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“Do you think we’ll find the right person on our own?”
Back in the summer of 2024, that question stayed on our minds when we decided to open our first Head of Product Design role at LearnWorlds. It wasn’t just a hire for us—it was a milestone. We needed someone who could lead the design vision for a platform that impacts thousands of educators and learners globally. Someone who could elevate every interaction, every click, and every learning journey.
The pressure was on, and if we’re honest, we weren’t entirely confident that our organic pool of candidates would deliver the level of talent we needed. There was even a moment when we decided to bring in external recruiters to support the search. But before diving in fully, we thought, ‘Let’s see what happens when we tell our own story first.’
1. You Can’t Predict the Market—It Might Surprise You
We wrote the job description carefully, pouring excitement about the role into every sentence. Within days, applications began rolling in. The state of the market is always uncertain, and this time, it was unexpectedly positive. Initially, we had limited expectations for a company of our size, but we received many applications. To our surprise, many of them were outstanding. Designers from all over the world applied, coming from industries as diverse as automotive (e.g. BMW, Volvo) and tech giants (e.g. Shopify, PayPal, Guardian).
This was in stark contrast to our previous experiences hiring senior designers. Every day, we laughed in amazement as more star candidates joined our backlog. The takeaway? The global market is unpredictable. Shifting professional trends, changes in industry focus (in our case, eLearning), and burnout from bureaucratic environments in large corporations can create sudden interest in your role. Open the position—you might discover incredible candidates you didn’t anticipate. And before going to recruiters, try by yourself first.
2. There’s a Knowledge Asymmetry—The Candidates Know More
The truth was, we were stepping into uncharted territory. Our understanding of what this role truly entailed—beyond the surface—was limited. We lacked insights into the specific tools, frameworks, and strategic methods employed by product design leaders in larger, more established organizations. This gap in knowledge created what can best be described as a knowledge asymmetry: while we understood the basics of what we needed, we had only a vague sense of what was truly possible or necessary for success at this level.
Our initial excitement quickly turned into anxiety. With so many high-quality applications, evaluating them was daunting. Hiring for a role directly reporting to the CPO—someone who would shape the team’s future—isn’t easy.
This asymmetry became even more apparent as we engaged with candidates with tons of experience from world-renowned organizations. These individuals not only had a far more nuanced understanding of the role but also came with a deep awareness of their own career trajectories. The more accomplished the candidate, the wider the gap between our perspective and theirs.
This imbalance posed a double risk. On one hand, we struggled to fully grasp what these candidates were seeking in their next challenge. Were they looking for innovation, freedom to experiment, or the opportunity to lead? Did they view our company as a platform for growth, or did they see limitations in our current stage of development? On the other hand, we worried that they might perceive us as immature or unprepared to support their ambitions. A mismatch in these expectations could result in losing out on incredible talent—not because we weren’t a good fit, but because we failed to articulate our vision in a way that resonated with them.
To address this, we focused on open, exploratory conversations with candidates to better understand their aspirations, working styles, and expectations and we improved every day.
3. Every Interview is a Masterclass: Learning from Exceptional Candidates
Every interview with a high-caliber candidate is a rare chance to learn. It’s an opportunity to explore their expectations, working methods, team dynamics, organizational ideals, and even common pitfalls in the industry. After each interview, you refine your questions, redefine the role, and sharpen your focus. It is like an apocalypse.
These aren’t just evaluation interviews—they’re a way to better understand what you’re looking for, what you’re not, and what you hadn’t considered. Talking to these people elevates you and your company. Treat these conversations as a mutual learning experience.
4. The Assignment Debate: Assess what you know best, stick to your product
We liked them in the screening interview, and now what? The assignment is often the most controversial part of the process. Two schools of thought exist:
The first approach suggests creating an assignment that is outside the specific scope of the company’s application. This has two key advantages: first, it makes the task easier for the candidate, and second, it ensures fairness, as the time and effort they invest won’t be directly exploited by the company. Proponents of this method also argue that evaluators, due to their deep familiarity with the company’s application, may be biased against ideas that they already know won’t work. This can lead them to dismiss a candidate’s approach without fully considering the limited time and context the candidate had to work with.
There is, however, a second approach: assigning a task directly tied to a real problem within the company’s application. This allows you to accurately describe a real problem, with specific requirements and enables you to assess the candidate’s work within a familiar framework. The challenge with this approach is the potential ethical concern—namely, that the company could benefit from the candidates’ proposals to improve its product without compensating them for their work.
For us, the choice was clear when faced with this dilemma: we opted to create an assignment tied to our application. The reasoning was simple:
Was the level of discussion with the candidates improved? Absolutely. Candidates were interacting with evaluators who had a deep understanding of the problem at hand. And let’s not forget: an assignment also serves as a stimulus for the follow-up discussion. Having an assignment that the evaluators know intimately enhances the quality of the conversation after its completion.
