Top Prescreening Questions to Identify Your Ideal Senior Designer Candidate

Experience with Design Software

The first question to ask is about their experience with design software. This would give you an insight into their technical skills and the tools they are comfortable using. A proficient designer should be familiar with popular design software like Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Figma, and so on.

Handling Feedback and Criticism

Another important aspect to consider is how they handle feedback and criticism. In the design process, revisions and critiques are inevitable. A good designer should be able to accept constructive criticism, adapt and improve their designs based on the feedback received.

Meeting Tight Deadlines

Ask about a time when they had to meet a tight deadline for a design project. This will help you understand their time management skills and how they handle pressure and prioritize tasks.

Incorporating New Design Trends

It's also important to know how they incorporate new design trends in their projects. This shows their initiative in staying updated with the latest trends and applying them to improve their work.

Starting a New Design Project

Ask them about their process for starting a new design project. This will give you a glimpse of their strategic thinking, planning skills and overall approach to design work.

Experience Leading a Team

Since you're hiring for a senior role, find out if they have experience leading a team or managing other designers. Leadership skills are crucial for a senior designer, as they would be expected to guide and mentor junior designers.

Most Challenging Design Project

Inquiring about their most challenging design project can reveal their problem-solving skills and resilience. How they handled difficulties and navigated challenges can indicate their ability to handle complex projects in the future.

Experience with UI and UX Design

UI and UX design skills are key in today's digital age. Ask about their experience in this area to assess their understanding of user-centered design and their ability to create intuitive, user-friendly designs.

Incorporating Brand Identity

Understanding how they incorporate a company's brand identity into their designs can shed light on their ability to understand and translate a brand's values and message into visual elements.

Experience with Web and Digital Design

It's also crucial to know if they have experience with web and digital design. This includes their knowledge of responsive design, coding, and designing for different platforms.

Staying Updated on Design Trends

Ask how they stay updated on the latest design trends and techniques. This can indicate their passion for design and continuous learning.

Designing for Different Platforms

Find out if they have experience creating designs for different platforms like mobile, desktop, etc. This is important in the current multi-device environment where designs need to be responsive and adaptable.

Types of Design Projects Enjoyed

Knowing the types of design projects they enjoy working on can give you a clue about their interests and strengths. This can help determine if they would be a good fit for the types of projects your company typically handles.

Handling Multiple Projects

Ask how they handle multiple projects with overlapping deadlines. This will test their organizational and prioritization skills, which are vital in a fast-paced work environment.

Designing for Accessibility

Question them about their experience with designing for accessibility. It's important that your designs can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities.

Working with Cross-functional Teams

Ask about their experience working with cross-functional teams. This will show you their ability to collaborate effectively with different departments and understand different perspectives.

Comfortable Design Tools and Software

Find out which design tools and software they are most comfortable using. This can help you understand if they can easily adapt to the tools your team uses or if there would be a learning curve.

Measuring Success

Ask how they measure the success of their designs. Their answer can help you understand their approach to evaluation and whether they value user feedback and data analysis.

Experience with Print vs Digital Design

Lastly, discuss their experience with print design versus digital design. Both have unique requirements and knowing their expertise can help you understand their versatility and adaptability.

Creating Design Guidelines

Ask if they have experience creating design guidelines and maintaining design consistency across projects. This is crucial in ensuring the brand's visual identity is consistently represented across all designs.