As you’ve been looking around for the right UX job to suit your skill set and passions, surely you’ve noticed that each company has their own specific set of requirements and preferred experience. We’re not blowing your mind with that information, you already know.

But! We have recruited UX designers to fill projects and jobs for clients across a wide range of industries located in most longitudes, and we have a little more insight into just what they’re looking for—beyond those hard skills sets they mention in the public job description. In other words, we know what companies who are hiring are looking for, but not necessarily saying.

These attributes can come through in the way you present your resume, design your portfolio, and handle your interview. We want to share them with you now so that you can start integrating them into your applications—we think you’ll be surprised at the change in the response that you’ll see!

So without further ado, let’s run through the list shall we?

• You must make it clear that you have "a passion for UX"

And yes, this does mean doing more than using the word “passion” on your resume or in an interview. Maybe it’s important to stop and take time to consider what the word passion means to you as a person, and where you see it come through in your own work. It is important that you are confident and grounded in your own relationship to what you do and why you do it, before you start trying to convince someone else to pay you for it. And this doesn’t always mean you’re new to the game! If you’ve been in the UX business for years, you can just as easily talk about projects or experiences that have kept that passion alive!

• A “can-do” attitude

We’re not saying be a door mat, but it’s important to play up what you will bring to a job that sets you apart as a candidate. There might be dozens of people applying for the same project, but don’t let that get you down! Instead get excited about what you can contribute to the company that not many other candidates can say they bring with them too. What makes your depth of knowledge unique? When have you managed to maintain a positive attitude against the odds? How do you solve complex problems, or take on a task you’ve never handled on your own before? It’s just as important to play up how you face up to a situation that might be outside your comfort zone as to emphasize the skills you’ve demonstrated a thousand times. Companies are looking for a problem solver, and a huge component of showing that’s part of your skill set, is knocking on their door with a “can-do” attitude.

• Focused ability to thoroughly explain your current role

Just as important, but perhaps too easily forgotten, is your ability to talk about the job you have as much as the job that you want. Think through a typical week for yourself, and list your responsibilities. Then try it with a normal month. What sorts of situations can arise that aren’t always planned for that fall to you? Now make a list and practice concisely and precisely describing what you do and what makes you valuable. Think about categories like: responsibilities, roles, deliverables, outputs, and your impact on a project and the company. Ensure that your resume displays a balance of these categories. When you know your current job inside out, it’s often very exciting to hiring managers who are considering bringing you into a new job with their company.

• Enthusiasm for the position and interest in the company

 It is especially important that comes through in your cover letter and during your interview. So it’s a great idea to take the time to do research on your own before you submit your applications or show up at the office. When you’re able to ask informed questions, or specifically address the part you hope to play in their business, you’ll stand out from the stack of applicants they may be considering. Along the same lines, impressions you leave are very important. Make sure you follow up with thank you email, treat all administrative staff with respect, and touch base afterwards with any further thoughts you may have had about ideas, projects, or challenges that came us as a focus of your interview.

• Put your best work forward!  

We cannot neglect to mention one last requirement which is always explicitly desired by a client, but is too often overlooked by UX job seekers: a detailed, sharp portfolio which is, above all easily navigable, and shows depth and breadth of your work.

We hope that this list of “soft” skills and attributes will help you develop a competitive application that you can be proud of which will set you head and shoulders above the competition. We know you can do it, and we hope that you know that Bestica is here to help you in any way we can!