Thoughts on Getting Hired as a UX Designer

How do you define UX design?

User experience design (UX, UXD, UED or XD) is the process of enhancing user satisfaction with a product by improving the usability, accessibility, and pleasure provided in the interaction with the product. User experience design encompasses traditional human–computer interaction (HCI) design, and extends it by addressing all aspects of a product or service as perceived by users. (Source: Wikipedia)

What’s your design process?

UX Design Process

What are some apps and websites that you love?

SEOMoz

 SEMRush

 SEOProfiler

 Google Analytic

 Webmaster Tools

Screaming Frog SEO Spider

How do you work with engineers/product managers and other designers?

Most organizations are structured in a way that designers work closely with Product Managers (PMs). They have an enormous say on how elements in a product function. They have the power to VETO a design decision or take a call on how a particular user-flow for a product is crafted. They are also completely involved in business needs and think about how the product has to be shaped to meet the above-mentioned needs. They think about how users interact with the product and analyze if the product meets the need of the intended target users. They help engineers prioritize the list of tasks that needs to be built. They are decision makers. They help build the roadmap and maintain/define the vision of the product.

These are a whole lot of responsibilities for one role, ain’t it?

In short, they are superstars who work in very high-pressure environments. At any given point, there’s always more on their plates than they can handle.

Designers need to work in tandem with the goals of a PM because at the end of the day, both these stakeholders have the same vision.

(Source: UX Design)

Who in the industry do you follow and read?

 Matt Cutts

 Rand Fishking

What’s the most interesting project you’ve worked on?

The majority of the projects I have worked on have been interesting. Each and every project presents its own set of challenges which in turn makes it fun at times, but frustrating as well too. Overall some of the most interesting projects are the one’s that require me to learn some form of new technology, such as; different forms of programming, a unique layout which differentiates from others and require teaching the new clients what they need to know or did not know. Another form of an interesting project is when you need to learn the industry from scratch and then apply what you learned to complete the project.

Do you prefer to work alone or with a team?

I have worked alone on almost all of the projects from start to finish. There are some examples where I have worked with Project Managers, designers and developers, but it was primarily done through the Internet only. I do not mind working with others as long as communication is sufficient and the goals can be achieved. Working with problematic people or people whom try managing to much of what you need to be doing can at times become very bothersome.

 

Tell me about a project that was difficult. How did you handle the situation?

Although I have worked  on multiple projects through the years, one major project that stands out is the designing and developing of an online store with payment processing. This took multiple hours on end of reading and trial by error. Significant amounts of testing and finding solutions to areas of the project that had to be completed before continuing on the the next phase of the project.

 

Why do you want to work at [company x]?

There are several reason that one would want to work with a new company. Some primary reasons are a change of pace, financial gains, room for advancement, better benefits, meeting and working with new people, more opportunity to gain experience and increasing your portfolio.

 

Why should I hire you?

It is obvious that if you bring value to the table for a company you are to be considered a valuable asset for the company. Any individual that has been provided the opportunity for an interview in most circumstances has already potentially brought the chance of added value for the company conducting the interview. Although some companies require multiple levels of the interviewing process each phase is usually more challenging than the next phase. So if you made it through the initial stage of the preliminary interview you should start to prepare for the next round of questions.

Essentially you are trying to sell your skills and accomplishments to the company. Be tactful and explain what type of value you can bring to the company. Not a time to brag about what you have done. Try explaining it in a meaningful way that assures the interviewer you are the right person for the job.

Be descriptive about what type’s of projects you have accomplished. Layout in detail what it took to get the projects completed, what aspects were challenging that you had to over come and try explaining it in terms that the interview will understand. More than likely though the interview should already know what you are discussing, but that is not always the case.

“Make sure you prepare before the interview”.

Full-time Web Designer, SEO Manager, Cold Fusion Developer, business owner and Internet marketing entrepreneur. Educational background includes Central Florida Community College, where I majored in Computer Information Administration and Rasmussen College; Computer Information Technology. I am the Founder and CEO of Link Worx Seo, played drums for almost 30 years and proud father of one daughter.

Come Join me on Google+

 

Hire a In-House SEO Manager or Outsource Your SEO Work?

SEO Selection

Importance of Selection

Choosing the correct SEO firm to perform the daily activities of optimization is an all to important investment in today’s modern world of technology. As an Internet Marketer, measuring the success of an SEO campaign can be measured in several way’s, such as web analytic, phone tracking, cash flow, conversions and more. Before deciding to hire an outside  SEO firm or in-house consultant, proper research should be done first before making the decision.

Getting Full Advantage

The availability to have more than one person to create an effective Internet marketing campaign is even better if the business plans to take full advantage of all marketing areas such as; search engine optimization, establishing a strong social media presence, web design and development, Pay per Click campaigns or video marketing and more. Of course this is only an option if the company looking to hire can afford to hire on separate individuals for these areas of specificity. As we know this may not always be a feasible option for smaller companies, thus trying to find someone to do it all can be meticulous at times.

Being able to cover all areas of marketing effectively can generate a return on investment with much higher gains. This is why finding a qualified individual or skilled  team is to aid the process is smart bu can be an arduous task accomplish.  Although if you are lucky enough to find an SEO company capable of managing all of it for you, it is recommended that you do your homework first before deciding to hire.  When choosing the individual or company for the work you should have no trouble finding reputable companies or individuals that provide the services, but keep in mind what options each has to offer that will be more beneficial to you as well as the cost of it all.

Considerations

Although if you plan to hire an in-house SEO manager, the availability to converse with him or her on a daily basis allows more managed control and changes to occur at a much faster pace when a proper plan is put into action. This creates a seamless integration within the company while also providing added benefits as well. If the company is large enough to have several departments within the organization, the manager will need to effectively coordinate with these different departments accordingly, in turn providing higher chances of success with the marketing plan.

Whether you are choosing an in-house SEO manager or outsourcing to an SEO firm, this type of investment for any business is a smart decision. For most companies it has become an awareness that this type of service is a necessity for most companies to survive. This is why your choice in decision-making with regards to choosing what best suits your company goals should not be taken lightly. Making the proper selection for SEO services should be regarded as long-term investment and not a short business venture.

Final Outcome

Upon making your final decision other areas of thought should include project size and depth which are some very important contributing factors when trying to decide on which direction to go for an SEO project. For smaller businesses it is much easier to just outsource the work to a capable company or individual with solid references of work and past projects. A primary reason is because of affordability concerns that are associated with a lot of smaller businesses.

Although, if you can afford to hire an in-house SEO manager this can be an advantage because your questions can be answered quickly along with the individual being accessible all the time. As a company you may find this to be the proper selection; because it will allow more insight, control-ability and you may be able to gain added knowledge from the specialist concerning other areas.

These other areas of concern to your company may include: web design, programming, different forms of marketing or other specific skill sets needed. This would be a good reason to hire one company to do it all or find an individual capable of performing all of these services for you. Which in turn usually reduces your cost as well.

“Be selective when choosing with a long-term goal in mind”.

I am a web designer, SEO specialist, programmer and internet marketer entrepreneur. I attended Central Florida Community College where I majored in Computer Information Administration and Rasmussen College studying Computer Information Technology. I am the Founder and CEO of Link Worx Seo, played drums for almost 30 years, father of one daughter and enjoy everything life has to offer.

Come Join me on Google+