I want to add a little more clarity regarding this video....the ux design career itself IS NOT dying down. Its the complete opposite, the career/industry is continuing to grow like crazy. The "hype"/interest/curiosity in the career is the thing that's dying down, as I address. in the video. Also...try SkillShare, with a 1-Month FREE Trial! skillshare.eqcm.net/c/3784077/298081/4650
I can't thank you enough, Wesley. I have been just started to learn about this possible career path for me and your video is the most clear and honest. I really appreciate your sharing!
I think you're "hoping" there ..as soon as people start using this, especially tools like Galileo then companies will start slashing salaries/day rates and just have a one man team....it happened before! Two words... GRAPHIC DESIGN 😅
Thanks for the video. I’m now a Sr. Product Designer coming from being a UX Designer and before that front end developer. I wasn’t schooled in UX but have studied coding, sociology, game design and creative writing. During this time learned by doing and talking to users and listening - empathy goes a long way. I’ve been working with UX for about 12 years now. Back then the discipline was called Human Computer Interaction. My biggest tip for anyone wanting to work within this field is to develop a deep sense of empathy - for people and the problems they’re facing everyday. Then break those down, map it out to get a better sense of the scale, the problems they’re facing, really is. Learn how to fall in love with problems and not solutions/designs. Remember, text is also part of the designs - text and information play a vital role in design too, along colors and shapes.
Dear The ApeWonder, don't you think empathy word is overused to the point it is an old fashioned buzz word right now? What I am saying is empathy was not the right word initially for it, unless we are psychopath we all have some degree of empathy if our amiygdala works well. But it does not mean we deeply understand other people's motivation behind their actions by emphatising, how can I emphatise a fan's motivation to buy a ticket for World Cup with all his money, there are way too many irrational human behaviour to emphatise. We can only observe and analyse, this is what science has been doing all along. Google's course brough that term emphaty and it becase soo cool for a while. Look at society and people's choices, do you truely emphatise with everybody, all the diciplines you study did they teach you how to emphatise or analyse? I guess human computer interaction was a better way to name it all along anyway.
@@uxerhypaHey! I’m not sure what you’re implying here. 🙂 I’m not saying empathy is a word for anything or replacing any method nor science. I’m simply saying empathy for people’s problems goes a long way to *help* you embrace people’s struggles we, as designers, can help out with. For example, *empathy mapping* can help out with getting a better picture of the drive and motivations people have. Simply saying you have empathy with someone’s struggle doesn’t mean you have it. Here is where we, within UX, can dig in and uncover motivations and pain points more. Only observing and analyze isn’t enough. We really have to talk to people too. To me this is a no brainer, it’s something we must do to fully grasp problems. Problems are diverse because people are diverse, solutions require getting good insights about diversity to come up with one that makes most sense (to most people) within this diversity. So buzzword or not (unsure if you mean *UX* or *empathy* here) - I do believe working within the field of UX or HCI requires a lot more than designing and observing. Sorry if I misunderstood your post.
I'm also relieved. Not that I am trying to gate keep the job, but the glamorization of the role was setting people up with unrealistic expectations. I had multiple people reach out to me to learn more about UX and in those conversations it came to light that their main motivator was making a lot of money rather than seeing whether the role and skillet aligns with theirs.
Based on TikTok and Instagram content, I wouldn't be surprised if the hype around UX gets replaced with branding/graphic design. Ive been seeing A LOT of content about that lately.
I've had those same conversations with others interested in ux design. And I'm glad that people are networking and reaching out to current UXers' to understand the current day-to-day and see all perspectives of it. Since bootcamps are a business, its not in their best interest to tell you the bad side of it as well.
I'm in the same situation as you. I do not have a Bachelor's but I have been working as a graphic designer for almost 5 years now. I am about to complete a 3 month UX/UI course and tbh, I learned a lot especially on the UX research side. It altered my creative process and definitely contributed to how I design. Unfortunately working in a heavily corporate industry limits my application of it. However, I do enjoy creating side projects now and have been refining my skills. I'm at a point where I do not regret taking up a short course because I can use it to leverage myself amongst others. The worse thing to happen as a creative is being stagnant and not not upskilling. It's easy to be jobless in this field.
