Our Process
We help you build and scale your design organization from A-Z
Assessment
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to build a great design team. That’s why it’s important to understand your organization and the types of problems you want to solve. We start by looking at your current structure and identify gaps, roles, responsibilities, and skill sets.
Recruiting Strategy
We create a holistic recruiting strategy that utilizes targeted sourcing, personalized engagement, and objective interview processes. We help you identify which roles you should prioritize, and define timelines and milestones for hiring.
Implementation
Finding and hiring talent is not enough. You have to lay the groundwork that will allow you to evaluate and retain top-tier candidates. Our team will work side-by-side with your management team to determine best practices for winning and maintaining the talent you want to attract.
Negotiations
Using insights from over 5000+ candidate and client interactions, we adeptly guide you through compensation negotiations. We assist in crafting competitive offers, fostering mutually beneficial agreements between you and prospective candidates.
How we find the best UX talent in Chicago
Discover our approach to hiring Chicago's top 5% of UX talent, including Product Designers, Product Managers, UX Researchers, UX Designers, Strategists, and Design Ops Managers
Our Network
Talent at your fingertips
Talent
5000+
We have a network of over 5,000+ talented global resources across the UX disciplines in product design, UX UI design, UX strategy, UX research, UX writing, design ops and product management. Our network is always growing.
Service Areas
Worldwide
We work with talent across the US and the globe. We're committed to delivering flexible top quality talent that can work on your timezone.
People
Diversity
As the first touch point in a person’s journey toward a new career opportunity, we have a unique responsibility of ensuring the most qualified and diverse talent are sourced for our clients. See our approach to helping our clients find a diverse workforce.
Benefits
Hiring without sacrificing time & resources
We source & prepare candidates
Benefit from our expertise in identifying and nurturing top-notch candidates. We mentor and train them to shine in their roles, thereby easing your recruitment process and saving you valuable time.
We find needles in the haystack
With over 20 years of experience in the field, our specialized recruitment process expertly identifies the ideal candidates, guaranteeing only the best for your team.
We meet weekly to discuss progress
Maintain transparency and alignment with our regular progress updates, facilitating a cohesive and efficient recruitment process.
We manage the process end-to-end
Relax while we handle the intricate details of recruitment, from screening and vetting candidates to facilitating negotiations, to scheduling interviews, guaranteeing a seamless hiring journey.
Case Studies
Roles
Your One-Stop Solution for UX Recruitment
Specializing in UX recruitment, we are adept at seamlessly matching top-tier talent with the most suitable positions in the industry. Our services extend to a comprehensive network in various realms of the user experience domain, making us your go-to partner for all your UX recruitment needs.
Levels
Mid-level
Senior
Leadership
Executive
Roles
Motion Designer
Chief of Staff
Game Designer
AR/VR Designer
Webflow Designer
AI Prompt Engineer
Testimonials
Meeta Patel
Under Armour, Vice President Consumer Experience
Working with Academy has been critical for the growth of our team. As practitioners themselves, I feel comfortable getting into the nitty-gritty details of a project and asking their consultation on what we might need. In our partnership, they have been transparent and professional and we feel incredibly lucky to have them as a partner.
Jan Sundar
Wish, Former VP of Design
I have worked with Academy for about a year and I can say without any hesitation that I can trust their team to bring us great talent. If I start a company - I will reach out to them first - because they are not only professional but also patient, humble, open to feedback, gave me amazing advice, inspired my designers and my managers within a short time. Lastly, even if there is a hiccup, the Academy team always has a solution and is extremely flexible. This is essential for any team to have a plan a, b or c when you work with an agency to get you the right talent. And Academy always does!
Greg Hoch
BASIC/DEPT®, Former Director of Operations
Academy has been an invaluable partner to us. Any talent we’ve worked with has shown a deep understanding of digital experiences. They’re able to seamlessly integrate with our team and meet the level of craft that we hold ourselves accountable to. We’re set up to meet our budgets and timelines while exceeding expectations.
Dustin Low
Output, VP of People
Output has worked with the Academy team for a number of years. As a small but quickly growing company, we needed a partner embedded in the design community, whose reach was vast, and someone who could quickly assess our team needs and know where to turn for talent. Academy has been that partner to us. A good portion of our Design team at Output is a result of the work that Academy did sourcing, screening and presenting us with viable candidates. We now have a successful design team that we are proud of and know that we wouldn't have them if it weren't for Adam and the Academy team.
Alex Beckham
Twill (Fomerly Happify), Business Operations & Strategy Senior Manager
Academy has made the otherwise stressful and time-consuming task of staffing so easy. They're always extremely quick to respond to our (often last minute) needs and we can always be confident knowing they provide high-quality talent every time.
Are you looking for a job in UX?
We offer freelance and full-time roles in the UX disciplines.
FAQ RECRUITING
How long does it take to find a candidate for a full-time UX role?
The typical timeframe to identify the right candidate is 1 to 4 weeks where we will deliver 3-5 highly qualified candidates. Our process involves tapping into our vetted network and possibly extending the search externally, if necessary. We meticulously match candidates based on the specific opportunity, presenting them to clients with a succinct rationale that underscores their suitability for the project, all while coordinating interviews to ensure a seamless hiring process.
