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
"AI scales research knowledge, but not judgment. It makes expertise easier to apply but does not replace it."
Julia CowingFrom Researcher to Builder: Vibe Coding Tomer Sharon's Method Finder
July 23, 2026
"If there’s a community that’s already lesser heard, then it’s even harder and those voices are often drowned out."
Shazia Ali Bruce Gillespie Joyce Lee Andy WarrCommunication: Innovative techniques for making your voice heard [Advancing Research Community Workshop Series]
August 21, 2024
"Accessibility at scale can put you into the VUCA world – volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous."
Sheri Byrne-HaberAccessibility at Scale
June 9, 2021
"We had to find someone in service ops and supply team management to get Mike's laptop set up with assistive tech before he started."
Suzan Bednarz Hilary SunderlandAccessibilityOps for All
January 8, 2024
"If you don’t know the type of trip, how do you choose your vehicle?"
Erika FlowersAI-Readiness: Preparing NASA for a Data-Driven, Agile Future
June 10, 2025
"Continuous onboarding is like drinking water in sips throughout the day, not a gallon all at once."
Jilanna WilsonDistributed Design Operations Management
October 23, 2019
"Design Ops professionals have the skills to lead these big initiatives like inclusion."
Saara Kamppari-MillerTheme Three Intro
September 9, 2022
"We moved the needle in the direction of needing digital healthcare access for everyone, not just the sick or disabled."
World Usability Day Panel Discussion
November 10, 2022
"I have somehow managed to not open Figma for the last six months, which I couldn’t have believed a year ago."
John DonmoyerShipping your code generation experiments to production
June 11, 2025
