This document summarizes a session from UX Camp London in 2010 on how to get a better job. Jason Mesut and Marcvus Mustafa, who have reviewed thousands of CVs and portfolios and interviewed hundreds of candidates, discussed factors for assessing candidates such as first impressions, skills, salary demands, efficiency, and team/company fit. They noted that getting a job depends on standing out from similar CVs, the use of recruiters, lack of proper trial periods for candidates, being junior or senior, referrals, take-home design challenges, and demonstrating involvement through portfolios rather than just finished products.

1. Get a Better Job
UX Camp London April 2010
Jason Mesut, Experience Director at The Team
Marcvus Mustafa, Head of User Experience at LBi

2. Why this session?
‣ Jason wanted a free form discussion on this subject
‣ Jason had seen a lot of cvs (1000s), a lot of portfolios (100s) and
interviewed a lot of candidates for UX roles in his career (100s)
‣ Jason roped in Marcus because he has seen even more cvs and portfolio
‣ Marcus also interviewed, recruited and line managed Jason at LBi
‣ Marcus and Jason also had lengthy discussions when Jason was thinking of
leaving LBi to go to The Team
‣ Marcus and Jason both want to improve the process and quality of
candidates for ourselves and the industry at large

3. Why did you come to the session today?
‣ Want a better job
‣ Want to see Jason and Marcus present
‣ Find candidates for a vacancy
‣ Find out what better means
‣ Thinking of changing a job at some point
‣ Following ‘him’ around
‣ Become more influential in my organisation
‣ Interested in our experience at looking through cvs

4. What is a better job?
‣ Opportunity for progression in an organisation
‣ Find it easier to do better delivery
‣ Feel like more than a number
‣ Better fit for your personality, your view of design process and
your ethics (clients, type of work)
‣ Changing your current job, or leaving your current job (could
even be a different job in same organisation)
‣ More money - but there is a huge risk of false economy in our
industry
‣ Get bonuses,incentives (not necessarily financial) appreciation
and kudos or
‣ Exposure to new ways of working

5. Factors for assessing candidates
‣ First impressions count a lot
‣ The need for different skills in an organisation and the
perception of a candidates of having those skills
‣ Their salary demands
‣ How efficient they are going to be
‣ Their intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
‣ Knowing they can do the job
‣ Team fit
‣ Company fit

6. Getting the job
‣ CVs are very similar - around 30% will get an interview, 10% an offer,
less accept
‣ Recruiters can charge 8-10k+ per candidate - this is often hidden, and
they can be a pain to work with
‣ Not enough trialling - probation’s not enough - but there are legal issues
for someone working for free or for short period on trial
‣ Depends on whether you are junior(aptitude) or senior (specific task or
role)
‣ Word of mouth referrals are more powerful
‣ Some companies set a task / design challenge - makes you want it more
‣ Depends on whether you are going for agency/in-house, UX company or
multi-disciplinary
‣ Portfolios need to demonstrate your level of involvement, show more
than the finished product and help support the stories of your experience