At Automattic, we are always looking for talented designers who are passionate about world-class user experience, and are interested in working with a diverse and global team.
Our hiring process is designed not only to find the best talent but also to ensure that you feel confident and excited about the possibility of working with us.
As a design hiring manager at Automattic, I’ll walk you through each step of our hiring process, from the application to the final interview, offering tips and insights to raise your chances of joining our team.
1. Application, and making a great first impression
The application is your opportunity to showcase your best work and explain why you would be a great fit for the company.
Recruiters, along with a design team member, assess potential candidates based on a set of criteria that may vary depending on current job openings and the specific needs of the design teams. Since our hiring process is centralized for all Automattic products, we evaluate common traits that are essential to be selected for the next steps:
- Relevant experience as an in-house designer;
- Excellent craftsmanship and UI design skills;
- A portfolio with great narration (both written and visual).
How to prepare
Portfolio: Your portfolio is crucial, and we rarely consider candidates who do not provide examples of their past work. We highly value a portfolio that demonstrates your design skills without being overly long. As we usually have many potential candidates in our hiring pools, a minimalistic and well-presented portfolio could significantly increase your chances of being considered for the hiring process. Ensure that it is visually appealing and easy to navigate, with the right balance between written and visual content.
Resume and LinkedIn: Keep your resume updated and consider providing your LinkedIn profile. A detailed and up-to-date LinkedIn profile can make it easier for us to understand your professional background and allows our recruiters to efficiently review and track your profile among the many we receive each week.
2. Meeting the team
Once we review your application and determine that your profile potentially matches our current needs, we’ll invite you to a short introduction with our team.
This is an opportunity to learn more about each other and explain our process. It will also clarify expectations about the entire process and agree on engaging in further steps.
Preparation: Research and read about Automattic’s products and our values. Be ready to discuss your background, your design journey, and why you’re excited about joining us. Show curiosity and ask meaningful questions.
“The whole process felt real and gave me a better insight into the asynchronous culture at Automattic”
Matt West, Product Designer at WordPress.com
3. Slack interview
At Automattic, we work primarily through text-based communication. Our Slack interview is designed to assess your adaptability to our environment. You’ll be encouraged to communicate, as we do each day, through text-based conversations and long-form writing.
Preparation: A few days before your interview, we’ll invite you to our Slack workspace. We will ask you some questions to answer asynchronously and ask you to share some of your work in a clear, accessible format (PDF, Figma, Google Slides, or a link to your portfolio).
What to Expect: You’ll discuss your past projects with one of our designers, focusing on your design process, the challenges you faced, and the solutions you developed. We highly appreciate your attention to detail in both your visual and written presentation.
4. The Trial
We’ve found that the best way to evaluate someone is to just work together for a period of time. The trial project is a unique part of our process. It’s an opportunity to work on a real problem and demonstrate your design skills in a practical setting.
We also use trial projects to help determine which team is the best fit for each candidate, based on your interests, experience, and the work you produced during the process. You’ll interact with team members and receive transparent feedback throughout.
The trial is designed to help us better understand your thinking and design process and give you a glimpse into how we work here. While these projects are based on real scenarios, we’d also like to emphasize that we do not utilize or implement the design work you will create. We highly respect the time, effort, and skills used in a trial, and we are committed to ethical and fair hiring practices.
Preparation: A few days before your trial starts, we’ll invite you to our blogging workspace, P2. Our team will help you set up your account, and you will receive a brief with a design challenge and materials related to one of our products. A designer from Automattic will support your trial with feedback and input whenever you need it.
What to Expect: All Automattic trial projects are paid at a standard rate of $25 USD per hour. This trial rate has no relation to your future salary. You’ll work asynchronously, publishing updates in a timely manner in our P2, sharing your design progress, and iterating on the feedback you receive. We’ll evaluate your ability to plan and define the project scope, as well as the quality of design and the craft you execute. Clear communication and your adaptation to P2 are something we’ll consider in the final evaluation.
“My experience was incredibly positive. The trial project was challenging but rewarding. The support from the team was fantastic, and the process was clear and well-organized”
Nebojsa Jurcic, Motion Designer
Step 5: The Final Chats
Once you’ve successfully completed the trial, the next step is to have final chats with our Design Leads and HR. Here, we’ll learn more about your experience and assess overall fit within the organization. This is the last step in the process before becoming part of Automattic!
Preparation: Be prepared to talk about your experience during the trial, your interest in Automattic, your ambitions for joining the team, and any questions you might have about the company and the role.
Final Advice: Be yourself and ask questions, engage with our team, and show your personality and your passion for design and Automattic.
I hope this post gives you a clear understanding of the design hiring process at Automattic and provides you with the confidence to embark on this journey. Remember, our goal is to find the best fit for both you and our team, ensuring a human and tailored experience for every candidate.
If you have any questions about the process or need further clarification, please don’t hesitate to get in touch and connect with me on LinkedIn. We are here to help and look forward to potentially welcoming you to Automattic.
Good luck, and we can’t wait to read your application!
Automattic Design 