The Reality Check: What's Actually Happening in UX Hiring

Let's talk about the numbers nobody wants to discuss.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says web and digital designers are supposed to see 8% growth through 2033. Sounds promising, right? But here's what they don't tell you: that's from a baseline that already got decimated by layoffs.

We're seeing designers with 10+ years of experience competing for mid-level roles. People who led design teams at major tech companies are now freelancing to pay rent. And everyone's pretending this is temporary.

The Numbers Are Worse Than You Think

Tech companies cut over 260,000 jobs in 2023. Another 140,000+ in 2024. And while hiring has "stabilized" in 2025, that just means the bleeding stopped. It doesn't mean the jobs came back.

For every open UX position, there are hundreds of applicants. Not dozens. Hundreds. LinkedIn posts for design roles regularly show 500+ applications within 48 hours.

The median time to find a new design role? Six months. That's if you're actively interviewing the entire time. Some designers I've talked to have been searching for over a year.

What Changed

Companies realized they could operate with smaller design teams. One senior designer doing the work of three juniors. AI tools handling production work. Design systems eliminating redundancy.

The "growth at all costs" era created bloated design teams. Now efficiency is king, and every role needs to justify its existence quarterly.

Here's the thing: companies aren't just hiring less. They're hiring differently.

They want unicorns. Designers who can also code. Who understand data. Who can write copy. Who can facilitate workshops. Who can manage stakeholders. All for the same salary they paid specialists five years ago.

The Interview Marathon

Remember when design interviews were three rounds? Portfolio review, design challenge, culture fit. Done.

Now? Latin's research found some designers going through 11 rounds. Eleven. That's not including the take-home assignment that takes 20 hours but they swear should only take 4.

And the questions themselves have completely changed. They're not asking about your design process anymore. They want to know how you're using AI, how you measure ROI, whether you can ship without a PM.

And after all that? Ghosting. Radio silence. Or my personal favorite: "We've decided to go in a different direction." Translation: we hired internally or eliminated the role.

Why Practice Matters More Than Ever

When you finally get an interview, you can't afford to stumble. Not when there are 300 other designers waiting for their shot.

Every interaction counts. The recruiter screen where they ask about salary expectations. The portfolio review where you need to tell a compelling story in 45 minutes. The whiteboard challenge where you solve problems while three people watch. The "casual coffee chat" that's actually another evaluation.

You need to be sharp. Clear. Confident. Even when you're exhausted from the marathon.

The research backs this up: practice in low-stress settings significantly reduces interview anxiety and builds real confidence. Not the fake-it-til-you-make-it kind. The real kind that comes from repetition and feedback.

The Uncomfortable Truth

The market isn't going back to 2021. Those days of multiple offers and signing bonuses? They're gone.

This is the new normal. Fewer roles, higher bars, longer processes.

But designers are still getting hired. The ones who adapt to what companies actually want. Who can articulate their value beyond pretty pixels. Who understand business impact, not just user needs.

Most importantly? The ones who can navigate the interview gauntlet without losing themselves in the process.

What You Can Control

You can't control the market. You can't make companies hire more designers. You can't turn back time to 2021.

But you can control how you show up. How prepared you are. How clearly you communicate your value.

That's why we built Practice Round. Because in this market, you need every advantage you can get. A community where designers help each other navigate the interview gauntlet and come out stronger.

Sign up at practiceround.co/signup

Know someone struggling with the job search? Share this with them. Sometimes knowing you're not alone in this mess helps.