additional data to answer those? Remember to ask a few questions when it's appropriate during an interview. Learn how the team is structured. Ask about processes and resources. Learn about the top priorities of the product you'll be working on. Ask what are the current struggles of the team. It's a two-way match.

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5 Continuous Learning

The design industry is ever-evolving, so staying updated with the latest trends, tools, and methodologies is vital. Subscribe to design blogs, take online courses, and participate in workshops to refine your skills. This commitment to continuous learning demonstrates to potential employers that you're proactive about your professional development and willing to adapt to new challenges.

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6 Brand Yourself

Finally, create a personal brand that reflects your unique design style and philosophy. This can be through a personal website, blog posts, or active participation in design forums. Consistently sharing your thoughts on design trends and engaging with the community can establish you as a thought leader and increase your visibility to top employers in the industry.

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Somesh K.

👋 Helping Startups & Scaleups Rethink UX in B2B & B2C | $2M+ Cost Savings | 50% Workflow Optimization | Mentor @ ADPList | 100K+ LinkedIn Impressions | SaaS, Web3, AI 💎
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There's a huge inflow of design talent in the market. Everyone is excited to design great experiences and the only way to stand out is by creating your own personal brand. In today's world, you have to sell yourself as the most valuable asset to any company. Social media influencing and content marketing has been the recent trend to gain trust and followers in the community. It's hard, but consistency, discipline, and openness to adapt can help you reach the goal.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Here's how you can land a job as a product designer in top industries.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Build Skills

2 Portfolio Power

3 Network Smartly

4 Ace Interviews

5 Continuous Learning

6 Brand Yourself

7 Here’s what else to consider

Product Design

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Here's how you can land a job as a product designer in top industries.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Build Skills

2 Portfolio Power

3 Network Smartly

4 Ace Interviews

5 Continuous Learning

6 Brand Yourself

7 Here’s what else to consider

Product Design

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