The first round with the talent acquisition partner went really well, and I felt hopeful and excited for what was next. The second round with the hiring manager, however, left me a little disheartened. The first 15 minutes were spent on a detailed explanation of the company, the role, and even how campaigns were acquired. While I appreciate context, as a candidate I was really hoping to hear more about the design side: What problems would I be solving? What responsibilities would I take on? Where would my contribution have the most impact? That’s the information that helps us both see if there’s a true mutual fit. The onboarding stage is the perfect time for the deeper dive into company structure and processes. By the time I introduced myself, talked through my projects, and reached the case study, I was already drained - partly because several questions were repeated. It affected my performance, and I could feel myself disengage. I had expected the conversation to focus on my competencies — questions like “How would you approach a situation where stakeholders have conflicting priorities?”, “How do you present design decisions to non-design stakeholders?”, or “If a stakeholder strongly disagreed with your design direction, how would you handle it?” Those are the kinds of scenarios that truly reflect the challenges of a product designer’s role. Instead, I was asked broader, surface-level questions such as “What’s your favourite part of the process?” Another concern was around expectations versus reality. The role was advertised as a mid–senior UI/UX Designer position, yet I was told I’d need to lead a product pod and cover the full breadth of product design responsibilities - but at a UI/UX salary level. That mismatch, along with the “hybrid” role actually being four days a week onsite, made me question whether this was the right opportunity. I share this not out of frustration, but in the hope that it resonates. Designers do empathise - we know hiring is not easy. But it helps when the process also empathises with us. We’re people waiting for an opportunity to grow and contribute. No one knows everything, not even AI without training. What matters most is curiosity, drive, and a willingness to learn. Sometimes all someone needs is to be trusted with a chance.