Show Notes
“What does it mean to recruit in a turbulent UX market — and where is the industry heading?”
Summary In this episode, Danny speaks with long-time UX and design recruiter Nick Grantham about the realities of today’s hiring landscape. Nick shares his journey from studying design to becoming a specialist design recruiter, the emotional side of matchmaking candidates and teams, and why the last few years have reshaped expectations for designers, hiring managers, and recruiters alike. They discuss the impact of interest rates, AI, internal talent teams, CV myths, candidate overwhelm, and how to stay resilient while navigating a challenging market. Nick brings clarity, honesty, and grounded optimism to a conversation many designers need right now.
Guest Nick Grantham Nick is an Associate Director at Zebra People, who are a long-standing, digital specialist recruitment agency. Nick himself has been leading UX and product design recruitment across start-ups, scale-ups, and major brands for the past 15 years. With deep experience shaping design teams and advising on hiring strategy, Nick brings a no-nonsense approach to his trade and had even started his career in design before switching to recruitment. LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickgrantham/ Website – https://zebrapeople.com/
Host Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ Website – www.dannyhearn.me Podcast – www.deeplyhumandesign.com
Chapters 00:00 Why bring a recruiter into a design podcast 02:02 Nick’s journey from transport design to UX recruitment 08:27 What recruiters actually do (and how matchmaking really works) 10:14 The human side of recruitment, emotions, and life-changing moves 13:51 “Champagne and razor blades”: the highs and lows of placements 23:22 Why this downturn feels different: interest rates, budgets, and AI 30:21 Adapting as a designer: UX, product, research, and service design 35:26 Specialising, doubling down on strengths, and applying strategically 38:33 Tasks, process design, and the impact on diversity and inclusion 54:17 The future of recruitment, AI, and cautious optimism for the market
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“You cannot innovate if you don't have diverse thinking.” Summary In this episode, we explore the winding creative journey of Meg Porter, a designer turned product leader and founder, who shares how her artistic roots evolved into a passion for solving complex human problems. She candidly opens up about navigating corporate environments as a neurodivergent woman, facing systemic biases, and the exhaustion of trying to fit traditional workplace molds. Meg discusses her work with The Female Product Lead community, advocating for truly inclusive leadership and psychological safety across tech. She also details the creation of Unfold, her new app designed to help neurodivergent individuals manage executive dysfunction through nervous system and emotional regulation. Throughout the conversation, Meg highlights the immense value of radical self-knowledge over conventional career frameworks. Guest Meg Porter LinkedIn – https://linkedin.com/in/megporter Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_meg_porter/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@_meg_porter_ Unfold Website – https://getunfold.app Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/_unfoldapp_/ TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@_unfoldapp_ Female Product Lead Website – https://femaleproductlead.com Events – https://luma.com/femaleproductlead Host Danny Hearn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/dannyhearn/ Website – https://www.dannyhearn.me Podcast – https://www.deeplyhumandesign.com Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 01:38 Meg's Origins in Physical Graphic Design 04:43 Navigating Subjectivity and Finding Structure in Design 08:23 Expressing Personal Empathy Through Art Projects 10:17 Transitioning into Corporate Tech and Healthcare Design 14:12 Clashing Values and Systemic Politics in Enterprise Roles 18:35 Fostering Psychological Safety and Diverse Perspectives 22:57 Empowering Underrepresented Voices with Female Product Lead 26:27 Experiencing the Glass Ceiling and Micro-Behaviors 32:25 Finding Core Purpose and Showing Up Authentically 37:14 Building Unfold for Neurodivergent Emotional Regulation 43:58 Developing the MVP and Co-Founding with Family 46:23 Tackling Executive Dysfunction and Rejection Sensitivity 51:21 Prioritising Self-Knowledge Over Skill Sets in Leadership
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