168 - UX Hiring Insights: Steph McDonald UX Design Recruiter at HubSpot on AI in Hiring, Portfolios & What Gets You Hired

What does it actually take to get hired in UX Design and stand out to UX recruiters? Steph McDonald, a UX Recruiter from HubSpot is here to share how she approaches UX hiring.

With 300+ applications often coming in for a single UX design role, the competition is intense. And behind every application is a recruiter making real decisions about who moves forward and who doesn't.

In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah Doody sits down with Steph McDonald, a lead UX design recruiter at HubSpot who has spent over 25 years in recruiting. Steph is refreshingly honest about what's happening on the other side of your application.

She breaks down exactly how candidates are evaluated, how AI is being used in hiring right now, and the resume and portfolio mistakes that get you skipped. She also shares what she actually wants to see in a portfolio (spoiler: the messy stuff), why one-page resumes drive her crazy, and why those AI-powered bots that apply to jobs on your behalf are doing more harm than good.

Whether you're actively applying to UX roles, this conversation will change how you think about showing up as a candidate.

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet Steph McDonald, UX Design Recruiter at HubSpot

01:55 How Steph got into recruiting by accident

03:39 How the job market has shifted post-COVID

05:28 Why companies are hiring fewer people at higher levels

06:35 How long it actually takes to get hired at HubSpot

07:51 How HubSpot tweaks its hiring process like a product

08:41 Trauma-informed recruiting and candidate empathy

10:03 How HubSpot gives candidates real feedback after interviews

13:53 How AI is used inside HubSpot's hiring process

16:23 Auto-reject questions and how they work

18:04 Why AI application bots are hurting candidates

21:49 How recruiters feel when they spot AI-generated answers

24:58 Resume hot takes: font size, page length, and impact

29:22 What Steph looks for in a UX portfolio

33:46 Portfolio format: website vs. presentation vs. Google folder

34:49 Diversity and inclusion in HubSpot's hiring process

38:45 How many people actually get interviewed per role

41:21 Can you reach out to a recruiter after getting rejected?

45:15 Using video in your portfolio: supplement, not replacement

46:02 What "experience with ambiguity" really means

50:03 Is HubSpot hiring right now?

51:29 Lightning round: first job, dream career, interview pump-up song

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