The Search Challenge

When a Series F FinTech SaaS company needed to hire a Product Designer, they faced several obstacles:

• Complex product requirements for financial professionals demanded specialized B2B experience
• Communication breakdowns during interviews (particularly around design rationale)
• Candidates frequently lacked understanding of financial professional user needs
• Need for both technical skills (data visualization, workflows, design systems) and strong soft skills

The Recruitment Process

The company partnered with a specialized recruiter who:

• Initial intake on October 2 with hiring team
• Created a hotlist of 209 qualified designers
• Screened 19 candidates thoroughly
• Submitted 3 finalists for consideration
• Sourced the successful candidate on October 25
• Secured an accepted offer by December 18

The Successful Candidate

What made the successful candidate stand out was their unconventional background:

• Architectural training providing unique spatial thinking abilities
• Strong application of spatial concepts to UX challenges (user flows, system architecture)
• Proven experience with complex SaaS products at tech start-up
• Focus on user onboarding and data-driven design (demonstrated through Titan and CRM tool projects)
• Exceptional ability to handle complexity and improve retention metrics

Despite lacking direct finance industry experience, the candidate's adaptability and transferable skills from adjacent industries allowed them to quickly master the domain-specific requirements.

Long-Term Success

Three years later, the designer remains with the company, validating the recruitment approach that prioritized problem-solving ability and adaptability over direct industry experience.