Go to where the challenge is. Or you might end up designing for Meta.
I think this might be a recurring issue in my posts: designing with a purpose.
In the post-pandemic world, I have seen a rise in demand and wages in the design field, specifically for UI/UX and Product design.
That means, my fellow designer, you are hotter than ever. And that gives you options, to who and what you are putting a big chunk of your life towards.
Through sponsored ads, companies like Amazon and Meta have been targeting many of us, trying to allure us to work for them. By offering international recognition, above-average pay, and good benefits, you can be the one designing amazing things like the Metaverse, or helping Amazon find even more markets to steal from its not-so-wealthy competitors.
Or…
You can always choose the challenge. The real challenge.
Turns out that if you watch the news while eating breakfast or even get reached out by your Apple News or Twitter notifications every once in a while, you will notice a lot is going on in the world. A lot of bad stuff.
We can point to the most obvious ones, like the pandemic still going strong, the war in Ukraine, the supply chain issues, climate catastrophes, and kids getting shot in schools.
That by itself it’s enough for you to sink your head into the Metaverse, where everyone looks like a cartoon character. But again, that won’t solve any problem.
And these problems require creative, critical thinking. And, assuming you are more than just a visual designer, you should practice these skills on a daily bases.
Then, again, assuming you can pick a job in which you won’t get any rich, but you can raise your family and have a good life, why don’t you put your super skills towards something that will in fact impact the life of many people, including our children?
Look for where the challenge is. What can you give your trade to solve the problems we are facing now? Maybe it's working for a company disrupting the learning industry. Or a company shifting from oil to clean energy. There are so many opportunities I can’t list here.
But the truth is if you look for perfection or an issue-free world you won’t find it. And if you convince yourself you should get into the bubble, you will end up working for meaningless projects that won’t solve the crisis we are facing now. Putting your talent and time to build an alternate reality won’t solve the real issues. Maybe one day we will be free to do silly little projects, but we are far from this now.
Choosing to work on projects that will make the world a better place will enrich your life with more than financial benefits. It will transform this place one brick at a time and your grandchildren will be thankful for that.
