173: UX Hiring Insights: Jeni Bible, UX Manager at Home Depot, on How She Got Hired, What She Looks for in Candidates, & Presenting UX Case Studies

Do you ever wonder what happens on the other side of a UX job application, like who's reading your portfolio, what makes them keep going, and what makes them close the tab? Sarah sits down with Jeni Bible, a UX Manager at Home Depot who has a uniquely full-circle perspective.

Jeni went through Career Strategy Lab, landed her role at Home Depot just four months later, and is now the hiring manager evaluating candidates for that same type of position. Jeni brings 27 years in the design industry, starting as a graphic designer, running her own agency for two decades, and making her way into UX through e-commerce. She now leads the online UX team at homedepot.com, focused on critical touchpoints like checkout, payments, and promotions.

In this conversation, Jeni gets candid about what she looks for in a portfolio, why most candidates miss the mark in interviews, and what she told recruiters to help them filter the right people for her team. If you're in the thick of a UX job search or considering a career pivot, this interview with Jeni will be insightful.

Topics discussed in this episode:

✅ How to get your application through a UX recruiters initial filter

✅ What portfolio format impresses UX recruiters more than a polished personal website

✅ The questions to ask a UX recruiter that the job description won't answer

✅ Why UX recruiters want to see failed tests and pivots, not just polished outcomes

✅ The panel interview move that almost always advances candidates to the next round

✅ How to include a canceled project in your UX portfolio without it hurting your chances

✅ Home Depot's UX career ladder explained and how contractor roles can open the door

✅ How Jeni uses peer feedback as a hiring manager

Home Depot Careers

Contractor Depot

Timestamps:

00:00 Introducing Jeni Bible, UX Manager

01:13 Online vs. enterprise UX at Home Depot

02:32 Jeni's 27-year path into UX

05:35 Translating agency experience to in-house roles

07:47 What to ask recruiters on the first call

11:32 How CSL helped Jeni find direction

15:04 Tailoring a portfolio for a manager role

22:36 From 1,500 applicants to 10

24:07 Password-protected portfolios

29:08 What Jeni looks for in case studies

33:32 Candidates who don't ask about the team

36:27 Let the hiring manager choose your case study

39:22 Video case studies and prototype demos that stood out

41:48 The art of the pause during portfolio presentations

49:40 How to handle a canceled project in your portfolio

51:27 Reaching out on LinkedIn: what works, what doesn't

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