First week post-bootcamp: an activity log
A week ago I graduated from a UX bootcamp. In those 12 weeks, my entire life on weekdays was regimented:
- 8:15AM — wake up
- 8:30AM — make breakfast
- 9AM-5PM — lecture/studio
- 5PM-🌚 — work on projects
Seven days later… Now what??! Here’s what I’ve been working on this past week.
Portfolio (3–4 hours each day)
Here’s the thing about portfolios. I have been told time and time again that you will not be satisfied with it by the time you need to submit it to the career coach. That is completely okay! A portfolio is always going to be a living and breathing body of work that you can iterate as time goes on. The most important part in this purgatory period is to get a few eyes on it. If you can get someone who is in the field and who is not in the field, you will get the best of both worlds.
Connecting with the design community (two 30-min coffee chats)
Some might call this “networking,” but let’s call a spade a spade — nobody likes to network! It feels transactional and ingenious. Time to reframe and call it “making connections.” There’s nothing wrong with reaching out to designers to ask for career advice or portfolio review. Just make sure that your ask is concise and clear.
Attending webinars and virtual UX panels (1–2 hours)
I’ve attended webinars and panels before my bootcamp, and not gonna lie, I may not have fully understood exactly what was going on. There was so little context I had about the field, which left me scratching my head after each session ended. BUT! Now that I’ve graduated, there’s so much more that I get now. Is this what we call professional growth?
Writing up at template cover letter (2 hours)
One of my least favorite things to do is write a cover letter every time you look for a new job. Since I’ll be applying to jobs en masse, why not make the process a little easier with a template? Save yourself some time and energy for what’s to come.
Practicing whiteboard challenges (1 hour)
Use your network of classmates! Schedule time on your calendars to either do a whiteboard challenge or a design challenge. On the day of your meeting, you can practice presenting your work and give each other feedback. It’s a great way to practice skills you learned in class AND socialize.
Mockups (2–3 hours)
If there was one thing I wish I had time to practice in the bootcamp, it was with tools like Sketch and Figma. Now that time is at my disposal, I’m starting with the basics.
- Mimic existing mobile and desktop layouts — this will help me familiarize myself with standard practices in UX.
- Daily UI challenges — once I’ve done a few existing mockups, I’d like to work my creative side with daily UI challenges and upload my work on Behance.
It’s a great opportunity to show that you’re still working on your skills post-course as you look for jobs.
Creating written content (2–3 hours)
Well, trying, at least. As a UX Designer, we must know how to effectively communicate with others in presentations and research reports. Heck, this even helps with emails and Slacks. Medium is an easy way to post up retrospectives and essays to a supportive community.
Taking time to decompress and bask in this accomplishment (all day errday)
Yes, there’s still so much work to do after a bootcamp! However, let’s not forget that you and your classmates just finished up this major feat of an intensive course IN A PANDEMIC. Have some virtual happy hours with your classmates. Go for a walk in the park this weekend while the weather is still nice. Treat yourself to a takeout meal from your favorite restaurant. Watch the entire season of that American BBQ Showdown on Netflix!!!
The one thing that I have to always keep in mind is to practice compassion towards myself and do a little bit each day. For a second, I was feeling guilty for any time that I wasn’t “being productive.” There isn’t going to be a right way or a wrong way to approach life post-bootcamp, and you don’t have to spend every waking moment dedicated to improving.
One step at a time!
Are you a recent bootcamp graduate? What have you been up to? Is there anything that I missed? I would love to keep the conversation going in the comments!
Thanks for stopping by 🤠. Feel free to reach out and connect! You can find me on LinkedIn or check out my work on my website.
