What should a UX designer know about CSS (for a job interview?

What skills are needed for a CS master student specialized in HCI to get a job?

• As a thesis-based master student in CS, I am in a program emphasizing heavily on academic research (publication-oriented). My research focus is mainly ubiquitous computing (one branch of HCI), or you can consider it as creating some gadgets which may be useful in 10 years. I love this area, but have to say it seems not very helpful when I try to find a job after graduation. I have fair knowledge in human-computer interaction, including new research trends, new technologies and  interaction system evaluation. But all the knowledge and skills I gained in the program are a little "too academic". I am essentially a CS student, so I also know programming. My question is: 1. What kind of job is suitable for me? I know the general programmer is surely an option. But I tends to work for something related to UX, since it's my interest. After checking some job descriptions of UX designers (such as http://jobs.bloomberg.com/job/New-York-Interaction-Designer-Job-NY/2518884/), I am disappointed by the fact they want someone familiar with prototyping tools (Visio or Omnigraffle) not one working with Javascript or Python. Should I look at some front-end developer jobs (such as http://jobs.bloomberg.com/job/New-York-HTML5-UXUI-Developer-Job-NY/2188198/)? Do I have more options? 2. What kind of skills are recommended for me? Again, I'd like to work for something related to UX. Should I pay more attention to UI development, such as html/css, js and desktop GUI programming? Or I just need to solidate my CS foundation, such as data structures and algorithms? Sorry for this verbose description. I've never worked in industry before so know little about the actual requirement. Thanks in advance.

• Answer:

  Too me your best start would be Front End/UI Developer.  Use your affinity toward UX to broaden into doing more of the UX stuff (research, design, evaluation). You may find a place you hire into doesn't have that function and you can expand your role and essentially make your own position.   As for skills, speaking as former hiring manager, you need soft skills -- communication, presentation, critiquing, collaboration. Active listening, interviewing, storytelling, sketching, writing, facilitation, etc. Have to be able to sell your idea, and work with people you don't agree with all the time. UX is usually the middleman, or integrator (between marketing/business and technology for example) and collaboration is key.