From Getting Rejected to Landing a UX Design Internship at Microsoft
This is my journey from being rejected by Microsoft’s Vancouver Garage UX Internship to landing a UX Design Internship at Microsoft HQ a year after.
First off, what is UI/UX Design?
When people think about design, they think about it as an isolated principle — a single discipline. Truth is, design is an umbrella term for a vast universe of disciplines, approaches, methodologies, and tools. Design is much more than pretty pixels; it plays a role in the context of the business, well beyond aesthetics. It is about market relevance and delivering what the user needs and wants.
User experience design (UX Design) is aimed at meeting users’ needs, and ensuring a seamless and delightful product experience through mobile apps, websites, VR/AR and much more. User interface design (UI Design) focuses on the visual structure of interfaces — for instance: buttons, icons, cards, etc. UX and UI are not mutually exclusive, but also not exactly the same. It is nearly impossible to work on user experience without considering the user interfaces, and vice-versa — that is why you will see a lot of job titles that combine both, such as “UI/UX designer”.
This industry deals with “people” both internally and externally. The vision work, which is done with our cross-functional partners (Research, Content Strategy, Product Management, Product Design, Engineering, etc) inspires teams to iterate and test ideas within their areas of focus to help align tactical efforts across product groups. Developing an inspirational and durable vision for products and experiences for our users is an integral part of what we do.
Microsoft Garage Internship
To give some context, during the winter of 2019 (my sophomore year), I applied for the Summer 2019 UX Design intern position located in Cambridge, Massachusetts — I did not get an email back and automatically assumed I was rejected.
A couple of months after, around September 2019 (my junior year), I received a surprising email from one of Microsoft’s University recruiters who encouraged me to apply again after viewing my application profile:
Hi Sophia,
I’m the University UX Recruiter here at Microsoft. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance virtually! I’m reaching out because you have applied to Microsoft design roles in the past, and I have two unique opportunities coming up in 2020, either of which I think you could be a good fit for! Our Vancouver Garage office offers a Winter Co-Op internship as well as a Summer Internship for designers. In both situations, you’d get to work on exciting up-and-coming in a state-of-the-art studio setting, alongside other designers, developers, and PMs, with the opportunity to present your work to the broader design community at Microsoft.
If this sounds like something you might be interested in, I encourage you to apply today, and would love it if you could reply back to confirm your application submission, so I can track it on my-end, and get you invited to our upcoming first-round interviews. Thanks, and let me know if you have any questions!
This was totally unexpected. I rubbed my eyes and reread the email a couple of times. Being skeptical, I initially assumed that it was one of those mass emails recruiters send out to past applicants. I quickly opened LinkedIn, which to my surprise, had a pending request from the recruiter. That is when everything settled in — it’s game time.
The interview process happened throughout most of my first junior semester. Aside from everything with school, it was the most intense and extensive interview process I have ever experienced.
Interview process + timeline brief
- September 9, 2019: Applied
- September 12, 2019: Accepted for First Round Interview
- October 21, 2019: First Round (Phone screening ~30mins)
- October 22, 2019: Accepted for Final Round Onsite Interview
- November 4, 2019: Final Round (Presentation + 1:1 interviews ~4hrs)
- November 8, 2019: Results
Throughout the Garage interview process I was able to access helpful resources:
I personally reached out to Justine Du (a returning designer at Microsoft who wrote an article about her interview process at Microsoft’s Redmond office), Calvin Zheng and Jimmy Hsu (previous Microsoft interns) on LinkedIn to ask for portfolio feedback, interview prep, personal experience and mentorship.
I am still extremely grateful for the support and motivation they provided me throughout this time. They each went above and beyond by answering all of the questions I had, as well as carving out their time to provide 1:1 video calls and check-ups to review project structures, behavioural questions and give helpful tips to consider during the UX whiteboard challenges.
There were two candidate groups (a mix of engineers and designers) divided into morning and afternoon interview sessions — The entire onsite process took about 4 hours; it consisted of a 10-minute portfolio presentation and 4 1:1 interviews with designers from different teams. While waiting in between interviews I also got to talk with other candidates which gave me an opportunity to connect with talented individuals in the design community (small shoutout to Estela Xu and Victor Ng!).
Once the final round of interviews was over, my brain was fried. The adrenaline rush had left my body and soon after dinner, I walked back to my hotel to pass out.
Rejection = Motivation
I am not going to lie, rejections are never fun. But looking back, there were a lot of things I could have done differently. I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome. I was just starting to grasp the concept of UI/UX design, so when I was given this huge opportunity, I felt overwhelmed, lost and clueless.
