Hey, UX friends! Happy Wednesday.
If we haven't met yet, my name is Anfisa—senior product designer at MEWS by day. By night, I help UXers to stand out in a crowded market inside the IntoUX Community. Oh, and I’m also raising a 1.5-year-old (hi, all working moms).
Here is an insight:
Job interview anxiety isn’t a confidence problem.
It’s a format problem.
You can’t win at interviews. You can only match.
That thought hit me while reflecting on our community's “mock interview format” during my vacation.
We’ve been running them for a while.
They’re helpful in theory, but in practice, they’ve always felt a bit... stiff.
People show up nervous.
Not because they’re unprepared...
But because the format feels like a performance.
Like you need to sound perfectly reflective. Perfectly ready. Perfectly “hireable.”
But the truth is:
You need reflection before you can show up clear about your work style, your instincts, your non-negotiables.
There’s no “right” way to be a designer. There’s only what you’re about, and what fits them.
And then it hit me: What if...
What if we stopped simulating interviews altogether?
What if we made it a fun game?
So I’ve tried something new: This or That game.
Not just one person is in the hot seat, but everyone plays and votes.
The questions are simple (but disarming for people who love to say “It depends”😜). E.g.:
- → “Speed or stability?”
- → “Visionary or integrator?”
- → “Metrics or momentum?”
You pick one. You reflect on why. You learn something about yourself.
And what came up in the chat blew me away:
- → “I think I value planning more than I admit.”
- → “I never realized that’s why I felt out of sync at my last job.”
- → “This was the hardest question of the day.”
People who had been quiet suddenly lit up
They weren’t guessing the “right” answer. They were noticing their own.
That’s the real magic: not preparing to impress, but to understand how you think and perform best, what stories you can tell…and of course, where that fits (something we unpack on the Job hunt strategy workshop).
Tayma said it helped her understand how different businesses think.
Anjali asked for more.
Lisa called it “fun and engaging.”
Want to play the next round on June 16th?
Join the community, too.
IntoUXCommunity is your shortcut to breaking into UX with confidence. Instead of figuring it all out in the dark, stay ahead in a competitive market— and enjoy the process. Here is what awaits you inside:
🔹 Job-hunting courses – Learn Strategy, Portfolio & Applications.
🔹 Weekly workshops – Practice interviews & whiteboard challenges.
🔹 Up-to-date market secrets – Learn from UX leaders how to shortcut.
🔹 Community chat – Connect, get feedback & grow your network.
🔹 Design hackathons – Coming this summer! 🚀
Or explore the free version here now.
Need to take a step back and figure out your pitch? Join this workshop on June 10th.
In today’s market, clear personal positioning is one of the best ways to stand out. On June 10th at 6 PM CET, Florian Boelter (Staff Product Designer at Juro + founder of Open Doors) is hosting a 90-minute interactive session to help you:
🔹 Uncover your real strengths.
🔹 Clarify what roles you’re a best fit for.
🔹 Shape a narrative that shows why you’re the right hire.
Perfect for job hunters - or anyone who just wants to sound less generic.
Flo is a pro at helping designers. Join the workshop, and thank me later 😉.
That's all for today.
Stay inspired and see you next week.
Anfisa
🫶
