One of the many cartoons poking fun at the interview process. It’s complicated but you’ve got this!!

With recruiting season in full swing, you might find yourself running into terms like “whiteboard challenge” and “product strategy interview”. We compiled a glossary of common interview rounds to help you get a sense of what they look like and tips for how you can be best prepared for them.

Behavioral / team fit

• WHAT: The “standard” interview questions that tend to start with “tell me about a time…”
• WHY: This gives the company a sense of who you are as a person and team member.

Whiteboard challenge

• WHAT: Given a design problem prompt, sketch, wireframe, etc your design approach and rough solution.
• WHY: This exercise showcases your design process, not your pixel-by-pixel work. Focus on making your thinking clear and articulating the decisions you are making, not on drawing a button perfectly!

Portfolio walkthrough

• WHAT: Your chance to tell your interviewers about projects you’re proud of in your portfolio! Set up the problem, what you did, and what you learned.
• WHY: This interview is meant to help measure what you are capable of on a longer time scale as well as your communication skills.

Design critique

• WHAT: Given a user need and a set of designs, offer critique and outline what you would do for improvement.
• WHY: This exercise shows your “design eye,” ability to think critically about a concept, and communicate those amazing design thoughts well.

Favorite / least favorite product