I recently went through a multi-step interview process. The general interview covered expectations and a self-introduction. The second step was a technical interview, where I answered questions about my design process, methodologies, and workflows. Although I don’t recall all the specific questions, I’ll share the ones I remember. Overall, I appreciated that the interview was thorough and allowed us to discuss interesting topics. The interviewers seemed welcoming, which made for a positive experience. However, I was surprised by the reason given for my rejection, which was a lack of technical skills. This feedback felt subjective, as the interview focused on methodologies and best practices I follow and are widely used in startups and larger companies, without assessing specific technical skills (Screensharing and showing Figma files, showcasing micro-animations, prototypes, design system elements, etc). I suspect the decision may have been related to salary expectations since their offer was significantly below my current project rates. It would have been helpful to address this directly in the process.