How does your UX recruiting business model work?
The recruiting arm of our business employs the Container Model, functioning on a retainer basis. An initial fee is charged to initiate the candidate search, followed by a success fee upon successful placement. This structured approach ensures that substantial resources are devoted to meticulously identifying and vetting the perfect candidates, aligning with the precise needs and expectations of our partner organizations. To delve deeper into our strategy and for guidance on selecting the right recruiting model for your UX team, we invite you to read our informative article titled: "How to Choose the Right Recruiting Model for Your UX Team".
What happens if you hire someone and it's not working out?
If the person we helped you hire doesn't work out in the first 90 days, we've got a money-back plan. Here's how it goes: If things end within the first month (1-30 days), we'll give you back the full fee - half of it in cash and the other half as credit for next time. If it's between the second and third month (31-60 days), we'll return 70% of the fee, split the same way: half in cash and half as credit. If it's between the third and fourth month (61-90 days), we'll refund 50% of the fee, again, half in cash and half as credit. This way, you have a safety net if things don't go as planned.
Does it cost me anything to engage you in a search for a full-time hire?
Yes, engaging us in a search for a full-time hire does involve some costs. We use the Container Model where we charge an initial fee to start looking for the right candidate, and then a success fee when we find them and you hire them. This differs from the contingent model used by other businesses where you only pay if you hire someone they found. We choose not to use this model because it often leads to a less personal relationship with clients, can result in recruiters prioritizing other roles over yours, involves fewer dedicated resources since no upfront fee is paid, and might lower the quality of candidates due to a rushed approach to finding potential hires. In essence, our model ensures that we can give your search the time and focus it deserves. You can learn more about the different models here: "How to Choose the Right Recruiting Model for Your UX Team".
Do you employ your talent as W2?
Yes, we serve as a responsible Employer of Record for many professionals in our network. Predominantly, the talent at Academy are brought on board as W-2 employees, minimizing risks associated with worker misclassification while also offering a range of benefits such as paid sick leave, retirement plan contributions, and unemployment insurance, even for those in part-time or short-term assignments. However, we also collaborate with international contractors who may not be classified as W-2 employees and therefore do not have access to the same range of benefits. This allows us to maintain a flexible and diverse talent pool to cater to a wide variety of client needs. Importantly, we always engage in thorough discussions with our clients before initiating any partnership, to ascertain and agree upon the employment model that best suits their specific business requirements and objectives.
Where is your talent located?
Our talent pool primarily resides in the United States, complemented by a global network spanning Europe, South America, and the Middle East. We prioritize aligning talent with our clients' time zones to facilitate seamless collaboration. While we can engage with professionals in Asia or Australia, such instances are exceptional, given the significant time zone differences which could potentially lead to an impractical work schedule.
How do you ensure a diverse talent pool?
Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a defining pillar of our operations, serving as a beacon in the journey toward fostering a richly diverse talent pool. Our multifaceted approach begins with a globally diverse team of recruiters adept at bypassing biases to focus on the inherent value of each candidate, often seeing beyond polished resumes to identify untapped potential. This commitment extends to active community engagement, where we not only participate in key industry dialogues through platforms such as ADPList, Design Leadership Forum, Design Ops Assemble and more but also offer vital resources for career growth and development. Equally important is our role in shaping inclusive job listings, where we work tirelessly to ensure our partners adopt language that underscores a deep commitment to diversity and inclusion. Our sourcing strategy is expansive, giving precedence to candidates from marginalized groups and leveraging a vast international talent pool, facilitated by our remote-first approach. Furthermore, we champion the cause of pay transparency and equity, nurturing an equitable compensation structure upheld through regular audits that consider factors like ethnicity and gender. Stay tuned for further updates as we continually refine our strategies to nurture a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive industry.
What types of roles can your agency help to fill?
We specialize in UX recruitment, expertly connecting mid to executive-level professionals with suitable positions in the industry. Our focus lies in placing top-notch Product Designers, UX Designers, UI Designers, UX Researchers, and Product Managers. Additionally, we facilitate roles for DesignOps, Strategists, and UX Writers. Our network also extends to skilled individuals in fields such as illustration, game design, motion graphics, Webflow design, AR/VR, interaction, and service design, making us your one-stop solution for all UX recruitment needs.
What is your screening process for potential candidates?
At Academy, we pride ourselves on a robust and supportive screening process for potential candidates. Initially, every application undergoes a meticulous review, followed by progressive stages of phone and portfolio interviews. If a candidate progresses to the client interview stage but isn't selected, we ensure to offer constructive feedback based on client insights. Throughout each step, we maintain a transparent communication line, providing candidates with detailed feedback and resources to foster their growth. This process, rooted in a strong foundation of evaluating execution strategies and behavioral traits, ensures that we find the perfect fit for our clients while assisting candidates in honing their skills. To get an in-depth view of our process, refer to our article, "A Guide to Interviewing for Your Next UX Role".
We are always up for a chat, just send us a message here and we will get back to you.