How To Get Your First UX Research Role

So you are looking to get a job as a UX Researcher right out of college? Maybe you have been working for a couple of years already and are looking to pivot into UX Research? Either way, these tips might be helpful for you! I love my job as a UX Researcher and it is my goal to help you find your passions within the UX field as well.

What does my job entail?

I am a mixed methods UX Researcher at LexisNexis. Being mixed methods essentially means that I dabble in both quantitative and qualitative UX research. My day-to-day activities include survey writing and analysis, moderating in person sessions with users, moderating Q&A sessions between the users and LexisNexis stakeholders, and ensuring in any way I can that the customers’ voices are heard loud and clear. What UX Researchers do day-to-day varies widely per project, per team, and per company so my experience might be different from that of other UX Researchers.

That being said, here are some recommendations I have for people trying to get their first UX Research role!

1) Familiarize yourself with the open roles

Read the job descriptions of what a UX Research role will entail. Each job opening will have a description as well as a list of basic duties and basic skills required. Be sure to take note of the differences between qualitative vs quantitative roles. Quantitative roles will often require a solid data science/analytics background, whereas qualitative roles will require a solid psychology/behavioral sciences background. Mixed method roles will require a bit of both. Reading over several of these will give you an idea of what recruiters are looking for and where the industry is headed. Once you have read over the roles, be sure that the type of UX Research work you are applying for fits your passions.

2) Take classes at your university or elsewhere that help you gain the skills necessary for UX Research

If you are an undergraduate or graduate student, try and take some classes that will help you get the skills necessary for being a UX Researcher. Subjects that could help you include but are not limited to: Statistics/Data Science, Psychology, UX/UI Design, and Business. UX Researchers use statistical methods every day for data analysis so having statistical skills is a must. Understanding the users and their needs/motivations is a huge part of our job so psychology classes are a huge bonus as well. Keep in mind that UX Researchers come from a wide variety of different backgrounds so having these classes in your arsenal is certainly not a must! If you are no longer a student, you can even find free online classes in these subjects that could help you gain the skills necessary to be a UX Researcher. I have found some very helpful resources on Nielsen Norman’s website; https://www.nngroup.com/ .

3) Network with other UX Researchers.

It is extremely important to keep in contact with other UX Researchers as they might be aware of open positions and be able to help direct toward UX Research roles in other ways. I would recommend joining UX Research groups on Facebook, LinkedIn, or even at your school if they have any. When I was looking for a new role after my first job, having a community of other researchers helped motivate me to keep looking. Networking is especially important for UX Researchers because our field is small but rapidly growing.

4) Look for internships, RA positions or other field experience in UX Research

If you are still a student, it never hurts to have some prior experience in UX Research before looking for a full time job. Internships, university research, or any other “field” experience you can get will help your chances securing a full time role. Having a little bit of prior experience is extremely important since most UX Research teams are either very small or still growing and want researchers that can hit the ground running.

5) Create a UX Research Portfolio

Most UX Research roles require you to do a portfolio review, which is essentially a presentation of some of your previous work. You will most likely need to have an online portfolio to submit with your application in addition to a PowerPoint presentation with your top 3–5 projects. These projects should display the skills necessary for the role. Take a look at this article by David Travis for more tips on how to create a powerful UX Research Portfolio: https://medium.com/@userfocus/how-to-wow-me-with-your-ux-research-portfolio-2867001aec18

Most importantly, make sure to have fun be willing to learn and grow throughout the process! Especially in this current environment, searching for a job can be stressful. But if you are truly passionate about the field you are applying for, you will succeed in the end. Best of luck and stay connected!