UX Design Diary: Advice to my past self
By: April Hoang
Tags: Advice Looking Back, Career Advice, UX, UX Design, Career Change

We all go through that time in our life when we reflect on our past. The events, decisions, and situations that led us to where we are now. I often think about where I was 3 years ago, contemplating entering the UX design field, to now working full-time as a designer for over a year. Although I don’t have any regrets with the choices I’ve made to get me to where I am now, I wanted to share some advice I would give to my past self. My hope is that this might help others that are entering the field or are in the process of transitioning.

Build UX connections early

Networking can be scary and intimidating but it’s important for the UX field. To be honest I hate the term and prefer saying making design friends or connections. Building these connections means meeting people at meetups or asking for coffee chats (both virtual during these times) to get to know another designer’s story. A lot of the time you will probably get no responses and it can be very discouraging. Don’t take this to heart because most likely the person you reached out to just doesn’t have the bandwidth. One thing that made this easier for me was volunteering with a UX group.

I volunteered with Ladies that UX for about a year and was given so many opportunities to give back to the community as well as make awesome connections with other designers in the field. For two events , I helped plan a speaker series about the expectations and realities of being a UX designer. This gave me the opportunity to make friends with senior designers and managers who, till this day, help me when I reach out for portfolio or interview advice. When you make genuine connections with other designers in the field, help is way easier to come by. It was also one of the reasons I was able to get referrals and job opportunities.

Don’t limit yourself to full-time roles

When you start applying to UX jobs, don’t focus on only applying to full-time roles at big companies like Microsoft, Google and Amazon. A lot of amazing designers started out with contract roles, design agencies, and freelance gigs. Right now I am in a contract role with Microsoft and am honestly having a great experience learning and growing with my supportive team. I understand this can still be a difficult task of finding the right opportunity especially when a lot of contract roles, agencies and freelance gigs are still looking for a ridiculous amount of years of experience.

I don’t have the perfect formula for how to land a job through this method because a lot of the time it could be being at the right place at the right time. However, I will say do your research on companies in your area or an area you want to work and continue building connections with designers to help your chance of getting an opportunity sooner than later.

Understand your wants and values

When you are doing research on different companies, understand what you want and value in a job. This could be related to company culture, benefits, a collaborative work environment, the type of work you do, etc. For me personally, this means wanting to work with a team that supports my growth and wants to invest in me and things I value like diversity & inclusion and continuing education. Take the time to learn more about what’s important for you. This will not only help you find a good match but will also help with your job interviews.

Give yourself breaks and celebrate your wins

One thing a lot of career changers tend to forget is to take a break and celebrate their accomplishments. I definitely fell in this trap of never stopping or pausing to rest and be happy for how far I’ve come. Transitioning your career is so stressful and can take a big toll on your mental and physical health. Don’t forget to take care of yourself so you don’t burnout from applying to jobs and making design connections. When you finish updating your resume/portfolio or land an interview, celebrate those wins! It’s important to be kind to yourself, especially during these times.

Closing thoughts

Thank you for taking the time to read my post! I hope the advice I provided helps your UX journey in some shape or form. If you are transitioning now or also changed your career into UX, do you have any advice you would give to your past self? If you’re comfortable with it, I would love to learn more about it in the comments below!