I won't lie- when I first met up with my friend from college that majored in a non-creative field and switched to UX 1 year post-grad and was making significantly more than me (about 200% more!) my interest was grabbed. I majored in media production and ended up in motion design- which is pretty nice to me, but my designs in my particular industry are essentially used once and then never seen again. I've since done a deep and personal dive into UX concerning my initial desires going into college of using design to communicate environmental and social good initiatives. I'd always been fascinated with the ability to learn from diverse perspectives (which almost took me down a documentarian path) but UX seems to strike this perfect convergence of a creative outlet while learning and caring for the human factor above all else.
@@thisiselodie Wow that's super cool to hear! 100% support that idea that although we may work in a creative field we should still find time to work on the passion products outside of work regardless of the medium. "Leisure historically meant simply freedom from the work needed to survive, freedom for intellectual or creative pursuits. It was the learning and the studying and the pursuit of higher things."
Exactly!!!! I think this is such a beautiful career so I'm going to do it anyways. This is the first time where I actually found something that clicks with me.
I have worked for 23 years as an audiovisual producer on TV and I have taken advantage of the fact that this year I was fired from the company where I had been linking dozens of contracts for 12 years (I was only with a stable contract for the last 3 years), to train in a new profession. I have always liked computing since I was little, and I have started a higher degree in my country (Spain) taught by the Ministry of Education in DAW (Web Application Development), while I am taking a 6-month Google course. UX, and I am really liking UX, because I have always loved my relationship with people on television, and the research and documentation aspect as well. That's why if I have the opportunity and in addition to knowing how to program, I can work with something related to UX researcher, it would be fantastic. I would like to know more about your experience or from anyone who reads me who works as a UX designer from any country. Thank you very much in advance. You can contact me through my Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero En español: Yo he trabajado 23 años como productor audiovisual en TV y he aprovechado que este año me despidieron de la empresa en la que llevaba 12 años enlazando docenas de contratos (solo estuve con contrato estable los ultimos 3 años), para formarme en una nueva profesión. Siempre me ha gustado la informática desde pequeño, y he comenzado un grado superior en mi pais (España) impartido por el ministerio de educación de DAW ( Desarrollo de aplicaciones web), a la vez que estoy cursando un curso de 6 meses de Google de UX, y me está gustando mucho la UX, porque mi relación con las personas en la televisión siempre me ha encantado, y la faceta de investigación y documentación también. Por eso si tengo oportunidad y además de saber programar, puedo trabajar con algo relacionado con investigador UX, sería fantastico. Me gustaría saber más de tu experiencia o de cualquiera que me lea que trabaje como diseñador UX de cualquier país. muchas gracias por adelantado. Pueden contactarme por medio de mi Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero
As a mid level UX/UI D I agree completely. My background is a little different as I didn’t complete a boot camp. I am glad the hype is dying down. I think another positive of the trend die-down is ppl stop asking crazy salary questions and other really arbitrary questions. I encourage ppl to be thoughtful and intentional because this field is 70% research, thought processand understanding data, testing, and 30% design. I think a lot of ppl had a hard time during the trend because they weren’t being creative with what they learned in boot camps. It’s just like college, it’s not real world practice, you have to find the real world scenarios to apply learning to get a deeper understanding. I don’t think ppl understood that level of effort as a non-traditional career seeker. Hopefully now people take the time to really think about if they are serious about the field, and how they can get the most out of their learning and put their best foot forward
Totally relate, with the endless arbitrary questions and everything being so focused on the salary and glamorous tech life. And i love the analogy you used regarding college. A lot of the real world stuff isn't taught at majority of the bootcamps sadly.