Did we use the solutions the candidates proposed? No. While they offered interesting ideas, they were far from actionable.
5. How Challenging Should the Assignment Be?
Opinions were divided, again. Some candidates argued that a CV and portfolio were sufficient. Others were open to small, live exercises. But we firmly believed that for such a critical position, a meaningful and demanding assignment was necessary.
This role was key to the company’s success, with a high level of impact. We needed someone willing to show commitment and demonstrate their expertise. The assignment was a part of that commitment—a way for candidates to prove their readiness and for us to evaluate their skills comprehensively.
As expected, a few candidates declined to complete the assignment, often citing time constraints or a preference for simpler tasks. Uncertain about our approach, we reached out to some of these candidates and asked a straightforward question: How can we evaluate you effectively without an assignment? Interestingly, a couple of them admitted that they had applied to so many positions that managing all the assignments became unfeasible.
That’s understandable, but for us, this role was too important to take shortcuts. We were looking for people willing to invest in this process for LearnWorlds specifically. If someone doesn’t have the time or inclination to complete a thoughtful assignment, they likely aren’t the right fit for a position this significant for us.
6. Managing High Application Volume
When you receive many assignments, the question arises: do you review and interview everyone? For us, the answer was no. We reviewed all the submitted assignments and prioritized the best ones (around 60%). While we tried to provide feedback to others, not everyone received an interview invitation.
This may disappoint candidates, but for a leadership role, the bar is set extraordinarily high. We weren’t just hiring a team member—we were hiring a leader. The process had to be rigorous, and only the best could move forward. Designers should be prepared for the possibility of rejection at any stage of the process. In a highly competitive position like this, even an impressive portfolio or a well-known company on your resume may not be enough to secure the role.
7. Designers Are Drawn to the Vision, Not Just the Role
One of the most surprising and humbling moments of this process was realizing how deeply our mission resonated with candidates. For many, it wasn’t just about the design challenges or career opportunities—it was about being part of a team with a clear purpose.
These candidates didn’t see LearnWorlds as just another tech company; they saw a unique opportunity to shape the future of online learning. The idea of contributing to a platform that impacts education worldwide ignited their passion. Designers are inherently drawn to meaningful work, and our mission provided a canvas that inspired their creativity and ambition.
This realization reaffirmed the importance of leading with purpose. Vision matters, and it can attract talent not just to the role, but to the mission that drives your company forward. Put it on the table.
8. How Do You Make the Final Decision?
There’s no formula. You need strong interviews, impressive assignments, and cultural fit. But even then, in our case we had 4-5 exceptional candidates.
For us, two key factors stood out in the decision-making process. First, the visionary quality of the candidate’s design assignment. We weren’t just looking for someone who could solve problems—we wanted someone who could see beyond the immediate challenge and demonstrate a forward-thinking approach. A visionary design assignment showed us their ability to imagine possibilities, anticipate future needs, and propose creative, strategic solutions that could elevate our product to the next level.
Second, alignment with our team’s dynamics and specific needs was equally critical. Beyond technical skills, we needed someone who could seamlessly integrate into our existing culture, complement the strengths of our team, and understand the unique challenges and opportunities within our organization. This wasn’t just about fitting in; it was about enhancing collaboration, fostering innovation, and creating a shared sense of purpose.
Did we make the perfect choice? It’s impossible to be certain. However, we are confident that we selected from an exceptional pool of talent, choosing someone who fits our vision and culture—and ultimately, that’s what truly matters.
9. Respect the Process and the People
In the end, we felt that with some candidates, after just one or two interviews, we had built a genuine connection. We understood each other at a glance, both knowing we were a good fit, even though we still needed to explore other options.
Most of the candidates were high-caliber professionals with impressive credentials – exceptionally polite, positive, collaborative, and full of promise. It was an honor to engage with them, and we are deeply grateful for everything we learned from them. We are confident that many of them would have been outstanding alternatives for our company.
We knew we had to respect their effort, so we invested time in providing thoughtful responses and explanations.
Final Remarks
Hiring your first Head of Product Design is far more than just filling a critical role—it’s an opportunity to grow alongside the process, strengthening your organization and preparing it for future challenges and opportunities. However, what began as a straightforward task quickly became an unexpected journey, revealing complexities, insights, and opportunities we hadn’t anticipated. The significance of this hire cannot be overstated—it’s about finding a leader who will define the vision, inspire the team, and elevate the product to new heights.
What a journey, and what a profound learning experience. It challenged us, humbled us, and left us better equipped for the future. Truly, it was one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences we’ve ever had.
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