Soleio’s “Design Talent Playbook” is one of the most useful things I’ve read on what separates great designers from good ones. It’s also written for someone who already knows how to read it — founders, design leaders, people who’ve been through dozens of hiring loops.
I wanted that playbook available as an advisor I could actually talk to — from either side of the interview. As a designer trying to position for specific roles. As a hiring lead trying to identify signal in a stack of portfolios.
Soleio’s framework is one body of thinking, but the advice you need depends on which side of the table you’re on. The skill branches at the top.
You’re the lead or the founder. You describe the role, the team, the product stage. The skill coaches you on what to look for, what signals to trust, and how to structure the interview loop.
You’re the candidate. You describe your career stage, target companies, and work. The skill coaches you on positioning — what to emphasize, which stories matter for this kind of role, how to narrate trajectory.
Built from Soleio’s published essays and talks. The skill wraps his thinking in an interrogable form; it doesn’t replace reading the original work. Every recommendation cites back to the source idea.
$claude plugin install kylezantos/soleio-design-hiring