UX UI Design Success in Less than 6 Months — With Zero Experience!
I’ve had many people reaching out to me recently on LinkedIn, asking me about my experience of breaking into the design world, and if I would recommend the Bootcamp I attended to them.
I thought I would write this article for any other would-be designers out there who are unsure of where to start, or what path might be right for them. Lets set the scene. I went into the CareerFoundry UI Design course with no previous design experience. I’d only just recently heard of UI and UX design. I’ve always been a pretty adept artist and illustrator, but had only recently transitioned away from the traditional mediums of pencils and paint, and started working on Procreate for the iPad. (Which is magical, in case you were wondering!)
I knew that I wanted to leave my nursing career behind in Scotland, and start afresh in America, where I had just moved. I then discovered UX and UI. I felt, as I’m sure many of you have too, that this would be an interesting career, where you can use both the creative and analytic parts of the brain. It was everything I’d been looking for!
I researched thoroughly and found that the profession was growing, and there were many jobs in my area. There were lots of local in-person Bootcamps, but I couldn’t fit any of them around my schedule. I discovered CareerFoundry and the flexibility it offered by being 100% online and self-driven fitted my needs perfectly.
I completed the course, part-time, whilst still working a full-time job in less than 6 months!
I won’t lie, it’s not easy. You have to want it. I began getting up at 5am each weekday, making sure I put in as much time as I could before I went to work. With the volume of Bootcamp graduates ever-increasing, the work doesn’t stop once you’ve graduated. You need to make yourself stand out from all the competition by continuously developing yourself, and being proactive. If your dedicated, and ready to put the work in, then you will be rewarded!
From zero experience, then completing a Bootcamp in less than 6 short months, I now have 2 fully remote jobs, and a third in the pipeline.
One is at a tech start-up as the sole designer on the team. The skills I learned from my Bootcamp, plus all the self-development I did, means I feel skilled enough to take on such a massive commitment. I’m the brand developer, building the brand from absolutely nothing. I’m also the UX researcher, Writer, and Designer. I’ve pushed myself to learn how to build websites with Wordpress, as well as design them. I’ve become a social media manager, developing and scheduling content each week. I’m an illustrator, creating custom illustrations and infographics. I’m the quality control too, constantly reviewing and adjusting content that isn’t quite right. The learning curve has been steep, but absolutely priceless for my development! I would 100% recommend getting involved with a start-up to any recent Bootcamp graduate.
The second remote role I have is with the Bootcamp I studied at. I’m now one of their tutors. I loved mentoring students so much that I completed a post-graduate course in mentorship in the UK when I was a Nurse. This previous experience, plus all my hands on work at the tech start-up made me the perfect fit as a UI Tutor. I love that I can combine both helping students, and the design world in this one role!
If you started reading this article undecided about bootcamps, I hope I have shed some light on the situation for you. They are not a magic formula to landing a great job.
With anything worthwhile, it requires considerable effort, motivation, and you need the drive to keep going with your learning even after you’ve finished the course.
If your reading this and think your ready to commit to a bootcamp, that’s great! Do your research before you decide which Bootcamp is right for your learning style and needs. You can check out this article I wrote which might help.
As a parting gift, if you decide to choose CareerFoundry as your Bootcamp, you can get 5% off with my code.
I also get a kickback from you using this link. I wish I had known about these referral codes before I started my course, as it could have saved me $300. So I like to share them with others in the hopes they don’t miss out on the savings like I did!
