Beyond the UI - What hiring mangers really want in product designers

When you browse online and search for "product design" or "UX design," the results are often strikingly similar: UI tutorials, resources, and the latest design tools. These topics are undeniably eye-catching, racking up thousands of likes and shares. As a content creator myself, I’ve noticed how much easier it is to attract attention with posts like these. Below is a quick screenshot I took from Instagram when I searched "UX design":

But in reality, these shiny visuals and tools represent only a fraction of what we do as product designers in our day-to-day work.

I often meet new designers who assume that UI is the most important skill to master. They spend countless hours perfecting animations, learning advanced Figma techniques, or mimicking flashy interactions. While UI design is an essential part of our craft—our bread and butter—it’s not the whole story. Unless you're applying for a purely UI-focused role, hiring managers are looking for much more than eye-catching visuals.

For example, I recently coached a talented designer through a Liftyz session. He was a Figma wizard, creating stunning visuals and seamless interactions. But despite his skills and creativity, he was struggling to land product design interviews.

Why? His portfolio didn’t reflect the true breadth of a product designer's role. It lacked a clear demonstration of how he tackled real problems, collaborated with cross-functional teams, or approached the design process. Interestingly, he had these experiences, but they were missing from his portfolio and resume.

This is a common challenge I see with aspiring product designers.

Product design is more about more than just visuals

At its core, product design is about solving real problems and delivering meaningful impact—not just creating pretty screens. Here’s what hiring managers are really looking for:

• How you approach complex, ambiguous problem spaces.

• Your ability to clearly present and explain your design decisions.

• How well you research and understand users' needs and behaviors.

• Your collaboration skills with developers, product managers, and other stakeholders.

• If you're a strong team player and a good communicator.

• Your understanding of business goals and how to align your designs with them.

• How you use, maintain, or even build design systems to scale your work.

…and so much more.

Focusing solely on UI design may get you likes on Instagram, but it won’t necessarily get you a job as a product designer. To stand out in today’s competitive job market, you need to showcase the full range of skills and impact you bring to the table.

So, if you’re working on your portfolio or preparing for interviews, ask yourself: Are you telling the full story of who you are as a product designer?