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Why former journalists should consider a career in UX
I left newspapers five years ago with three goals in mind: I wanted to keep writing for a living, keep paying my bills and keep doing work that helped people.
I loved words. I loved storytelling. And I loved being able to ask any question I wanted. At the same time, as a reporter, I felt overworked and underpaid. My passion for news waned, but my zeal for words burned hot.
In 2016, I made a career change and landed a gig as a marketing copywriter. Eventually, I became a content strategist. Now, I’m a senior content designer who focuses a lot on user experience (UX) writing. That means I collaborate with designers, product managers, engineers and others to plan and write words that create better web experiences for our users. As I learn more about UX, I realize just how much crossover exists between journalism and content design/UX writing.
Here are some reasons a recovering reporter looking for their second act might consider a career writing in tech.
(Note: I’m eschewing the title debate and using “content designer” and “UX writer” interchangeably to describe anyone who writes and strategizes content for digital products, such as apps and websites. Heckle me later.)
You’re skilled at simplifying complex information
