Discovering my career passion: my odyssey into UX Design
I have always been an artistically inclined kid growing up. Drawing on countless stacks of my dad’s printing sheets, creating colorful cards for teachers and friends, experimenting in MS Paint and Photoshop, and even insisting my parents to stay longer in art galleries. But I had completely lost touch with that creative expressive side by the time I was in high-school. But my fascination towards digital technology led me to take up Computer Programming in college which satisfied my curiosity about technology and coding.
A Coding Crisis
Fast forward to two years later. It is the second last month of my 2 year program, just one month away before graduation. Exhausted from a full day of back-to-back classes, I find myself sitting at my laptop, stressing about an assignment. And then I lose it. I’d reached my boiling point with coding. That left me thinking. What am i doing? I’m having a terrible time pushing through what I thought I wanted to pursue. But I can’t code my life away especially the backend part. Following endless ToDos, writing code snippets on an IDE all day, getting lost in syntax — that doesnt seem tangible enough to me. Doing that for most of my career? That’s just not me.
My Revelation Arc
So I decided to take a break to unwind for five days. I did absolutely nothing related to school. I took two days just to decompress and the next three to navigate the uncertainty of my future and contemplate my next steps. Tonnes of reflection, self introspection and googling later, I stumbled upon this intriguing term called User Experience Design. The idea of researching, designing, and enhancing digital products instantly sparked my curiosity. This role seemed like an amalgamation of Psychology, Design/Arts, and Technology — a dream job for me.
Upon further reflection, I realized my natural inclination towards designing logos, app screens for group projects. A pivotal moment that defined this passion was during my entrepreneurship Co-op in college, where I instinctively took charge of researching, engaging with stakeholders, and designing the company’s logo, as well as prototyping mobile app screens. Eager to explore this newly discovered UX niche in IT and discuss what I was going through, I sought guidance from my professors. I wanted to discuss the newfound UX niche in IT and the confusion I was experiencing. Numerous conversations, research and after an intial understanding later, I landed a student job as a UX Researcher. As thrilled I was about the job, it exceeded my expectations. Designing with a cross-functional team for a global campaign with an NPO and presenting our outcomes to the United Nations left me in awe of the potential impact a product/UX professional can have on society. I was sold! Discovering my true career passion ignited a sense of excitement and clarity like never before.
With my career path as a UX Designer now clear, I took proactive steps to achieve my goal. I started by enrolling in Google’s UX Design Certificate and supplemented my learning with extensive reading, personal projects, and hands-on practice in Figma.
Why I decided to become a UX Designer?
It met all the criteria I was looking for in my perfect job:
- Impact✅
- Involvement in Tech✅
- Indulges in Design✅
- Possibility of working remotely✅
- And obviously, decent compensation✅
Challenges and unpredictable future
Refining my self-forged learning path has been both a test of discipline and drive. But that was just the start as I face more challenges
- My time transitioning into a designer coincided with mass layoffs and hiring freezes in tech market due to post COVID overhiring and global economic uncertainties. As I enter my fourth month of job hunting, I’m noticing decreasing number of new jobs. Despite these turbulent times, my passion for design remains unwavering, and I’m determined to carve a path forward in this ever-evolving landscape.
- The emergence of generative AI has taken the industry by storm, raising concerns about job replacements. However, I’ve started using these tools to optimize my workflow rather than fearing them. I say that
You adapt and ride the tide not try to fight it.
Concluding
In conclusion, discovering my career passion in UX Design has been a thrilling odyssey filled with growth and excitement. I look forward to the endless possibilities that lie ahead, ready to make my mark in this dynamic field. As the tides of change continue to shape the industry, I firmly believe that adaptability and resilience will pave the way to a successful and fulfilling career in User Experience and Product Design.
