Staff Product Designer (L4)
Interview Stages
| Stage | Interviewer(s) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter Screen | [Recruiter Name] | 30 min |
| Hiring Manager Screen | [Hiring Manager Name] | 45 min |
| Portfolio Review | All Hiring Team | 60 min |
| Round 2: PM | [PM Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Designer | [Designer Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Round 2: Engineering | [Engineering Interviewer] | 45 min |
| Final/Culture Round | Executive or Culture Team Member | 30 min |
Recruiter Screen
Focus Areas: Communication, Curiosity, Growth Mindset
- Describe a time you took initiative to learn something new.
- Tell me about a moment when you collaborated across disciplines.
- What’s an example of a system or pattern you’ve scaled that influenced multiple teams?
Hiring Manager Screen
Focus Areas: Collaboration, Craft Thinking, Autonomy
- Tell me about a time you led a design project from start to finish.
- How do you ensure your work connects with both user goals and business outcomes?
- Describe how you balance your own judgment with stakeholder input.
Portfolio Review
Focus Areas: Craft, Storytelling, Communication
The candidate should walk the interviewers through two case studies they are proud of. The presentation should focus on how they approached the design problem, their process, key decisions, and outcomes. The case studies should be relevant to the type of work they would do in this role.
Round 2 Interviews
PM Interview
Focus Areas: Product Thinking, Collaboration, Prioritization
- Share a project where your design influenced the product direction.
- How do you manage ambiguity when product priorities shift?
- Tell me about a time you aligned design and product goals.
- How do you approach prioritizing user value against technical complexity?
Designer Interview
Focus Areas: Craft, Feedback, Systems Thinking
- Walk me through how you made decisions in a complex design system.
- How do you mentor or support peers in critique or design reviews?
- What's your process for evaluating design quality at scale?
- Tell me about a time your design work helped evolve the design language.
Engineering Interview
Focus Areas: Technical Collaboration, Feasibility Awareness, Trade-offs
- Describe a time when engineering constraints changed your design direction.
- How do you involve engineers in your design process early on?
- Tell me how you approach designing for implementation across platforms.
- What's your experience balancing ideal designs with MVP needs?
Final/Culture Round
Focus Areas: Cultural Contribution, Team Fit, Growth Potential
- How do you contribute to a collaborative team environment?
- How do you balance confidence in your work with openness to change?
- Describe a time you helped shape team culture or values.