I switched from graphic design to UX design. Although the money is a lot better and I make 6 figures, my experience in this field has been pretty poor and no longer passionate. Maybe it's because I've only worked at companies that don't care about UX but instead of doing actual design work (gathering research, data, brainstorming, doing ui work) my time is spent either convincing the PM of why we should go about this design or having the PM tell me exactly what to do because we don't see eye to eye. It's completely frustrating and I feel like I'm powerless in my team and organization. Even my design manager can't do anything about it and is experiencing the same thing
Thanks for sharing your experience. Your journey is similar to some of my other ux friends as well, working with companies that aren't knowledgable on UX, constantly fighting for your designs against stakeholders, PMs, etc. It feels like designers who have been working at least 5+ years or so have been on the frontline dealing all the unnecessary damages that have caused mass burnout, pessimism, and jadedness.
The most annoying thing about the hype was when i had to interview candidates and they literally had 1 or 2 screens worth of work in their portfolio. Someone new needs 2 case studies to prove they have the skills, training is always available but I cannot teach you from the ground up. You have to hit the ground RUNNING. This was for a product designer position. When i was a graphic designer the deadlines and workloads were always insane so you have to learn how to streamline and enhance your skills in your free time. Design is no bed of roses.
Hi, I have a portfolio with serious research done but still hard to get an entry-level job in this situation of economic. If you are still open to recruiting, could you have a look at my portfolio? Thank you so much :)
I've been hearing this sentiment from senior UXers I regularly talk to and they actually think that this might be good for people who are really determined to do UX. Those who are trying to go in or got in for the wrong reasons are getting weeded out. Now, I'm not immune to what's happening even though my background is one of the closest to UX (10+ years of Graphic Design, Branding, Art Director). I started my transition back in 2020 since I want to do design on a different, more tech-adjacent field. I told myself I would give 2 years to completely transition. So after 2+ years of learning and practicing, 6-month bootcamp that I finished in 12, 7 month job search and counting, 10+ numerous unsuccessful interviews, I still haven't landed a UX job. And it's okay. But the upside? I showed myself that UX is what I really want to do and I will keep pushing forward to pursue it.
I've got a similar story and background to you. Studied communication and design and initially worked in branding, graphic design, consultancy and frontend for ever 6 years. In 2020 I reskilled and then funny enough it took me 1,5 months to get a job in Switzerland. But then I figured out how unsatisfying it is when you feel like your work isn't really appreciated. I don't mind debating or fighting for ideas as I love to keep the big picture in mind, the reqs, the branding, business goals and strategy. I never get lost in the weeds. But now with the tech layoffs, I'm out there, scouting the market for new opportunities. Everybody wants to hire seniors and it drives me insane. Nobody wants to invite me and I'm applying in three European countries atm. It's tough but I'm convinced that this is what I want to do at least until I study game design. So if you want my two cents, just try. It's literally just iterating and improving your skills. There will be companies who will give you a chance, like they did with me.
I have worked for 23 years as an audiovisual producer on TV and I have taken advantage of the fact that this year I was fired from the company where I had been linking dozens of contracts for 12 years (I was only with a stable contract for the last 3 years), to train in a new profession. I have always liked computing since I was little, and I have started a higher degree in my country (Spain) taught by the Ministry of Education in DAW (Web Application Development), while I am taking a 6-month Google course. UX, and I am really liking UX, because I have always loved my relationship with people on television, and the research and documentation aspect as well. That's why if I have the opportunity and in addition to knowing how to program, I can work with something related to UX researcher, it would be fantastic. I would like to know more about your experience or from anyone who reads me who works as a UX designer from any country. Thank you very much in advance. You can contact me through my Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero
I'm hoping that the job market is finally going to be much less saturated later this year. I got a 2-year master's degree to shift to UX. It wasn't easy to make that decision in the first place, but then tech layoffs started right after I graduated. The job market is a disaster right now for applying to entry-level UX positions, and right now I have to go back to my previous industry out of necessity. I'm still looking for a UX job, I don't care if it's not "glamourous". I have a background in a different design role, and I know all design roles are always going to be overworked and requires a realistic mindset. Having to compete for UX jobs with thousands of people who don't even REALLY do UX is really frustrating.
