What the real interview was like

1. Two written questions with the application: a past decision, and explaining a complex idea to a non-specialist.
2. A practice run of about 15 minutes in the real interface.
3. The real interview with Zara: 28 minutes, with five focus areas shown at the top of the screen.
4. A certification email two days later, then a project match nine days after that.

• Why you made a particular design decision.
• How you critique and evaluate work.
• How you make sense of an ambiguous brief.
• How you explain design to people outside the field.
• How you handle disagreement and bring others round.

• Each question was spoken and also shown as text, so it could be reread.
• When the candidate lacked the exact experience, Zara reframed the question around the underlying skill.
• Thinking aloud was taken as the answer, so pauses worked better kept silent.

• →The written questions hint at the rubric. Do the practice run.
• →Think in silence, or say you need a moment. Thinking aloud was taken as a finished answer.
• →Prepare two or three project stories before the call.

Certified within two days and matched to a project nine days later, after a hiring manager reviewed the profile.

1. Several micro1 assessments across design roles.
2. Practical exercises inside the visualization specialist assessment.

• Spot a tiny header size difference, 48 against 46 pixels, with no tools.
• Other very specific visual questions.

• The AI-led exercises felt strange at times.
• No design or measuring tools were available for the visual tasks.

• →Expect fine visual checks done by eye alone.

Not stated.