Thread by @MengTo

I received over 300 job applicants over DMs and email because of a tweet. I went through all of them. This has been my experience so far. Thread.

Most applicants are early designers/coders just needing some mentorship. Some want to switch roles. They started design or code roughly 9 months ago using online courses, boot camps or as part of 100 days of a design/code challenge.

The intro email helps a ton. Effort cannot be faked. Live projects are useful. Designers, make people fall in love with your process and seek criticism. Coders, show mental stamina and problem-solving. ELI5 your code, tools and tech stack.

I don’t do ambiguous tests or projects before hiring. Did 20 interviews, spent 1 hour each. I look for fun processes, curious minds and people who can teach me, regardless of skill level. We’re surrounded by tasteless products. Know which ones. Solve them.

Try new ideas, tools and challenges. Fail and repeat until you face a wall as tall as your passion. That’s the real test. Seek mentors and be humble, but bold. Rely on community, they’re your team. Move to the next steps and come back, you’ll figure it out eventually.

My hope is that you don’t stop. Don’t give up. Apply again in 3-6 months. Keep designing and coding until your heart is content. Success is not about me or the companies that you apply for. It’s about you. Invest in yourself.

This industry needs to embrace the new generation of self-taught designers/coders who have little work experience but a ton of passion and growth. If you’re hiring early designers/coders, please reply to this thread.