Thank you to our sponsor, Framer . Ready to build a site that looks hand-coded—without hiring a developer? Start free today at framer.link/femke Femke and Charli discuss Gusto's new Creative Director role, including why the company hired for it and what they’re looking for. They talk about whether agency or in-house experience is better, how candidates should prepare for interviews, and what makes a talented brand designer stand out. They also mention whether having a broad or focused portfolio is better, common red flags to watch out for, and offer tips for applying to the brand designer role. Episode timestamps: 01:02 Episode start 02:16 Framer sponsorship 03:45 How did the need for a Creative Director at Gusto come about, and what is the company looking for in this role? 08:24 When hiring for a brand role in a tech company, do candidates from agency backgrounds bring unique qualities? Or are in-house candidates generally stronger? 11:11 Do you influence the interview questions during the hiring process? 13:44 What type of presentation do you expect from candidates? 15:33 What distinguishes a truly skilled designer from someone with skill gaps? 19:00 How important is breadth of work for a brand designer compared to product design? Do you prefer candidates with diverse experience or specialized expertise? 23:25 What are common red flags to watch out for? 28:52 Any advice for candidates applying for the brand designer IC role? 30:46 Charli's Book Update Links: A huge shoutout to our sponsor for this episode, Framer . Make sure to check them out Femke's new community Femke’s course “Product strategy for designers” Share your topic suggestions for the show with us at
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