In 2021, I landed a job with about 6 months of bootcamp + freelance experience. I will say it was a bit of luck with the boom in jobs at the time but what also helped me stand out was my freelance experience. Also, considering what transferable skills you might have. I used to interview people regularly and design digital marketing materials as a recruiter. UX principles are applied in a lot of different fields.
I love this comment Stacey! Thanks for sharing. I completely agree, UX touches so many different areas and skills that you can always apply them for different disciplines.
This video is great it’s what a really needed. I’m a graphic designer debating between switching to UX and it is quite discouraging seeing videos of people talking about layoffs and not enough jobs. But you really helped!!
As a graphic designer going into ux you might be ok, but it is honestly saturated and almost impossible to find an entry level job. Don’t waste your money on the bootcamp courses, just learn everything from Skillshare or online for free. The bootcamps are a total waste of money! Speaking from experience btw, having just done the general assembly course 5 months ago.
@@Rjamesm1988 I think everything has changed in UX, and I don't think is saturated in the same way you do. The saturation is from new designers with bootcamps and just that. That I agree with you. However, people that practice for real all that theory they just learnt, with personal projects, UX audits, collaborating with Devs in new ideas, etc. Those are rare, and those are the onces getting the jobs, independly on how they acquired that experience. It doesn't need to be experience working for a company.
@@ImJonasSuarez yes, but that type of hustle is the luxury of people living with their parents or supported by a spouse. If you’re trying to change career and have a kid and a mortgage to pay, ux is no longer the solution in my opinion….
@@ImJonasSuarez of the general assembly course I did, 6 months on and only 2 students of 14 managed to find any meaningful employment in the industry….
Gracias por tus palabras Jonas...me dan esperanza, esto es lo que me gusta, pero el mercado en Berlin si está sobresaturado. tengo 3 anos de experiencia en uX pero este 2024 me quede sin trabajo y me ha costado mucho encontrar otro...sigo poniendole muchas ganas!
I applaud the message of this video - if you really want it, go for it. Some people who were lured into the bootcamp promise need a reality check. You -can- be self-taught + bootcamp but it will take a lot of work. It's probably better to start in a design-adjacent job than a pure UX/UI design job that requires less skills and build your way up.
Thank you Johan! And yes, completely agree with everything you just said. I also think more people inside the industry should share the reality of the industry and some marketing messages should be call out (but no one can control that last one)
Devs, recruiters, other roles are in the same boat. It's tech in general we should not be too focused on UX being saturated. You are right, it's going to pick up.
Exactly! Even other career outside tech are affected by the market right now but that's how markets work. Good times, bad times, good times, bad times...
I'm into UI and UX for several years now and I barely got a job for 2 months and some small projects here and there, that I cannot even show in my portfolio because of the NDAs. The salaries are also not good enough. Been applying for the last year without success. I am seriously thinking of becoming a Farmer.
Hahaha if being a farmer makes you happy, why not? Sorry to read that, it si true that there is a part of the market that we can't control but from the things we can control only two things can be happening here, as hard as they sound (1) you don't have the level for the positions your are applying for. (2) You are not telling your story right. The great news is that both of them are up to you and can be improved. I'll be making more videos about it in the future. About the NDS, you can always modify some data to protect the company and the project. Also, showing only with password to no potential competitors, etc. There is always a way to show them safety. I hope your situation changes soon.
Of course, there is always people leading to a path for the wrong reasons but the reality is that the effort and dedications it takes will filter the ones that really want to get in from those.
this was a fantastic video! i hate the fear mongering that happens in content around UX careers. This was such an encouraging yet realistic take. I just recently completed a UX BootCamp and am changing careers from recruiting and u hit the nail on the head with this one. ty for sharing!
