315: How to hire (and get hired) in a brand design role

Thank you to our sponsor, Framer. Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femke Femke and Charli discuss Gusto's new Creative Director role, including why the company hired for it and what they’re looking for. They talk about whether agency or in-house experience is better, how candidates should prepare for interviews, and what makes a talented brand designer stand out. They also mention whether having a broad or focused portfolio is better, common red flags to watch out for, and offer tips for applying to the brand designer role. Episode timestamps: 01:02 Episode start 02:16 Framer sponsorship 03:45 How did the need for a Creative Director at Gusto come about, and what is the company looking for in this role? 08:24 When hiring for a brand role in a tech company, do candidates from agency backgrounds bring unique qualities? Or are in-house candidates generally stronger? 11:11 Do you influence the interview questions during the hiring process? 13:44 What type of presentation do you expect from candidates? 15:33 What distinguishes a truly skilled designer from someone with skill gaps? 19:00 How important is breadth of work for a brand designer compared to product design? Do you prefer candidates with diverse experience or specialized expertise? 23:25 What are common red flags to watch out for? 28:52 Any advice for candidates applying for the brand designer IC role? 30:46 Charli's Book Update Links: A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Framer. Make sure to check them out Femke's new community Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers” Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at [email protected]