Shadowing Practice: The UX/Product Design Interview Process Explained (2023) - how I landed multiple FAANG offers - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hi, I'm Mei.
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I recently changed my job and joined Google as a senior UX designer.
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For this video, I will talk about the basic interview process, the difference between big tech, general tech, and startups.
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So you will be prepared to handle all type of companies' interviews.
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I will also throw some tips and tricks for you to stand out.
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Changing job is really hard, especially for a product designer or UX /UI designer.
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So once you understand the interview process, it's easier to prepare all the materials that you will need.
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I will start with Big Tech, which is established technology companies such as FAN.
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I interviewed with Google, Meta, and LinkedIn.
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Griefly got all the offers.
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There are minor differences between Big Tech interviews.
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But generally, there are five steps: recruiter call, initial interview, on -site interview, team matching, and offer.
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You can take a screenshot if you're Thank you.
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I'll also link the official guidelines from some of the big tech.
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Let's dive into the first step.
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Recruiter call is very straightforward.
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It's always 30 minutes.
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Quick reminder here: treat your recruiter with respect.
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Greet them by asking how they're doing today, and thank them for their time.
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Your recruiter has mutual interest with you, which is getting you hired.
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Recruiters will help as much as they can within the company's policies.
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I'm always being asked at least these two questions.
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Can you tell me about your background?
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What are you looking for for your next move?
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I have heard some stories that recruiters ask salary expectations.
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It's not a normal practice for the initial call.
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So I would say let's discuss that after the interviews so
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that you can save the time to talk about more important topics.
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When you answer the first question, I have many mentees who can talk for 15 minutes about their background.
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It's way too long.
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Please shorten that within 5 minutes.
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You can see a template here Let me give you a fake example.
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Pretend I was working at a tech startup.
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I'm Mei Sun.
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I'm currently working as a product design lead at Seoul Technology for five years.
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My primary focus is to bring delightful mobile experiences for high school students to learn advanced math.
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And our mobile platform, MAEU, has grown 50 % since last year.
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Before that, I was a product designer working at Growth Education for two years.
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I also spent five years designing for a variety of startups.
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We can dive into that if you're interested.
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For the second question, the answer can be templated.
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Everyone has their own goal in pursuing their career.
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And recruiters know that.
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What they're really asking is why you want to join their company.
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I would recommend an honest answer that's aligned with your own goals /interest.
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Don't say, "I think your company is great, the best technology company out there." This answer is not wrong,
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but you're not bringing valuable insights into why you want to join the company, why you're interested in it.
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Is it because you want to change the industry to get closer to your personal interest?
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Or you thrive in complexity, the company has more appealing problems for you to solve
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or you want to help general public users to address their daily pain points
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I'm just throwing a couple of examples to get you started to think about your motivation.
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After the initial Q &A, recruiters will give you a quick walkthrough of what the interview process is like for the company.
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By the end, you can ask a couple of questions, such as the timeline, any resources recruiters can share with you to better prepare your next interview.
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Now let's dive into the second step: portfolio review and app critiques Most big tech will start your interviews with portfolio review.
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Quick note here: Put your case study in a presentation instead of showing your website.
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You don't want to lose an opportunity by lack of preparation.
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Some of the companies have app critique right after the portfolio review.
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So you will be asked to choose a popular mobile app that you and the interviewer both use, then dive into the product itself.
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After the second step, you will hear back from your recruiter whether or not you're invited to an on -site interview.
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I call this on -site interview as interview marathon.
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You need to bring the best version of yourself during this day.
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Breakfast is very necessary.
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Have plenty of water by you because you will talk the whole day.
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For the on -site interview, you will start with portfolio review again, very likely with a different interviewer or group of interviewers.
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The recommended number for case studies is 2 to 3, given the time constraints.
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A wineboard session normally follows right after, aka design exercise, in which you will be prompted with a scenario or a problem.
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I want to remind you that this session is interactive.
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You need to ask questions to clarify if your understanding aligns with what the interviewer is looking for.
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Also, ask clarifying questions along the way.
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Don't be shy to ask for a hint if you're stuck.
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It shows the quality of you can proactively unblock yourself.
