LinkedIn Strategies That Landed Me a Dream UI/UX Internship!
Before I begin, I would like to thank Nitin Jaiswal for believing in me and having trust in me to work with an insanely talented team here at LimitPush.
So, getting back to the business😃
Let me take you back to the beginning of my professional UX/UI Bootcamp on July 31, 2023. The driving force behind this course was simple: I wanted to secure an internship or a job in this field.
Midway through the course, I began applying for positions across various platforms. However, despite my efforts, I faced disappointment — I didn’t receive any responses or even make it through the initial screening stages. 😔
Refusing to be discouraged, I returned to LinkedIn, armed with my tried-and-tested methods for job searching and cold DM. But before I dive into those tactics (stay tuned for that!), I have to share how I tailored my messages. 💬
Crafting messages for cold DMs, I empathetically considered the needs of recruiters and hiring managers. Here’s what I came up with:
For those outside my network:
Hello,
I hope you’re doing well. I’m reaching out to request a referral for a UI/UX Intern at [Company]. I have completed my portfolio project and strongly believe that I would be a valuable addition to their team. Your support in providing a referral would be greatly appreciated.
Limited to a concise 300 characters, this message aimed to be direct and clear about my intentions.
For connections in my network:
Hello [Name],
I hope this message finds you well. I’m reaching out to kindly request a referral for a UI/UX Intern position at [Company]. I have obtained certification in UX/UI and have completed a portfolio project. I strongly believe that I could contribute significantly to the team’s goals. Your support in providing a referral would be immensely appreciated.
Resume: [Link]
Thanks
Jateen
Using these messages, I reached out to over 300 designers across 90+ companies.
Despite my efforts, a month passed with mixed responses — some replied, some didn’t, and some didn’t even accept my connection request. Among those who responded, most had full-time or immediate in-person positions, which didn’t align with my preference for a remote opportunity due to college constraints.
I also employed an alternative method to search for jobs on LinkedIn: simply open the search tab, enter “#hiring uiux intern” then in the filter section, choose the ‘Posts’ option, and select ‘Sort by’ to latest. This will automatically aggregate all the recent job openings that employees across various companies are posting.
But then, a breakthrough: I discovered a job posting for a UI/UX intern at an early-stage startup on LinkedIn. I wasted no time and promptly emailed my portfolio and CV to the provided address. 📧🔍
Six days later, at 11:23 PM on December 4th, I received an email:
Hello Jateen,
Sorry for the delay, are you still looking for an internship opportunity or have you joined anywhere?
A very good new startup LimitPush… is urgently looking for UI/UX designers for a 3-month paid internship. When are you next available for a 30-minute discussion?
I responded immediately, scheduled an interview for the next day at 2 PM, and aced it via Google Meet. The very same day, I received an offer from LimitPush and excitedly shared the news with friends and family. 💬📅💡
On December 8th, 2023, I officially joined LimitPush. The prospect of working on new projects and collaborating with talented individuals fills me with anticipation. I’m eager for the challenges, tasks, mistakes, and, above all, the learnings that lie ahead. 🌐🤝💡
I owe my success to all those who supported me directly or indirectly in shaping the person I am today. And to anyone in need of assistance, I’m just a DM away on LinkedIn or Instagram. 🌟🤝
To all the fellow hustlers out there, remember: “Embrace the journey, trust the process.”
Thank you, everyone. Signing off… 🚀
