Job hunting in 2025 feels like staying-steady in a fast-moving stream to me. Since COVID, the job market keeps changing. Teams are smaller, and the scope of work has become broader. And now, everyone’s talking about AI. It’s exciting, but also confusing.
In design, expectations have grown quickly. Companies no longer want someone who can just design. They want designers who can do everything: from research to delivery, from data to final product. They want designers who can build prototypes, conduct user tests, and use AI tools to speed things up.
As a UX/Product Designer, I’ve started to notice how much things have changed. Not only in how teams work, but also in how designers are hired.
The AI Buzz in Hiring
In April 2025, as I started applying for new roles, I realized how much AI had taken over the hiring process, and how little real communication was left in it.
This change showed up even in the most basic interactions. Some recruiters asked me to list every generative AI tool I’d used so my CV could pass automated scans. Others asked, “Have you used AI in your design process?” and move on after a quick yes or no. No curiosity. No conversation afterward.
One interview brought this to an extreme. The interviewer multitasked during entire call with me. He was in conversation with colleagues offside, checked messages, even took another phone call and then wrapped up our conversation using an AI summary. I felt invisible… 🫥 I left the call feeling like I hadn’t spoken to a real person at all.
Everyone talks about using AI tools, but few seem to understand why. The whole process felt soulless.
Designing My Own Job Search
After a few interviews like that, I realized I needed to change the way I approached the job search. Since I wasn’t under financial pressure, I gave myself room to slow-down and be-more-selective.
Instead of applying everywhere, I started focusing on finding a team whose values matched mine.
1.
I began treating myself the same way I would treat a product I’m designing:
My CV, portfolio, and website became interfaces.
The hiring teams were my end-users.
And every interview became a user test.
2.
After each interview, I reflected on the following:
Which parts of my case studies were clear or unclear?
At what moments did I seem to lose their attention?
Which points or messages resonated the most?
Why did they ask to hear more about my process?
Why did they continue to focus on or question specific keywords?
3.
Then I made improvements based on the patterns I identified.
I simplified my CV so it could pair more naturally with each job description. I aimed to make it easier for hiring teams to see the connection.
I restructured my case studies to highlight my design thinking process, not just the outcomes I delivered. I wanted people to see how I approach problems, not just what I produced.
I adjusted visuals and simplify wording to make my case-studies clearer and easier to understand.
The more I refined, the more something began to change. The job search started to feel less stressful and more meaningful. In the end, it wasn’t about proving anything. It was about communicating who I am as a designer clearly, confidently, and honestly.
Staying Grounded in a Trend-driven Industry
This job search made me take a closer look at the design field today. There’s a lot of talk about AI, but not always much depth behind the conversation. Many hiring processes focus on quick signals instead of real understanding.
At some point, I stopped trying to shape myself to fit every job. Instead, I began looking for roles that align with how I think and work. That shift helped me stay grounded. Recently, my best interviews were the ones centered on design thinking and problem-solving, not just trends or buzzwords.
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For me, staying grounded means returning to the fundamentals:
Why are we building this?
Who is it for?
What problem are we solving?
How does this help someone in real life?
When will this be used in their journey?
I think these questions still can keep the work meaningful, no matter how fast the industry changes.
What I Learned
This process changed how I see both my work and my place in it.
I used to believe that job searching was about proving my skills: showing the right experience, tools, and outcomes.
But as I progressed, I realized it’s less about proving and more about revealing who I am: how I think, what I value, and why design matters to me.
AI may shift the tools we use, but the heart of design remains the same: listening, understanding, and creating with intention!