To excel in your interviews, you must understand exactly what the interviewers are looking for during each phase of the evaluation.

Portfolio Presentation & Case Studies

Your portfolio is the single most important element of your application. Interviewers will look beyond the final visuals to understand your strategic thinking, user research, and problem-solving capabilities.

Be ready to go over:

• Problem Definition – How you identified the core user and business problem before starting the design.
• Iterative Process – Your sketches, wireframes, and prototypes, showing how you iterated based on feedback or data.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration – How you worked with copywriters, strategists, and developers to bring the project to life.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Accessibility (WCAG) compliance, design system contribution, and interactive motion design.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk me through the most challenging project in your portfolio and explain how you measured its success."
• "Show me a project where you had to pivot your design direction late in the process due to a constraint."

Design Tasks & Client Brief Execution

Many candidates are asked to complete a design task based on a realistic client brief. This evaluates how you handle constraints, interpret client needs, and deliver high-quality work under a deadline.

Be ready to go over:

• Brief Interpretation – How you analyze client goals, brand guidelines, and target demographics from a written brief.
• Speed and Quality – Delivering polished UI and coherent UX flows within the allotted timeframe.
• Presentation and Rationale – Your ability to present your solution to the team and defend your design decisions confidently.
• Advanced concepts (less common) – Creating responsive layouts for complex data visualization or multi-platform campaign ecosystems.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "For this task, explain why you chose this specific user flow over other alternatives."
• "How would you scale this campaign microsite design if the client requested a mobile app version?"

Behavioral & Stakeholder Management

In an agency, you will interact with diverse stakeholders, from internal creative directors to external client executives. This evaluation area focuses on your communication skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience.

Be ready to go over:

• Conflict Resolution – Navigating disagreements with developers, product managers, or clients regarding design choices.
• Receiving Feedback – Processing subjective critique constructively and translating it into actionable design improvements.
• Handling Ambiguity – Delivering strong design concepts even when client requirements are vague or incomplete.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "How do you handle a situation where a client insists on a feature that you know will harm the user experience?"
• "Tell me about a time you had to manage multiple high-priority design requests simultaneously."

As a UX/UI Designer at Weber Shandwick, your day-to-day work will be dynamic, fast-paced, and highly collaborative. You will not be siloed into a single product; instead, you will jump across different client accounts, industries, and digital mediums.

Your primary responsibility will be translating complex client communication strategies into intuitive and engaging digital experiences. This includes creating user flows, wireframes, site maps, and high-fidelity interactive prototypes. You will work closely with creative copywriters to ensure that the visual design and the copy work in harmony to tell a compelling brand story.

Collaboration is at the heart of the role. You will sit in cross-functional project teams alongside account directors, PR strategists, and front-end developers. You will play an active role in client workshops and presentations, helping to pitch creative ideas and explain the UX strategy behind your designs to stakeholders who may not have a technical background.

Additionally, you will help maintain design quality throughout the development process. This involves creating detailed design specifications, asset handoffs, and conducting design QA alongside developers to ensure that the final live product matches your approved designs perfectly.

To be competitive for the UX/UI Designer position at Weber Shandwick, you must demonstrate a strong balance of technical design mastery and agency-ready soft skills.

• Must-have skills – A highly polished digital portfolio showcasing responsive web design, mobile UI, and interactive prototypes. Advanced proficiency in Figma and the Adobe Creative Suite. A strong understanding of typography, layout, color theory, and modern design systems.
• Nice-to-have skills – Experience working in an advertising, PR, or digital marketing agency. Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and web capabilities to facilitate smoother developer handoffs. Experience with motion design, micro-interactions, or 3D design tools.
• Experience level – Typically requires a bachelor's degree in design, HCI, or a related field, along with 2 to 5 years of professional experience designing digital products and interactive campaigns.
• Soft skills – Exceptional presentation and storytelling skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions clearly to both internal teams and external clients. Strong time-management skills and the ability to thrive under tight deadlines.

Q: How difficult is the UX/UI Designer interview process at Weber Shandwick? A: Candidates generally report the interview difficulty as average. The technical expectations for visual craft and portfolio quality are high, but the interviewers are widely described as friendly, collaborative, and professional.

Q: What is the expectation for the take-home design task? A: The task is designed to simulate a real client project. You will typically be given a brief and asked to deliver a set of wireframes or high-fidelity UI screens. Expect to spend several hours on this task, and be prepared to present your design thinking to the team afterward.

Q: How quickly does the hiring team make a decision? A: The process can move very quickly once it begins. Many candidates report completing the entire process, from the recruiter screen to the final offer call, in about two weeks, though initial application response times can vary.

Q: Does Weber Shandwick support remote or hybrid working arrangements? A: Yes, Weber Shandwick generally supports modern hybrid working environments, though specific expectations regarding in-office collaboration days vary depending on the local office and the specific client accounts you support.

To maximize your chances of success, keep these practical, insider tips in mind as you prepare for your interviews.

Structure your portfolio case studies around the "Why": Do not just show polished, high-fidelity mockups. Walk your interviewers through your entire process, explaining why you made specific design choices and how you arrived at the final solution.

Prepare for creative icebreakers: Because Weber Shandwick is a highly creative agency, interviewers may ask unconventional questions (such as how you would design your dream car) to see how you think on your feet and how you apply design principles to abstract concepts.

Showcase your client-facing confidence: Practice presenting your work out loud. Focus on speaking clearly, maintaining high energy, and explaining your design decisions in a way that non-designers can easily understand and appreciate.

Follow up promptly and professionally: The agency environment moves fast. Respond to interview scheduling requests and follow-up emails quickly to demonstrate your enthusiasm, professionalism, and organizational skills.

Securing a UX/UI Designer role at Weber Shandwick offers an exciting opportunity to work at the forefront of digital storytelling, branding, and interactive design. In this role, your designs will reach global audiences and shape how people interact with some of the world's most recognizable brands. By focusing your preparation on your portfolio presentation, client-centric design thinking, and collaborative communication, you can stand out as a highly competitive candidate.

As you prepare to take the next steps in your application journey, remember to practice your storytelling and refine your design case studies. For more detailed interview insights, real candidate reviews, and preparation resources, you can explore additional materials on Dataford to ensure you enter your interviews with maximum confidence.

The salary data above provides insight into the competitive compensation packages offered for this role. When evaluating an offer, consider the full compensation package, including benefits, professional development opportunities, and the invaluable experience of working with high-profile global clients in a leading creative agency environment.