Reflecting back I…
- Was still figuring out which area of design I wanted to focus on, so I dumped everything onto my portfolio website. Having a wide range of skill set is very beneficial as it shows that you are an adaptable designer. However, “less is more” when you start seeing an inconsistent balance of projects within your portfolio.
- Did not showcase enough design process and/or not know when or how to cut down and prioritize information. I was not passionate enough about the projects I worked on so it was difficult for me to empathize with my own designs and the process that followed them.
- Only had a surface-level interest for UI/UX and never took the initiative to dive in deeper. In a way, I was forcing myself to learn things in a short period of time which took away the fun in exploring and building meaningful processes and experiences.
Although rejected, the fact that I was able to learn through Microsoft itself was a grand achievement for me. Not only did I get a first-hand experience of the interview process, but it also pushed me to pursue this industry and involve myself in opportunities that could help me direct my career path.
It is easy to be discouraged by rejections, but it does not define your capabilities as a designer.
Onwards
Now that fall recruitment was over, I started participating in hackathons and design competitions. It helped me connect with students from various different fields (engineering, business, design, research) who were also trying to break into the tech industry.
My projects started to shape themselves into something more consistent and relevant to my area of interest; I had a better understanding of my purpose as a designer and the importance of foundational UX research to set up for a successful and satisfying outcome for projects — research is key for designers to succeed when building products (user behaviour, interaction, attitude, etc) — lack of research often causes TONS of iterations.
In the early stage of studying design, I was very much focused on the “aesthetic” value of my projects — I was stuck for a while not knowing what I was designing for. Then I learned to understand how design plays a significant role in functionality, accessibility and inclusivity. I fell back in love with design; my design process became more meaningful and I found a sense of purpose in what I do. So now, I constantly ask myself:
“How can my design contribute to my community and the company I am working for, and how could I be a part of the solution, not the problem?”
The Global Pandemic & Summer 2020
After my first rejection with Microsoft, I started looking for other UX and Product Design intern roles for summer 2020. I felt less pressure going through different interviews because my experience with Microsoft was a huge practice run, and it practically set me up for the rest.
I still went through countless hours of filling in applicant profiles, personalizing cover letters, submitting design challenges and more. I got a handful of rejection emails. But I kept trying, and finally was lucky enough to land my first product design internship at Dotdash.
My summer with Dotdash was incredible. It was the summer where I learned and grew significantly as a designer. Nick Reiter (Senior UI/UX & Product Designer), Ellie Kantor (Senior Designer), Rob Hadley (Director of Product Design), Quentin Washington (Director of Product) and many others guided and mentored me throughout the internship. I am thankful for my family at Dotdash for welcoming me with open arms and helping me take that first big step towards my goals.
After my summer internship, I decided to take a gap year to focus on my career development. Staying productive and motivated was one of my biggest goals for my gap year, and I did that through continuing my internship with Dotdash, working for Bridgespace and consistently experimenting with new projects that allowed me to hone my design skills.
Tis the season to be recruiting (again)…
2020 was definitely a crazy time for all of us. And what is crazier is that the dreadful season of recruiting did not stop despite the global pandemic. In fact, it got worse. Employees were being laid off, recent graduates were struggling to find full-time roles, internships were being cancelled, and everyone was walking on eggshells — fearing the unknown.
The stress of uncertainty was unreal. I have dealt with self-doubt, wondering if I will ever make it out alive in my career path. Did I make the right decision? Am I doing well enough? I was constantly looking for validation in myself and my work, and going on LinkedIn did not necessarily help. It was difficult seeing people’s successful job titles and stories, although their achievements deserved to be celebrated. I felt intimidated and discouraged. Time was ticking, and I was starting to feel that taking this gap year was a mistake. I was afraid that it was going to become a long and empty journey for one.
But I soon realized, I wasn’t alone. There were so many people that offered support, kindness, mentorships, etc — even from those who were struggling more than me. Without the support of my friends, family and new friends and mentors I have met along the way, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
When I got my second chance to interview for Microsoft, there was a new sense of determination that stemmed in me. Not only did I want to do this for myself, but I also wanted to do it for everyone who believed in me.
Virtual Interview Process
The interview process was generally the same as the one I did for Garage, but virtual. Here is a detailed run-down of the interview format I went through:
First Round Interview: Phone Screening (~30min)
- Portfolio Review
- Behavioural Interview
Final Round Interview (~5hours):
- 20-minute presentation
- Four 1:1 interviews with Microsoft designers
Phone Screen Interview
I had a 30-minute call with a UX designer from Microsoft. The conversation with my interviewer was smooth, productive and optimistic. During the interview, I was asked to show some of the work that I had on my portfolio website. I briefly presented two of my proudest works that well-explained my design process, design decisions and key insights.
