Toptal Designer Interview Questions
& Process
Real candidates share what happened, how many rounds they had,
and how the experience turned out.
Based on 12 interview experiences · FREE TO READ
Candidate interview experiences
First-hand accounts from people who interviewed at Toptal.
Toptal
Designer
Entry Average Positive experience Accept offer 4 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Presentation Take home
Interview formats
Behavioral Presentation
The process started with a short 15-minute intro, mostly to check English skills. Then came a portfolio review, followed by a live video call where I presented past projects. The final step was a test project and its presentation.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Can you walk me through your design process?
Toptal
Senior Designer
Senior Easy Negative experience Decline offer 2 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical
I was contacted on LinkedIn by the recruitment team. I had two interviews: one with HR and another with a Creative Director. The CD interview was relaxed, and we had a good conversation. I then checked out their company culture on their website and was surprised to see a long list of things they 'don't want' in candidates. It seems like a 'glass is half empty' kind of place. On top of that, there are reports of abuse from the CEO. I withdrew my application before any offer was made. I'd suggest anyone interested in Toptal to do more research before applying or accepting an offer.
Confirmed questions2 questions
- Could you walk me through your design process?
- Can you briefly summarize your work over the last five years?
Toptal
Designer
Entry Average Negative experience No offer 5 rounds
Interview process
Recruiter call Technical screen Take home Presentation
Interview formats
Behavioral Technical Presentation
This was the strangest process to get into their network, involving 5 rounds. First, a language review to check English proficiency. Second, a portfolio review. Third, a test to critique a site. The last two rounds were design tests, which I had to do twice. The people at this company didn't give clear directions, and my initial design test was done incorrectly. I had to redo it, but the interviewer rejected me because I didn't include a specific functionality color that he liked, even though the test was described as 'open ended'. He mentioned everything was perfect but rejected me over one detail. He then said that since he learned a hard lesson in life, I would have to do the same for making the same 'mistake' by not being accepted. Because of this rejection, my application is now on hold for a year, and I will not reapply.
Confirmed questions1 question
- Perform a design test for an app, which is subjective to their preferences.
Toptal Designer Interview Questions
Quoted word for word from Toptal interview reports.
“What software and tools are part of your workflow?”
Read reports →“What's your strategy for managing time when handling more than one client simultaneously?”
Read reports →“Can you walk me through your design process?”
Read reports →“Regarding your UX experience, do you have it?”
Read reports →“Can you briefly summarize your work over the last five years?”
Read report →“What types of projects have you managed in your current role?”
Read report →“Tell me about your process.”
Read report →“Can you walk me through a project, detailing your role, what you did, and why you made certain design decisions?”
Read report →“Could you describe your professional background?”
Read report →Formats, difficulty and experience
Across all 12 Toptal interview reports.