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Then, you will have 4 -5 one -on -one or two -on -ones with different interviewers, who are likely to be user experience designers or other UXers.
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Each interviewer has a specific topic that they focus on, so all the questions are not repeated.
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The topics can be design leadership, collaboration, product thinking, problem solving, and design execution.
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Preparing your stories before the interview would be crucial.
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Lots of questions are asking you to dive into your past
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working experiences based on your behavior to better judge how well you can perform on the job.
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So that's a general walkthrough of the interview process if you are interested in big tech UX design roles.
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A quick note about the difference between a product designer versus UX designer is that product designer is a more generalist role.
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The responsibility includes research, strategy,
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usability, interface design, and user flow design. is more specialized.
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You're more focused on creating strategy, workflows, and execution.
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Big tech normally hires experts such as UX designers, since there are researchers and interface designers in place.
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This is not a rule of thumb that big tech only hires UX designers instead of product designers.
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But now you wouldn't be confused about what they are when you see those job titles.
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The interview process is normally the same.
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Now, I want to touch point on the difference between big tech interview versus general tech interview and startups.
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General tech companies are the ones that need to digitalize their existing business for their users,
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such as investment banks or insurance companies.
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The hand count is sponsored by a specific team, so you wouldn't have a team matching process.
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Another difference is that your interviewers will not only be designers but also stakeholders such as engineers and product managers.
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Startups normally can have a faster interview process
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and you will have the opportunity to talk with the CEO directly if the team is relatively small.
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Startup hack -ons are limited, so they want to have candidates that's not afraid of getting their hands dirty and eager to try everything,
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including animations or marketing.
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updates.
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So don't be afraid to reach out and ask the results if you haven't heard back after three days.
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A general interview tip is that a company is not only hiring for skills but also personalities.
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Each of your interviewers is thinking about whether or not they can work with you daily.
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So when you prepare your interviews, you might want to record yourself and play back.
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That's the quickest way I find to raise self -awareness during interviews.
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If you have questions or insights about the interview process, leave me a comment and let's share knowledge together.
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Context & Background
In the video, Mei Sun shares her insights on navigating the UX/Product Design interview process, detailing her recent transition to a senior UX designer role at Google. With experience interviewing at prominent tech companies such as Google, Meta, and LinkedIn, she emphasizes the importance of understanding the interview dynamics and preparing effectively to increase the chances of landing a job in large tech firms. Mei focuses on key steps in the interview process, providing practical tips to help candidates stand out. This context sets the stage for English learners to enhance their professional communication skills, particularly in tech-related fields.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “Can you tell me about your background?” - A common question in interviews that allows you to summarize your professional journey.
- “I am currently working as a product design lead...” - A great way to start discussing your current role and responsibilities.
- “What are you looking for in your next move?” - A phrase that helps reveal your career aspirations and goals during the interview.
- “Thank you for your time.” - Politeness is key; always express gratitude to your interviewer.
- “I thrive in complexity...” - A thoughtful way to explain your work preferences and motivations to potential employers.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively tackle the challenges presented in the interview process discussed by Mei Sun, consider implementing a shadowing technique that focuses on pronunciation and communication. This method can enhance both your IELTS speaking practice and overall English speaking practice. Follow this step-by-step guide:
- Listen Actively: Start by closely listening to the video or audio, paying attention to Mei's pronunciation and intonation. Note how she structures her sentences.
- Repetition: Replay sections of the transcript. Use a shadowing app to practice repeating phrases aloud after Mei, mimicking her speech patterns. This helps improve English pronunciation and builds fluency.
- Break It Down: Focus on one segment at a time. For example, practice the “Can you tell me about your background?" question. Craft your response based on your experience while ensuring it fits within a 5-minute timeframe.
- Record Yourself: After shadowing, record yourself answering similar questions. Compare your pronunciation and pacing with the original.
- Seek Feedback: Share your recordings with a mentor or language partner who can provide constructive feedback on your clarity and effectiveness in communication.
By implementing these shadowing techniques, you can enhance your professional English skills, making you better prepared for interviews in any tech field.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is established · being asked · can be templated |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have heard · has grown · haven't heard |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.