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Hey and welcome back to another week! 👋

In this issue:

• Bombing Your Interviews?: Check today’s article to learn how to prep properly and get coached by my custom GPT!

• Ready To Master the Fundamentals?: DesignerUp’s course is probably the best way to do that! Check below for a discount even!

• Nicolas’ Portfolio: A portfolio that shows how you position yourself with a unique profile—even earlier in your career.

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Ace Your Next Design Interview (Plus: A Free AI Coach Inside) 🎙️

A little while ago, I received a message from someone who had used my custom Interview Coach GPT. They told me how much it helped them prep and how their confidence in interviews had shifted completely since using it. That got me thinking—it’s time for a proper guide.

Interviews are one of the most intimidating steps in landing your first or second design job. You’ve likely never done one in tech. Maybe you haven’t done one at all. But there’s good news: interview prep is a skill you can practice, and there are very specific ways to get better at it. In this article, I’ll walk you through the most important steps—plus how to use tools like my GPT to supercharge your prep.

Practice Interviewing

If you’ve made it to an interview, the company already sees potential. Your application resonated enough for them to think, “Let’s find out more.” So now’s your chance to amplify what already worked—and show you’ve got even more to bring.

Practicing for interviews is essential. The first time you answer a question about your biggest challenge or your design process should not be in the actual interview.

There are three solid ways to practice:

• With a peer. Find a fellow junior designer or friend and take turns asking each other common questions. This is great for building comfort.

• With a mentor. If you have one, this is gold. Mentors can offer feedback on both your answers and your presence.

• With a tool. My custom Interview Coach GPT simulates interviews based on the job description you give it. Just upload the JD as a PDF, tell it what kind of interview you’re prepping for (recruiter, hiring manager, etc.), and it will run a full simulation. You can even do this using voice mode for more realism. At the end, you can get detailed feedback from the GPT on how well your answers matched the job.

Whichever method you use, study the job description. Look at what they value. What kind of challenges do they highlight? What strengths do they seem to want? Your interview is a chance to expand on those points—so know them inside out.

And remember: curveballs happen. Be prepared to get a question that’s not in the job description. You don’t have to prepare fake answers for things you’ve never done—just get comfortable with honesty and redirection.

Prepare a Case Study Slide Deck

One of the most common mistakes in interviews: screen sharing your portfolio and walking through your written case study.

Case studies are built to be read, not presented live. Reading one out loud while someone watches is the opposite of engaging. Instead, prepare a proper slide deck for 1–2 projects.

This slide deck should be light on text, strong on visuals. Here’s a simple structure that works:

• One visual per slide. That visual could be a key screen, a diagram, a quote—whatever helps tell the story visually.

• Up to three bullet points per slide. Focus on the key decision, challenge, or insight you want to convey.

Use this format to tell the same story that lives in your case study—but in a more dynamic way. You don’t need to write new content for every interview. This deck can be reused and slightly tweaked for different roles by swapping slides or tailoring your intro and emphasis. It’s a long-term investment that will serve you well.

Ask (Better) Questions

You should never end an interview saying, “Nope, I don’t have any questions.” That signals lack of interest—or worse, lack of prep.

Good questions show that you’ve thought seriously about the company, the role, and the work you’d be doing. But not all questions are created equal. Here are some rules of thumb:

• Don’t ask things that are easily found on their website or in the job post.

• Don’t ask questions just for the sake of asking.

Instead, aim for questions that:

• Show curiosity about the business. (“What’s the company’s biggest goal for the next year?”)

• Give insight into team culture. (“How does design currently collaborate with product and engineering?”)

• Clarify the design process. (“Is there a design system? Who maintains it?”)

• Dig into company context, especially at startups. (“What’s the runway like?” or “Are you planning to raise another round soon?”)

I will soon provide a dedicated resource on good interview questions for candidates so watch this space!

Look at the Product

This step is so simple, and yet so many skip it.

Before the interview, look at the company’s actual product. If it’s gated or paid, request access if you’re past the recruiter screen. Don’t just critique it—try to understand it. What does it do? Who is it for? Where does it feel strong or unfinished?

This can help you in multiple ways:

• It shows you care. You’ve gone deeper than just “I want a job.”

• It helps inform your questions. (“I noticed your onboarding skips X—how did you approach that decision?”)

• It lets you draw connections to your past work. (“I worked on something very similar in my last project.”)

Be mindful here: if you give feedback, be diplomatic. The person interviewing you might have designed the very thing you’re critiquing.

If you raise concerns—especially around accessibility or usability—back them up with something specific.

Final Thoughts

Interviewing isn’t just about showing up and answering questions. It’s about preparation.

And preparation pays off.

Practice answering questions with peers or tools like my GPT. Present your work in the right format—with visual, engaging slides. Ask questions that show curiosity and thoughtfulness. And learn everything you can about the product before you show up.

That’s how you stand out as a junior.

(And if you haven’t already—give the Interview Coach GPT a try. It’s completely free and might just become your secret weapon.)

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👀 Portfolio Showcase

Today: Nicolas Donati

Nicolas Donati’s portfolio is one of the cleanest examples of strong, intentional positioning we’ve seen in a while.

Currently based in Berlin and working as an interaction designer at SAP, Nicolas brings a background in photography and graphic design into the world of product — and it shows. His work feels visually crisp, interaction-focused, and well-aligned to the enterprise environments he’s now operating in.

Let’s take a closer look at what Nicolas is doing well — and two opportunities to make an already strong portfolio even sharper.

That’s it for this week—thanks so much for the support! ♥️

If you’d like to support my efforts on Open Doors further you can buy me a coffee. If you ever got any value from my emails consider it so I can keep this newsletter free and available to everyone out there.

Do you want your own portfolio reviewed in-depth with a 30-minute advice-packed video review? Or do you require mentoring to figure out a proper strategy for your job search?

I got you!

• Book an in-depth portfolio or resume review with me

• Book a mentoring session with me

• Book a quick 15 min chat to ask a question and see if we vibe

Keep kicking doors open and see you next week!
- Florian