STATE OF DESIGN RECRUITING IN 2025

Summary from the TLDR Design newsletter

Design recruiting has shifted dramatically, with portfolios now completely overtaking resumes as recruiters skip straight to evaluating craft quality and business impact metrics. Companies prioritize collaboration skills and strong design opinions that AI cannot replicate, making designer conviction a make-or-break factor in startup hiring. Most design hires still happen through word-of-mouth referrals rather than cold applications, with active community participation becoming crucial for early-career designers.