I tried getting a job in UXD (I was trying to transition from architecture) I took a course also and got a certificate. There were plenty of job postings everywhere, but every entry-level job required 2-3 years of experience. So after 1 year and a half trying to set my foot in UX, I just stayed with architecture since I needed to pay my bills 😅
At the end of the day, everyone of us need to evaluate our own situation and decide accordingly. If you need the money to pay the bills, then that is the right decision. However, I not markets fault that you didn't get the job. It's that what the market requires now is different from what you are offering. With the current situation, it doesn't matter how many masters, official certificate or whatever you have, what is important is your experience. Your portfolio needs to tell a story of someone with experience. And when I say experience I don't mean working for a company, I mean doing real projects with real users so you really do what it needs to be done to learn. I recommend you to watch this Episode: ruclips.net/video/QGCaEMCcHiQ/видео.html
I am a service desk at big company from 2 years had little bit of background as fiber technician, i was thinking to get out of service desk and do something else i though i would love Network.. but didn't not enjoying studying that.. and finally i did some reflection and find out I love designing which gives me creative satisfaction.. but people are saying i am taking bad dicsion.. i am 30 years old.. ate they are saying its too late.. go into something technical.. which has more stability.... You can't get into UX now...
Who is "they", who is saying that is too late? We are talking about Tech, do you think that in the next years the all the tech in the world is going to disappear? or is more likely to increase? The problem today is that the world is in a global crisis but we always have crisis through history every once in a while. Good times will be back, and then they'll become bad times again at some point. You can get into UX but what is require to get it is different from before, that's all. If you like it, you can put the time and effort needed, you can make it. But not in 3 months like the marketing of that bootcamp said, that where the problem is, the unrealistic expectation from people selling you courses, bootcamps, etc. By the way, I started studying UX with 31 so I don't think age is the problem either. I hope this message motivates you, if you really want to pursuit this path. And if it doesn't, is ok. You don't need to become UX and that is completely fine, it's not for everyone, like many other things.
Hello Jonas. Let me bring here a different perspective - I've been working in UX since 2004, after starting as a web designer. You're right, back then resources to learn were few and far between, and opportunities also - specially for us in Latin America. Of course as this kept improving and learning became easier, talent competition started to get harder and harder, and the current point of saturation means neither jobs nor wages will ever be as good as they used to be. I personally grew weary of the field and when I was let go from my last office job in 2021 I decided to explore other professional ventures. However, those didn't do as well financially speaking and I still get contacted for UX jobs, so I'm here reskilling myself on the new ways to do things. Because I still can't retire and there's always bills to pay... it is what it is I guess.
I'm sorry to hear that and I hope your situation changes soon. Thank you for sharing your experience. Also, impressive that you have been in UX since 2004 🙌 The truths is that there is not one state of the market that fits all. At the end of the day, each country, city, company, etc. Have a lot of influence in our experience in this career. When I talk I usually refer to UK, USA and the most mature places in UX in EU. However, for example here in Spain the reality is different because the market is just realising now the importance of UX. It will take time, but we will get there, same for other Spanish speaking countries. All the best for your future and thank you again for sharing this with me 🤩
I enjoy your grounded approach. I always felt there was a bit of gate keeping in UX design. I feel there is still a pathway to UX if you are passionate. Thanks for the video
I think it's a profession and discipline that is still in early days and growing, eventually to be bigger than ever. It may help to have a specialization on top of it, like UX + web dev, UX + RPA, and so on. There are millions of websites and apps that would benefit from UX improvements, plus all those still to come - to say nothing of physical products... AI can only reproduce what humans have already done, so it should be best to be at the creative / advanced edge of any field. It's like how cameras led to Impressionism - of the basics are covered by tech, then the artists are freed up to explore farther than when they had to do the basics themselves. But even if you think AI is going to take over, or at least start replacing workers, there is still a huge opportunity for UX from a bot's POV. Most apps and things weren't built very well for people to use, but they *really* weren't built well for computers to use 😅
Totally! This is a great summary of the market. All these new technologies like AI, VR, etc... Ate going to generate even more need for profesionals to design it and optimise it.
Good question Olga! I'm originally from the Canary Islands and there we have a kind of banana that only grows there, super tasty. It's called Plátano de Canarias! 🍌 Also, the best UX fruit ever is the banana. You should search on the internet for the UX of a banana 🤣
That's a great course but remember that it will be just the beginning of your journey. Keep learning after that and more importantly, start practicing what you learn as soon as possible. Good luck in this new adventure 💪
OMG, thank you for this video and making us feel encouraged. I'm so glad to see this video and the comments that i'm not the only one who felt unsafe in a way.
That is completely true! It's a great career and you can get to amazing conditions but no one will give you that without working hard. That is why is important to really like what we do.
