Log in or create a free Rosenverse account to watch this video.
Log in Create free account100s of community videos are available to free members. Conference talks are generally available to Gold members.
UX Job Search AMA #2 with Joanne Weaver and Dave Hoffer
Summary
We’re thrilled to bring to the Rosenverse an AMA dedicated to finding and getting UX jobs! Co-led by Dave Hoffer, a design leader / hiring manager (from PwC, McKinsey, frog design) and Joanne Weaver, a recruiting agency owner (clients include: Mailchimp, Etsy, Justworks, Grubhub, NY Life), we held an insightful one-hour AMA to address all your job search questions. Join us! Whether seeking advice on crafting your ideal resume, how to nail your interviews, or understanding what employers are looking for in candidates today, attendees brought their best questions. Dave and Joanne are longtime design career coaches and know how to help. Gain valuable insights from us and each other!
Key Insights
-
•
Self-care, even small acts, supports resilience during tough job searches.
-
•
NDA constraints require tact: seek permissions, redact details, or build spec portfolios.
-
•
Older portfolio work still demonstrates thought process and structure despite domain changes.
-
•
In a competitive market, having any portfolio work is better than none; spec work helps fill gaps.
-
•
Salary negotiation is limited in a tight market, but building relationships can reveal future opportunities.
-
•
Career gaps can be reframed positively by transparency and framing as freelancing or personal growth.
-
•
AI is becoming integral in design; learning its capabilities is crucial without being intimidated.
-
•
Authenticity and uniqueness in portfolios and interviews make candidates memorable.
-
•
Building community connections in-person or virtually is key for learning and job search support.
-
•
Storytelling exercises like 360 feedback and reflecting on past work enhance candidates’ personal narratives.
Notable Quotes
"Hopefulness is hard earned, it lays waste to cynicism and says the world is worth believing in."
"If you don’t have any work, make some spec work just to show your skills."
"Showing up is half the battle; being on calls and asking questions makes you visible."
"Everything is designed around us; recognize that and use it to your advantage."
"A portfolio is a portfolio piece itself; structure and white space matter as much as content."
"Don’t lead with salary negotiation; build trust first and then explore possibilities."
"Launching and shipping things is a big deal and shows real impact beyond metrics."
"Being authentic and sharing what makes you different is what really stands out."
"AI is important and here to stay; ignoring it is ignoring the future of design."
"Put yourself in the hiring manager’s shoes; they scan quickly and want to see a fit fast."
Or choose a question:
More Videos
"I love the things—technology, design—but I really dislike the industry."
Cennydd BowlesExit Interview #2: Rediscovering the ethical heart of design
November 6, 2025
"The Homeowner Playbook helped align teams across product, marketing, and operations by giving everyone a shared research fact understanding."
Katie HansenFinding the unknown in the known: Harnessing meta-analysis and literature review
March 12, 2025
"If you centralize accessibility knowledge in your organization, it can become a blocker."
Sam ProulxAccessibility: An Opportunity to Innovate
March 9, 2022
"Sometimes the solution perceives the problem in the eyes of users, especially in enterprise spaces."
Alexandra SchmidtEnterprise UX Playbook
December 1, 2022
"People can make all sorts of inventive mistakes on their forms that AI struggles to interpret."
Caroline JarrettGarbage in, garbage out? Measuring error rates to get ready for AI
January 8, 2026
"What does a hysterectomy cost? $2,000, $13,000, or $40,000? It depends who you ask and who pays."
Meghan BausoneSystems Thinking and Design Innovation: Working with Leverage Points in Rural Maternal Health Systems
April 17, 2026
"Silence is productive—resist the temptation to fill it immediately after asking a question."
Shelby SwitzerMaking Space for Community Knowledge-sharing in a Distributed World
December 10, 2021
"Everyone, both speakers and participants, understood the assignment of civic design from day one."
Bria Alexander Ariel Kennan Charlotte Lee Sarah Brooks Emily Lessard Gordon Ross Joanne DongReflect and Chart Forward
December 10, 2021
"Find who the customer success leader is and get them embedded right in your scrum teams at the beginning, that's huge."
Smitha Papolu Nova Wehman-Brown Melissa Schmidt Adam MenterTheme 3 Discussion
June 4, 2019
