Interview Experience: Product Designer II, Lending at Remitly

The interview process for the Product Designer II, Lending position at Remitly is structured to evaluate both your design expertise and your ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to build user-centric lending products. Based on my own experience interviewing for this role, here’s a detailed overview of the process, key questions asked, and tips on how to succeed:

Interview Process Overview

The interview process typically involves several rounds, each focused on a different aspect of your skills and experience. It includes assessments of your design skills, problem-solving abilities, and how well you fit within Remitly’s fast-paced, customer-focused culture.

1. Initial Screening (HR Interview)

The first step is a screening call with a recruiter or HR representative. This call is primarily aimed at understanding your background, motivations for applying, and ensuring there’s a fit between your experience and the role.

Typical questions:

• “What interests you about working at Remitly, especially in the lending space?”
• “Can you walk me through your experience in product design and how it relates to financial products?”
• “How do you approach user-centered design, particularly in complex financial services?”

During this conversation, I highlighted my experience in designing user-centric financial products, particularly those with complex workflows, and my enthusiasm for Remitly’s mission of providing accessible financial services. I also discussed my familiarity with designing lending products and my experience working with cross-functional teams.

2. Design Exercise (Product Design Portfolio Review)

The next step was a practical assessment where I was asked to present my design portfolio. This is a critical part of the interview as it demonstrates your design process and ability to deliver end-to-end product experiences.

Key areas to focus on:

• Presenting case studies of past projects, especially those related to financial services or lending, if applicable.
• Explaining your design thinking process: from user research to wireframes, prototypes, and final designs.
• Showing how you collaborated with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders.

In my case, I showcased a lending product design that involved streamlining the loan application process. I detailed how I used user research to identify pain points and iterated on design solutions that improved conversion rates while simplifying complex legal terms. This experience demonstrated my ability to work through challenges and deliver results.

3. Technical and Product Design Interview

In this round, the interviewers—usually a combination of senior product designers and product managers—focus on your ability to design functional, scalable, and aesthetically pleasing products. The conversation revolves around your design process, tools, and how you work with other teams.

Common questions:

• “How do you ensure your designs are aligned with business goals while maintaining a great user experience?”
• “Can you describe a situation where you had to collaborate with engineers to solve a technical design challenge?”
• “How do you handle user feedback that contradicts your design instincts?”

In one of my responses, I shared how I worked with engineers to integrate a new feature into a financial app that had to comply with security and regulatory requirements. I explained how we balanced user experience with technical constraints and legal compliance, demonstrating my ability to adapt designs to different needs while maintaining a user-centered approach.

4. Behavioral Interview (Cultural Fit and Teamwork)

The next round was focused on behavioral questions, designed to assess how well you collaborate, manage challenges, and align with Remitly’s values. This stage is particularly important as Remitly places a strong emphasis on collaboration and innovation.

Key questions:

• “Tell us about a time when you worked on a cross-functional team to launch a product.”
• “How do you prioritize your design tasks when working on multiple projects?”
• “What strategies do you use to ensure design consistency across different teams and product lines?”

I provided examples from past experiences where I led design efforts for new features in a financial platform, collaborating with product managers, data analysts, and engineers. I discussed how I maintained consistency across the design system while being flexible enough to adapt to each team’s specific needs.

5. Final Interview with Senior Leadership

The final round often involves senior leadership or other key stakeholders. This interview assesses your long-term vision, leadership potential, and how you would contribute to Remitly’s growth and customer experience in the lending space.

Common questions:

• “How do you see the role of design evolving at Remitly as we scale?”
• “What excites you about the opportunity to work on lending products at Remitly?”
• “Where do you think the biggest challenges in designing lending products lie, and how would you tackle them?”

I spoke about my excitement for the opportunity to contribute to Remitly’s goal of providing accessible credit products. I also highlighted the challenges in designing financial products that must balance simplicity with regulatory requirements and user trust. I suggested leveraging user research, prototyping, and iterative testing as key strategies to overcome these challenges.

Key Skills and Experience to Highlight

• Product Design Expertise: Be prepared to showcase your experience with complex product designs, particularly in areas like lending or financial services. Focus on how you’ve designed products from discovery to delivery.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Remitly values teamwork. Highlight your ability to work closely with product managers, engineers, and other stakeholders to bring products to life.
• User-Centered Design: Emphasize your ability to create designs that solve real user problems, especially in a complex space like financial services. Show how you use research, data, and user testing to inform your designs.
• Prototyping and Tools: Demonstrate your proficiency in design tools like Figma, ProtoPie, or similar platforms. Showcase your experience creating wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity designs.
• Problem Solving and Innovation: Remitly looks for designers who can tackle difficult problems and innovate within constraints. Share examples of how you’ve solved design challenges, particularly in regulated industries or complex workflows.

Example from My Experience

In one project, I was tasked with redesigning a loan application flow for a financial product. The challenge was to simplify a complicated process while ensuring compliance with credit laws. Through user interviews and iterative design, we streamlined the process, reducing the number of steps and improving the overall conversion rate by 15%. This example illustrated my ability to balance user needs with business goals while maintaining a clean and intuitive design.