Should I get my masters in HCI and if so what school or program do you recommend? I have a B.S in Web and App Development and I did Google UX Certification and I am having trouble finding a job (in that dream pool of people you talked about). I graduated from undergrad during the pandemic so there wasn't a lot of corporate work or internships available (so I have none). I need connections and more experience so I think a masters is the way to go especially since most internships want people who are active students or recent graduates. The pandemic really put a gap in my professional career, as all i have after college is personal projects. Thanks for this video.
When it comes to doing a Masters, that's is a decision only you can make. All I can say is that in UX, there aren't any masters, courses, bootcamps, certifications, etc. That can give you any advantage on the market. You should decide considering how you like to learn, the time you have to dedicate and what you can affort. I studied UX a long time ago and self-taught. I'm not fan of recommending things I hasn't tried. If you want to standout in the UX market as it is today, the priority is to get experience. You don't need and internship o a company to get that experience. It could be with personal projects, volunteer work, freelance work, etc. I hope my answer helps ☺️
3 high quality projects, better than 1 year in masters along with 16k money u spend. Take that 16k and get an Amazing portfolio. Get amazing mentors. Also note 50% of the market is websites. So do website projects too along with mobile. Have a dribbble with amazing Web designs and ui designs. All of this is far better than the money and time you spend on a masters.
It depends on so many different factors, being you, the most important one of them. In general, is better than many careers. However, no one can promise you that and if it happens it will take years.
In 2021, I landed a job with about 6 months of bootcamp + freelance experience. I will say it was a bit of luck with the boom in jobs at the time but what also helped me stand out was my freelance experience. Also, considering what transferable skills you might have. I used to interview people regularly and design digital marketing materials as a recruiter. UX principles are applied in a lot of different fields.
I love this comment Stacey! Thanks for sharing. I completely agree, UX touches so many different areas and skills that you can always apply them for different disciplines.
This video is great it’s what a really needed. I’m a graphic designer debating between switching to UX and it is quite discouraging seeing videos of people talking about layoffs and not enough jobs. But you really helped!!
Happy that it helps! 😊
As a graphic designer going into ux you might be ok, but it is honestly saturated and almost impossible to find an entry level job. Don’t waste your money on the bootcamp courses, just learn everything from Skillshare or online for free. The bootcamps are a total waste of money! Speaking from experience btw, having just done the general assembly course 5 months ago.
@@Rjamesm1988 I think everything has changed in UX, and I don't think is saturated in the same way you do.
The saturation is from new designers with bootcamps and just that. That I agree with you.
However, people that practice for real all that theory they just learnt, with personal projects, UX audits, collaborating with Devs in new ideas, etc. Those are rare, and those are the onces getting the jobs, independly on how they acquired that experience. It doesn't need to be experience working for a company.
@@ImJonasSuarez yes, but that type of hustle is the luxury of people living with their parents or supported by a spouse. If you’re trying to change career and have a kid and a mortgage to pay, ux is no longer the solution in my opinion….
@@ImJonasSuarez of the general assembly course I did, 6 months on and only 2 students of 14 managed to find any meaningful employment in the industry….
Gracias por tus palabras Jonas...me dan esperanza, esto es lo que me gusta, pero el mercado en Berlin si está sobresaturado. tengo 3 anos de experiencia en uX pero este 2024 me quede sin trabajo y me ha costado mucho encontrar otro...sigo poniendole muchas ganas!
Mucho ánimo Kike! Tengo un canal en Español, por si estás interesado en más contenido @JonasSuarez
I applaud the message of this video - if you really want it, go for it. Some people who were lured into the bootcamp promise need a reality check. You -can- be self-taught + bootcamp but it will take a lot of work. It's probably better to start in a design-adjacent job than a pure UX/UI design job that requires less skills and build your way up.
Thank you Johan! And yes, completely agree with everything you just said. I also think more people inside the industry should share the reality of the industry and some marketing messages should be call out (but no one can control that last one)
Devs, recruiters, other roles are in the same boat. It's tech in general we should not be too focused on UX being saturated. You are right, it's going to pick up.
Exactly! Even other career outside tech are affected by the market right now but that's how markets work. Good times, bad times, good times, bad times...
Hi Jonas, thank you for the beautiful message and encouragement at the end! This video brings me back to the passion of learning.
That is wonderful to read! I'm glad that is the case and thank you for sharing it with me 🙌
I'm into UI and UX for several years now and I barely got a job for 2 months and some small projects here and there, that I cannot even show in my portfolio because of the NDAs. The salaries are also not good enough. Been applying for the last year without success. I am seriously thinking of becoming a Farmer.
