Becoming the manager you wish you had
Hey! It’s been quite a few months since I’ve written and for that I apologize. Not only has it just been a crazy year, I’ve been getting situated since moving and I’ve been working quite a bit. That is exactly what I want to talk about today. I'm currently in the process of managing a design team and hiring for it. It’s exciting, I’m nervous, and there’s a lot that I will be learning along the way. Every action I’ve been taking from mentoring, allocating work, providing feedback, advocating for salary raises , and setting up the interview process has been intentional. I want to be the manager I wish I had throughout my career.
I’m currently working on improving the hiring process for my team. From my experience hiring and interviewing can feel like one big mind game and its intimidating. Now that I’m on the other side of the table, it’s my job to make people’s lives and experience better.
So how am I doing that?
Getting rid of the design challenge.
When you factor in interviewing with multiple companies, the stress of needing a job because bills are real, take home assignments, 4-5 rounds of interviews, and unnecessary requirements that are being asked for, it’s a wonder how any of us were able to break into the industry, let alone stay in it. I remember the stressful nights trying to complete them just for the chance of getting the job. I refuse to put anyone through that. I can look at a portfolio, get them to walk me through it and ask questions.
Not looking for /expecting the perfect portfolio
While there has been many blogs and videos created about how to create the perfect portfolio, the truth is that there is no such thing as one. Opinions are subjective and what one hiring manager may think is great, another one may think it’s too simple, too flashy, too wordy, not detailed enough etc. I’m looking at portfolios to see if a designer understands the product design process, has the skills needed to do the job, have a sense of strategy, understands accessibility, and can explain their design decisions. That’s all. I’m not expecting fancy animations etc. Those are just nice to haves in case they want to use those skills in their role.
Finding small wins for my team’s career trajectory
Many of us have experienced voicing our desire to be more challenged, work on different projects, or to be promoted just for it to be ignored. I’m taking note of what my team’s strengths are, what they want to learn, and how they want to grow. I’m also finding quick wins for my team that will help them grow not only at the company but for their entire career. I’ll be doing this by rotating them on various projects as well as allowing each of them to have time to contribute and maintain the company’s component’s library and style guide. Why? Because as they continue to grow in their journey they will need to have the experience.
Remembering my experiences as a junior and a mid level
I remember how difficult it was to not only get into this industry but also to figure out what path I should take to have the career I want, how to become confident in my skills, and what pitfalls to look out for. I can honestly say that I didn’t have a manager that helped me in that area until last year. Now that I’m becoming a manager, I want to make sure I provide my team with that same guidance and help them navigate their path with some ease.
While this is just the beginning and I have so much more to learn, I’m looking forward to the work I will be doing as a manager. I’m currently documenting how I’m doing onboarding for my team and the way that I’m going to help them plan and navigate their career. I’ll keep you all updated on my journey of this.
Until next time,
happy wireframing!