Obvious mistakes that Designers make when applying for a job
Product Prompt #31 on Product Disrupt Blog
Applying for a new job isn’t an everyday task, it’s an event. When preparing for this event, there are a number of things that scream for our attention. As a result, it gets all messy and allows for silly mistakes to happen.
I’ve been in the design industry for about 7 years and have had a fair share of job rejections. Now, through this experience and with the help of honest feedback from some good companies I’d applied to, I’ve picked up a thing or two about the obvious mistakes that designers make when applying for a new job.
Before we move forward, I just wanted to clarify that this isn’t going to be an extensive list of mistakes but just a few obvious yet critical one that comes to the top of my mind.
#1 — Not writing a cover letter
There’s a reason why companies have an option to attach a cover letter in the application form. Mostly, it isn’t a mandatory requirement but just by sending them a cover letter, you already differentiate yourself from so many other applicants without it.
A cover letter is your chance of setting up a narrative. You don’t send one and you can no longer control how they navigate through your application.
I do understand that writing a personalized cover letter for every other job you apply to isn’t feasible. You could address this problem by writing a semi-personalized cover letter. What I mean by this is to have most of the write-up about you as fixed and to change a line or two about the job/company you’re applying to.
One way to structure your semi-personalized cover letter would be as follows:
– Address the recruiter — [Personalized]
– Summary of your work experience — [Fixed]
– Links to the portfolio & blog — [Fixed]
– A line or two about the job role & the company — [Personalized]
#2— Not researching enough about the job & company
You can get away by not knowing much about a company when applying for a job but progressing to the next step is going to be very unlikely.
As a designer, It’s crucial that you understand their business, revenue model, the user base and other critical aspects that the company runs on. This would help you to ask the recruiter relevant questions during interviews and you’d be seen as a well-informed & curious candidate.
I also reached out to a friend who has been on the other side of the things to know his opinion on this topic.
#3— Not curating the projects
Lack of depth in the applicants’ case study, too much work showcased in their portfolio and not enough quality prioritization are the signs of a bad application for me.
Designers need to put forward their best work and put them forward very clearly.
#4— Not being honest about the work
When there seems to be even a little hint of dishonesty, it’s a direct no-go. If you artificially inflate your resume or portfolio, it will show and will work against you.
The important thing is, to be honest with yourself and the people you send your resume to. Be proud of your work, present it in the best way possible and mold your resume and portfolio to match your goals.
Related Interview: A Conversation with Sebastien Gabriel
Related Product Prompts