Hahaha if being a farmer makes you happy, why not? Sorry to read that, it si true that there is a part of the market that we can't control but from the things we can control only two things can be happening here, as hard as they sound (1) you don't have the level for the positions your are applying for. (2) You are not telling your story right.
The great news is that both of them are up to you and can be improved. I'll be making more videos about it in the future. About the NDS, you can always modify some data to protect the company and the project. Also, showing only with password to no potential competitors, etc. There is always a way to show them safety.
I hope your situation changes soon.
From my exp...i think.. there are actually quite a lot of people who are looking towards ux because it is popular, paying very good and sounds cool...
Of course, there is always people leading to a path for the wrong reasons but the reality is that the effort and dedications it takes will filter the ones that really want to get in from those.
this was a fantastic video! i hate the fear mongering that happens in content around UX careers. This was such an encouraging yet realistic take. I just recently completed a UX BootCamp and am changing careers from recruiting and u hit the nail on the head with this one. ty for sharing!
I'm glad it helps! Good luck in this new exciting adventure in your professional life! 🤩
can your please share where did you attend the bootcamp
I love this video, I really needed to hear this, so thank you
I'm glad it helps, Pierre! 🤩
I tried getting a job in UXD (I was trying to transition from architecture) I took a course also and got a certificate. There were plenty of job postings everywhere, but every entry-level job required 2-3 years of experience. So after 1 year and a half trying to set my foot in UX, I just stayed with architecture since I needed to pay my bills 😅
At the end of the day, everyone of us need to evaluate our own situation and decide accordingly. If you need the money to pay the bills, then that is the right decision. However, I not markets fault that you didn't get the job. It's that what the market requires now is different from what you are offering.
With the current situation, it doesn't matter how many masters, official certificate or whatever you have, what is important is your experience. Your portfolio needs to tell a story of someone with experience. And when I say experience I don't mean working for a company, I mean doing real projects with real users so you really do what it needs to be done to learn.
I recommend you to watch this Episode: ruclips.net/video/QGCaEMCcHiQ/видео.html
Thanks for this video! Just started my UX Design bootcamp with CareerFoundry.
I'm glad you liked it! Good luck in your new adventure 🍀
I am a service desk at big company from 2 years had little bit of background as fiber technician, i was thinking to get out of service desk and do something else i though i would love Network.. but didn't not enjoying studying that.. and finally i did some reflection and find out I love designing which gives me creative satisfaction.. but people are saying i am taking bad dicsion.. i am 30 years old.. ate they are saying its too late.. go into something technical.. which has more stability.... You can't get into UX now...
Who is "they", who is saying that is too late? We are talking about Tech, do you think that in the next years the all the tech in the world is going to disappear? or is more likely to increase?
The problem today is that the world is in a global crisis but we always have crisis through history every once in a while. Good times will be back, and then they'll become bad times again at some point.
You can get into UX but what is require to get it is different from before, that's all. If you like it, you can put the time and effort needed, you can make it. But not in 3 months like the marketing of that bootcamp said, that where the problem is, the unrealistic expectation from people selling you courses, bootcamps, etc.
By the way, I started studying UX with 31 so I don't think age is the problem either.
I hope this message motivates you, if you really want to pursuit this path. And if it doesn't, is ok. You don't need to become UX and that is completely fine, it's not for everyone, like many other things.
Hello Jonas. Let me bring here a different perspective - I've been working in UX since 2004, after starting as a web designer. You're right, back then resources to learn were few and far between, and opportunities also - specially for us in Latin America. Of course as this kept improving and learning became easier, talent competition started to get harder and harder, and the current point of saturation means neither jobs nor wages will ever be as good as they used to be. I personally grew weary of the field and when I was let go from my last office job in 2021 I decided to explore other professional ventures. However, those didn't do as well financially speaking and I still get contacted for UX jobs, so I'm here reskilling myself on the new ways to do things. Because I still can't retire and there's always bills to pay... it is what it is I guess.
I'm sorry to hear that and I hope your situation changes soon. Thank you for sharing your experience. Also, impressive that you have been in UX since 2004 🙌
The truths is that there is not one state of the market that fits all. At the end of the day, each country, city, company, etc. Have a lot of influence in our experience in this career. When I talk I usually refer to UK, USA and the most mature places in UX in EU. However, for example here in Spain the reality is different because the market is just realising now the importance of UX. It will take time, but we will get there, same for other Spanish speaking countries.
