The interview questions for the UX/UI Designer position at CBRE aim to assess both your technical competencies and your ability to fit within the company culture. Questions will vary by team and project focus but generally reflect common themes in design thinking and user experience principles.

Technical / Domain Questions

These questions evaluate your understanding of design principles and technical skills in UX/UI.

• What design tools are you most proficient in, and how have you used them in past projects?
• Can you walk us through a project where you improved the user experience?
• How do you stay updated with the latest design trends and technologies?
• Describe a time when you had to advocate for your design choices.
• What is your process for gathering user feedback, and how do you incorporate it into your designs?

Behavioral / Leadership

These questions focus on your past experiences and how you interact with teams.

• Tell us about a challenging project and how you handled it.
• How do you prioritize tasks when working on multiple projects?
• Describe a situation where you had to work with a difficult team member. How did you resolve it?
• What motivates you in your design work?
• How do you handle feedback and criticism of your designs?

Problem-Solving / Case Studies

These questions assess your analytical skills and design thinking.

• How would you approach designing a new feature for our property management platform?
• What steps would you take to redesign a poorly performing app?
• If you were tasked with improving an existing user interface, what metrics would you consider?
• How would you balance user needs with business goals in a design project?
• Describe your process for conducting a usability test.

Cultural Fit / Values

These questions determine how well you align with CBRE's values and work culture.

• What does collaboration mean to you in a design context?
• How do you ensure inclusivity in your design work?
• Why do you want to work for CBRE, and what do you know about our company culture?
• How do you approach sustainability in design?
• Can you share an experience where you demonstrated leadership in a team setting?

Project-Specific Questions

These questions dive deeper into your portfolio and past work.

• Can you share a project from your portfolio that you are particularly proud of?
• What was your role in the project, and what challenges did you face?
• How did you measure the success of your design project?
• Explain your design rationale for one of your past projects.
• What tools did you use to prototype your designs?

The visual timeline illustrates the typical flow of the interview stages, highlighting the progression from screening to technical evaluations and final interviews. Use this information to manage your preparation time effectively, ensuring you're ready for each stage.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Role-related Knowledge

Understanding design principles is essential for success as a UX/UI Designer at CBRE. Interviewers will assess your knowledge of user experience best practices, design tools, and methodologies. Strong candidates will demonstrate a clear grasp of how to apply these principles in real-world scenarios, illustrating their expertise through past projects.

• User-centered design – The importance of focusing on user needs throughout the design process.
• Prototyping and wireframing – Your experience with tools such as Sketch, Figma, or Adobe XD.
• Visual design principles – Knowledge of typography, color theory, and layout design.

Problem-solving Ability

Your problem-solving skills will be evaluated through design challenges and case studies. Interviewers look for candidates who can articulate their approach to complex design issues and demonstrate critical thinking in their solutions.

• Analytical thinking – How you assess and break down design problems.
• Creative solutions – Evidence of innovative approaches to design challenges.
• Iterative design process – Your experience with prototyping, testing, and refining designs based on user feedback.

Leadership

As a UX/UI Designer, you will often need to influence and collaborate with cross-functional teams. Demonstrating leadership qualities will be crucial in showcasing your potential to drive design initiatives.

• Collaboration – Your ability to work effectively with product managers and developers.
• Communication skills – How clearly you articulate design concepts and engage stakeholders.
• Mentorship – Your willingness to guide junior designers or share knowledge with peers.

Culture Fit / Values

CBRE values a strong cultural fit, so being able to articulate your alignment with the company's mission and values will be important. Interviewers will evaluate how well you reflect the company’s principles in your work.

• Teamwork – Your ability to collaborate and contribute positively to team dynamics.

• Diversity and inclusivity – Your approach to creating designs that cater to a diverse audience.

• Sustainability – Awareness of how design choices can impact the environment and society.

• Advanced concepts (less common):

  • Accessibility in design – Understanding how to create inclusive designs for users with disabilities.
  • Mobile-first design – Experience designing for various devices, particularly mobile applications.
  • Data-informed design – Using analytics to inform design decisions.