Presentation
In the first part of the final round interview, I had 25–30 minutes to meet with four Microsoft designers. Out of that 30minutes, I had 15–20 minutes for my portfolio presentation. I used this as an opportunity to reflect on who I am through my projects.
My presentation was focused on storytelling. I presented my journey of breaking into the industry, the successes and failures I have made along the way, my ongoing goals as an aspiring UX designer and how I was working towards it.
The presentation part of the interview is generally a chance for candidates to answer these types of questions:
- What were your contributions?
- What were your struggles and successes along the way?
- What does design mean to you?
- What type of issues motivate you?
Everyone present during the interview welcomes you in with open arms and is excited to learn more about you and the projects you created. So, don’t forget to have fun!
1:1 Interviews
I have had the pleasure to individually talk with the designers I met during my presentation. During the 1:1 interviews, interviewers are able to ask personal questions about you as a designer, an in-depth review of other portfolio projects you want to showcase and conduct whiteboard challenges to understand your design thinking process.
Whiteboard challenges
Depending on the interviewer, candidates are given whiteboard challenges within their 1:1s. Interviewers ask thought-provoking questions related to design problems and will ask designers to come up with a solution within 30–45 minutes.
There are no right or wrong answers to these challenges. Everyone will approach them differently. Interviewers are not there to see you come up with multiple solutions or how refined your drawings and wireframes are. The real purpose of this type of challenge is for them to evaluate your design process.
How do you approach the problem and pave your way through to a solution?
If you are struggling to tackle whiteboard challenges, here is a book that helped me:
I will admit, whiteboard challenges are intimidating. Even if you have practiced and read books about how to solve design problems multiple times, it is always a new challenge. But I hope the feeling of excitement buries intimidation. At the end of your day, you won’t be looking back on all those times you played it safe.
Challenges are always refreshing — it’s new, rare and most definitely rewarding at the end. Even if the results may not always live up to your standards, the fact that you tried deserves to be celebrated.
Takeaways + Tips
What did I do differently this time? I…
- Realized the importance of transparency and honesty. Imposter syndrome is real in every industry. I learned to be confident and demonstrate my asset as a designer and how I can provide to the company. Especially when it is an entry-level position, being able to be honest about what you are capable of and what your shortcomings are is an asset. Companies are not looking for someone who is “perfect”, but rather someone who possesses the technical skills and abilities to contribute to their company as well as someone open to learning and growing.
- Defined my what, whys and hows. What do I want to improve and why do I want to? If so, how will I get there? Whether it is about my journey as a designer or my projects, I always outline the steps I want to take, why it is crucial and the goals I want to reach through it.
- Reworked on my portfolio. My portfolio website is a place where I showcase my work, but it is a part of my project as well. It is a creative way to reflect who I am, my strengths, and what I value as a designer.
- Stopped limiting myself to only strive for big-name/scale companies. Diversifying my experience by interning at start-ups and mid-sized/semi-big companies was extremely beneficial. I was exposed to a diverse group of individuals outside my respective field and that in itself was an incredible experience. I learned how to collaborate and view/ resolve problems with a fresh new perspective. Building that skill came in handy at other companies I worked for, as well as life in general.
And most importantly…
I focused more on the journey than the outcome or name of a company; at the end of the day, I am looking for a place where I feel the happiest and welcomed.
Nonetheless, despite all the highs, I have learnt that sh*t happens, and sometimes, the same sh*t still happens… repeatedly. There were many nights where I cried myself to sleep. But I also always tried to remind myself of the good things: the support I had from my family and friends, the opportunity to still work, and being able to prospect the creative field I want to pursue.
I smiled, laughed and cried. I accepted that I couldn’t always be the best version of myself because I’m only human.
As a student, I enjoy the journey of figuring things out. Of course, the uncertainty of my future worries me but I also recognized that it is a chance for me to explore the curiosity within me. My freshman self never would have thought I would get myself into UI/UX design. I am so glad I did though, because it opened up a fresh perspective and different opportunities for me to meet amazing and talented individuals who constantly inspire me to shoot for the stars. As much as I am excited for this summer with Microsoft, I am even more thrilled to see how much I have learned and grown as a designer afterwards.
Remember, you don’t spend life finding yourself, you spend it creating yourself.
