#12 Champagne and razor blades: Inside design recruitment

“What does it mean to recruit in a turbulent UX market — and where is the industry heading?”SummaryIn this episode, Danny speaks with long-time UX and design recruiter Nick Grantham about the realities of today’s hiring landscape. Nick shares his journey from studying design to becoming a specialist design recruiter, the emotional side of matchmaking candidates and teams, and why the last few years have reshaped expectations for designers, hiring managers, and recruiters alike. They discuss the impact of interest rates, AI, internal talent teams, CV myths, candidate overwhelm, and how to stay resilient while navigating a challenging market. Nick brings clarity, honesty, and grounded optimism to a conversation many designers need right now.GuestNick GranthamNick is an Associate Director at Zebra People, who are a long-standing, digital specialist recruitment agency. Nick himself has been leading UX and product design recruitment across start-ups, scale-ups, and major brands for the past 15 years. With deep experience shaping design teams and advising on hiring strategy, Nick brings a no-nonsense approach to his trade and had even started his career in design before switching to recruitment.LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgrantham/Website – https://zebrapeople.com/HostDanny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/Website – www.dannyhearn.mePodcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.comChapters00:00 Why bring a recruiter into a design podcast02:02 Nick’s journey from transport design to UX recruitment08:27 What recruiters actually do (and how matchmaking really works)10:14 The human side of recruitment, emotions, and life-changing moves13:51 “Champagne and razor blades”: the highs and lows of placements23:22 Why this downturn feels different: interest rates, budgets, and AI30:21 Adapting as a designer: UX, product, research, and service design35:26 Specialising, doubling down on strengths, and applying strategically38:33 Tasks, process design, and the impact on diversity and inclusion54:17 The future of recruitment, AI, and cautious optimism for the market