Good Maven Interviews: Furquan Ahmad - Product Designer, Meta
In this fictionalised interview, our founder Meg Rye conducts a recruiter/candidate conversation with Furquan Ahmad, senior product designer at Meta.
Unlock the secrets of real design hiring conversations.
We recorded a REAL recruiter conversation (with a twist) 🎧
Most design hiring conversations happen behind closed doors. You never get to hear how compensation is actually discussed, how candidates navigate tricky questions, or what recruiters are really looking for.
So we changed that.
I sat down with Furquan, a brilliant designer and community builder, for a completely transparent interview that mirrors real recruiter-candidate conversations.
1. What Initial Compensation Discussions With A Recruiter Look Like
The interview demonstrates one way to discuss salary expectations openly and constructively. Furquan clearly stated his target of "at least 100K+" while expressing flexibility about the split between base salary, bonuses, and equity. This transparency helps both parties quickly assess fit and avoid wasted time on mismatched opportunities.
2. How Identity Can Influence Career Transitions
Furquan's approach to job selection goes beyond just role and compensation. He explicitly mentions avoiding financial services companies that profit from interest due to religious beliefs, emphasizing the importance of working on problems he genuinely believes in. This illustrates how senior designers can—and should—be selective about opportunities that align with their personal values, and make that clear to their recruiting partner.
3. Uncovering Your Marketable Strengths
A "shipping" mindset is a key differentiator in a candidate's career, and recruiters acting as partners can help identify qualities beyond title or company, such as those that indicate this mindset, which may not be immediately obvious.This execution-focused mentality, combined with his technical background in coding, positions him as someone who bridges strategy and implementation—a valuable combination in today's product design landscape, and it's a great way for the recruiter to be able to "sell" their skills.
4. Building Community as Professional Development
Furquan's work with Crescent Creatives (a Muslim-first, ally-welcoming design community) and his YouTube content creation demonstrate how giving back to the community can enhance your professional profile. These activities showcase leadership, communication skills, and industry expertise while creating valuable networking opportunities.
5. Cross-Platform Problem-Solving as a Market Differentiator
The interview reveals Furquan's experience across multiple platforms and contexts: mobile apps at Ford, desktop B2B products at Meta's Workplace, VR interfaces in Horizon, and consumer-facing Instagram features. This versatility makes him adaptable to different product needs and reduces risk for potential employers who may pivot or expand their platform strategy.
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