Lessons learned during and after my 1-year UX program
In September 2017, I went back to school to study UX Design and prepare myself to transition into a UX career. It was a one year program (2 semesters) at Humber College which included 6 weeks of work placement.
I graduated in May 2018 and would like to share a few DOs and DON’Ts based on what I’ve learned through my own personal experience.
Top Things To Do:
1. Start researching your favorite companies from day one.
Making a list of your future employers would help you when looking for internship/work placement while you’re still at school, and contract/full-time positions when you’re done with school.
2. Attend related meet-ups, events and conferences.
Learning about real experiences from people working in the industry, learning the jargons, getting to know the latest technology and best practices are just a few benefits. Of course we shouldn’t forget about networking which is by far the most important thing everyone needs to do, regardless of where they are on their career ladder.
Two of my favorite conferences last year were The UXR Conference and FITC.
3. Portfolio, Portfolio, Portfolio.
Having the best resume in the world is not enough when applying for a job in UX. Employers want to see your thought process and skills. Even if you don’t have the skills, time or resources to make a fancy one, make sure you have at least a basic UX portfolio in order to apply to internships or work placement roles.
It took me a while to get my portfolio up and running since I was a bit too much focused on my school’s assignments. As a result, I missed many opportunities with companies that asked for a link to my portfolio, when I didn’t have one ready yet.
Now, let’s get to the DON’Ts:
1. Don’t count on your school/college to find your work placement for you… Take things into your own hand!
They usually offer some opportunities but you’re usually competing with your whole class and people from other schools. Get your Program’s Coordinator to contact your favorite companies.
To speed things up, make sure you do your homework and look up their HR’s name and corporate contact info (phone number, email address, company’s website).
2. Don’t expect your school to teach you everything.
Your school curriculum probably doesn’t cover everything — that’s impractical in the ever-evolving tech industry. In addition to rigorous coursework, you’re responsible for keeping up with the flow and learn things from various sources such as books, YouTube videos, podcasts, UX articles on Medium… you get the idea!
3. Don’t be afraid to reach out.
There are many nice people out there who genuinely empathize with the situation you’re in and would gladly help you. Then, there are people who aren’t as helpful — just accept this as a fact when networking or reaching out.
The worst thing that might happen is not receiving a response. What have you got to lose? Don’t give up if you don’t hear back. Persistence, follow-up, and not taking things personally go a long way in your job hunt.
Every person’s path is different. What’s important is to learn from your own and others’ mistakes and make wiser choices based on those.
Good luck with your journey!