All the best for your future and thank you again for sharing this with me 🤩
I enjoy your grounded approach. I always felt there was a bit of gate keeping in UX design. I feel there is still a pathway to UX if you are passionate. Thanks for the video
I'm glad you liked it! 🤩 Of course there is still a pathway but the profession is maturing, so what worked before doesn't cut it anymore.
Thanks for the message Jonas! Definitely needed to hear this!
I'm glad it helps, Theo! ☺️
I think it's a profession and discipline that is still in early days and growing, eventually to be bigger than ever. It may help to have a specialization on top of it, like UX + web dev, UX + RPA, and so on. There are millions of websites and apps that would benefit from UX improvements, plus all those still to come - to say nothing of physical products...
AI can only reproduce what humans have already done, so it should be best to be at the creative / advanced edge of any field. It's like how cameras led to Impressionism - of the basics are covered by tech, then the artists are freed up to explore farther than when they had to do the basics themselves. But even if you think AI is going to take over, or at least start replacing workers, there is still a huge opportunity for UX from a bot's POV. Most apps and things weren't built very well for people to use, but they *really* weren't built well for computers to use 😅
Totally! This is a great summary of the market. All these new technologies like AI, VR, etc... Ate going to generate even more need for profesionals to design it and optimise it.
Thank you for this. Now i am confident to start my design journey
I'm glad to hear that! Good luck in this beautiful adventure that is UX 🍀
Very valid and realistic analysis
Thank you very much!
Great insights. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I'm glad you like it! 🙌
couldn't help it... what does the banana top left is supposed to represent?
Good question Olga! I'm originally from the Canary Islands and there we have a kind of banana that only grows there, super tasty. It's called Plátano de Canarias! 🍌 Also, the best UX fruit ever is the banana. You should search on the internet for the UX of a banana 🤣
Thanks for the content!!
My pleasure 🤩
I am doing Online Coursera Google UX design certificate .
That's a great course but remember that it will be just the beginning of your journey. Keep learning after that and more importantly, start practicing what you learn as soon as possible. Good luck in this new adventure 💪
@@ImJonasSuarez Thx
Same...
OMG, thank you for this video and making us feel encouraged. I'm so glad to see this video and the comments that i'm not the only one who felt unsafe in a way.
I'm happy that it helps! 😊
You have to work hard at everything.
That is completely true! It's a great career and you can get to amazing conditions but no one will give you that without working hard. That is why is important to really like what we do.
Great video and nice way of long term thinking
Happy you like it, Edward 🤩
Should I get my masters in HCI and if so what school or program do you recommend?
I have a B.S in Web and App Development and I did Google UX Certification and I am having trouble finding a job (in that dream pool of people you talked about). I graduated from undergrad during the pandemic so there wasn't a lot of corporate work or internships available (so I have none). I need connections and more experience so I think a masters is the way to go especially since most internships want people who are active students or recent graduates. The pandemic really put a gap in my professional career, as all i have after college is personal projects. Thanks for this video.
When it comes to doing a Masters, that's is a decision only you can make. All I can say is that in UX, there aren't any masters, courses, bootcamps, certifications, etc. That can give you any advantage on the market.
You should decide considering how you like to learn, the time you have to dedicate and what you can affort.
I studied UX a long time ago and self-taught. I'm not fan of recommending things I hasn't tried.
If you want to standout in the UX market as it is today, the priority is to get experience. You don't need and internship o a company to get that experience. It could be with personal projects, volunteer work, freelance work, etc.
I hope my answer helps ☺️
3 high quality projects, better than 1 year in masters along with 16k money u spend. Take that 16k and get an Amazing portfolio. Get amazing mentors. Also note 50% of the market is websites. So do website projects too along with mobile. Have a dribbble with amazing Web designs and ui designs. All of this is far better than the money and time you spend on a masters.
Sir is ui/ux designer is well paid?
It depends on so many different factors, being you, the most important one of them. In general, is better than many careers. However, no one can promise you that and if it happens it will take years.
Encontré tu canal en Ingles!!
Yes, you did! 🤩
We’re cooked boys
We are fine! 👌