Meet a Beamer — Ahmed Ayoub, Product Designer
Welcome to our “Meet a Beamer” series! Each edition, get to know the background, work, and life of a Beam employee. We chatted with Ahmed, a product designer on our UX team.
Background
How did you get into User Experience (UX) / Product Design?
Back in May 2019 I attended a webinar introducing the field of UX Design hosted by General Assembly. I knew at that moment this was the path meant for me, as someone who has a technical background with a love of art and creativity. The story, of course, is much more nuanced than that; I go much more in-depth into my design journey on my own blog post if folks are interested in the full story!
Can you tell us a little bit about your background?
I’m a product designer with past lives in engineering, research, and education. I’ve always had an inclination towards science, technology, and engineering, and part of it was because my father wears a prosthetic left leg. This influenced my decision to major and graduate with a degree in Biomedical Engineering from Rutgers University. After graduating, I worked for a few years in clinical research and then some months as an educator in Brooklyn through the NYC Teaching Fellows program before deciding to switch into design.
What brought you to Beam?
I had actually found out about Beam through a recruiter acquaintance who tagged me under a post for UX internship openings, so I threw my name in the hat. About 5 minutes into my initial conversation with Liz, who was the technical recruiter at the time, I already had a good sense of Beam’s culture of friendliness, warmth, professionalism, and team-first attitude. Throughout my interview process, I had already felt like I belonged, and so I knew this was the place for me.
Working at Beam
What makes Beam different?
Beam is a startup but is very mature as well, and I feel that’s reflected in all sectors of the business. Speaking from the UX standpoint, I feel like Beam’s UX maturity is higher than most other startups out there, which enables us to dive right into the work we need to get done rather than spending time jumping through hoops. Every stakeholder, internal and external, is valued by the business as a person, and not just for what they offer.
What do you enjoy most about working at Beam?
Collaborating with engineers and developers is always fun, especially when I as a designer get to see my work being built and deployed! It’s always a blast working with our engineers and product managers to build or improve products that help drive the business forward and delight our customers and clients. Since I also have some experience with coding (mostly front-end), it’s fun to try and sometimes fail to speak their language 😂.
How has working at Beam helped you grow in your career?
Imposter syndrome is a….you know. Coming into Beam as an intern and being placed on a big project that I had ownership of was a very daunting way to enter the UX space. But, who you surround yourself with makes all the difference, and I can say that I’m blessed to have the best design team support me and encourage me to own that work as if I already had a seat at the table.
How would you describe the team culture?
Friendly, professional, customer-focused, nerdy, supportive. My team and Beam’s culture in general allows me to bring much of my full self to the work day in and day out, and that’s a sense of satisfaction you don’t get everywhere.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have had to overcome in your career?
Breaking into the design industry was the biggest challenge thus far. It’s a challenge across the tech industry in general, especially for career changers. It took a LOT of networking, working on projects, portfolio management, practice, and a little bit of luck and timing for all the stars to align.
“Advice”
What is some advice you would give someone who wants to apply to Beam?
Bring your authentic self to every step of the process. Lean into your experiences that you may not think apply in any capacity to what you’re applying to. I promise that your soft skills and high EQ will shine through when you speak to your true self during the interview process. High EQ is highly valuable at Beam, and will generally get you far in life.
How do you go about learning new skills for the job?
Practice always makes perfect! Whether in the work itself or by taking up side projects, following experienced leaders on the ‘net, or reading books that you feel bring value. At the end of the day it’s how often and in what way(s) you apply what you absorb. You learn by doing, and by acknowledging that you won’t get it right the first go around.
How do you “turn off” from the work day in a remote environment? How do you decompress?
I step away from my work space at certain times or for a certain time period and just walk around. Whether it’s in my apartment, or outdoors to get some air, it’s important to give yourself literal space from your things. I also read (mainly at night before getting ready to sleep).
Fun Stuff!
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
Explore new recipes with my sister to try making! We’ve tried things from buffalo chicken to panko crusted shrimp and it’s been fun experimenting and making foods we normally don’t get to eat. I also like watching movies and shows (especially from my seemingly never-ending backlog of things to watch).
Thanks for being an awesome Beamer Ahmed! Glad you are here!
