I spoke with Glen Lipka, the Head of UX. It was quite an unconventional interview, but also a meaningful experience from which I learned a lot. Glen was very kind in his rejection and did not treat the meeting as a waste of time though I was not a suitable candidate. He instead viewed it as an opportunity for mentoring since he gains joy in helping others. He gave me helpful advice on breaking down common misconceptions of applicants on what hiring managers look for in portfolios, as well as advice on personal development. The interview pretty much turned into a mentoring session, and I'm thankful to Glen for his time and sincerity. I will remember what he taught me for future opportunities. Some main points I learned from Glen that will be helpful for other fellow product designers as well: ✨ differentiate your portfolio from other candidates; show your uniqueness ✨ be authentic; it's a disservice to both sides if one party is inauthentic ✨ as a designer, always be looking for ways to improve everything and anything