Zendesk Product Designer Interview Questions
& Process

The hiring process began with a screening and a call with the hiring manager. This was followed by a whiteboarding session and then interviews with people from other teams. The whiteboarding part was kind of a mess and not realistic. You get 60 minutes, six people are watching, and you have to solve a business problem that has nothing to do with Zendesk, and you don't get much info. It's unclear what they want, and it's a lot to ask. You have to figure out the problem, come up with ideas, and make wireframes, all in one hour. Also, they want wireframes in FigJam, which isn't great for that. Honestly, the only realistic thing to do is talk through your thoughts. But the interviewers seem to expect finished designs on the spot, which isn't how design work happens. All in all, it doesn't feel like a fair or good way to judge candidates.

I had a great initial chat with an HR person, they were super energetic and open, made it feel good and I got good info. Then I talked to the director and showed my portfolio. They gave me the lowdown on the team, how they work, and what the job entails. The director liked my presentation and said I'd move on. But then a week later, a different HR person emailed me, saying they wanted to move me forward, but for a less senior role. I asked for details about this role, like what it involved, but heard nothing for two weeks. Finally, the same HR person who hadn't been in touch called and offered a salary way below market rate. They also mentioned a standard 5% bonus and no stock since the company isn't public. It all felt pretty unprofessional, almost like they scraped my contact info. I've asked multiple times, on the phone and via email, for more info on the role, but still nothing.

The interview process included a recruitment call, a meeting with the hiring manager, a panel interview, a cross-functional interview, and finally a meeting with the VP. The people I met were pleasant, and overall, it was a good experience. For senior roles like this one, they don't typically include a hands-on exercise or quiz.