In this episode, Sarah Doody talks with Jared Tredly, a design recruiter at Shopify, about what really happens behind the scenes when UX and Product Design candidates apply for roles.
Jared shares an honest look at how generalist recruiters interpret design briefs, what they scan for in the first few seconds of reviewing a portfolio, and why so many designers accidentally bury the most important information. He also breaks down what senior-level designers must show, why overly long case studies backfire, and how to get visibility for design roles at Shopify through their general “design pool” application.
If you’ve ever wondered what recruiters are actually thinking as they review your portfolio, this episode takes you inside the process.
What you’ll learn:
- How recruiters evaluate portfolios when reviewing hundreds per day
- Why clarity, hierarchy, and intuitive navigation matter more than visuals
- The difference between junior and senior-level UX signals
- Why “micro” case studies are often more effective than showing your entire process
- How Shopify screens applications and why complete applications are critical
- How to get into Shopify’s internal design candidate pool
Links from this episode:
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