In the similar boat. Did masters, and graduated during the covid lockdowns. Got a bad content strategist job with no room to grow. Now looking to up my ui skills for a real ux job
"Having to compete for UX jobs with thousands of people who don't even REALLY do UX is really frustrating." Yes. A thousand times yes. I interviewed people for jobs at one point and most of them didnt even have a portfolio!!!!
I had a similar issue and I was happy to accept an unpaid role although it was tough. Had another job to keep me afloat and work as a UX design intern . Sometimes you take what you can . Experience for me was better than none.
As someone looking for jobs at the moment, I'm very glad the hype is dying down some. I'm definitely a proponent of not 'speedrunning' your way into UX, I'm focusing on quality and steady growth over time. Great video!
Hi Jansley, thank you for watching! Yes, do your best to take those small steps and do not let the whole tech blitz/hype rush you through this new UX journey of yours. Thank you for sharing your journey so far on your channel as well! Feel free to reach out, I'd love to help in any way!
This video took the words right out of my mouth! When I started my career as a UX writer/content designer, all the hype of UX/Product Designers was all over my tiktok and it became easier to notice the influencers who were obviously making clickbait when mentioning the extreme salaries. A lot of those influencers were purposefully not talking about the ACTUAL work designers do like research, collaborating with content designers/ux writers and other stakeholders like PM's and engineers, etc. It sucks that it's still so hard to get into UX since the entry level positions are practically nonexistent, but hopefully people can take the time to do some serious digging on what it means to be a designer and not be distracted by the fluff that's floating around online.
I’m someone with a fine arts background looking to jump into graphic design first and ux design later down the line. I’m super interested in the communicative and creative part of the process but it seems like ui/ux gets bogged down by company politics, which suck
UX has been a job in the mainstream since 1999. I know. I was there. There has never been a better time to get into UX than right now. It's literally a land grab situation, not unlike 1999, with a need for a UX driven POV on things like AI, accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability and more. The next 25 years of UX'ers will change the world.
Yo dude, this is a solid video. Totally going to subscribe. I’m hearing from more and more UX designers who are suggesting volunteer projects rather than boot camps (even hearing hiring managers talk about how they avoid hiring fresh grads, valuing experience over course completion). Appreciate the on point video 👌
Dude, I'm having a future crisis. I'm just starting off learning UI/UX design, and the industry in 5 to 10 years is so blurry with AI rapidly advancing, giving quicker and precise knowledge on the database there is on the internet including UI/UX design knowledge. And a group of people are already trying to make an AI that'll able to do UI and UX for the user. I'm extremely concern about this, because whether we like it or not, things are changing, meaning it will likely be a lot harder to get hire as a UI/UX designer. Is this something I should be greatly concern about or should I just take my pace on focus on enhancing my skill? It'd be great to hear your thoughts on this. Love this video! Thank you!
I think things have changed drastically over the years. I can still remember people thinking I was talking about burgers when I said I had a big Mac. I'm not a UX designer but a graphic designer, a field that was once deemed slightly nerdy, technical and creative at the same time. Now I think it has had a similar hype to UX thanks to the super fast assimilation of information ie social media etc. It is seen as cool and glamorous. I do detect though, a need in a lot of inexperienced people to want to progress really really fast. I'd say slow down and just absorb what you're learning and reassess your work at regular intervals, progress and promotions will happen!
I'm not sure about the hiring trends in this industry and will watch for forecasts. What I will say as a web developer in training, I find UX Design extremely helpful in understanding how and why websites are designed the way they are.
hello sir .... I am really very interested in designing and I want to do it as my career. but I want to know that who can get job easier '' industrial '' designer or '' UX designer '', I know it depends upon our skill, knowledge and experience but I am saying in general....hope you will reply❤❤
I honestly don't think the hype is dying just yet... with social media like TikTok and boom of bootcamps, the entry-level market is still so overly saturated and quite awful. I think it will be like that for a couple of more years honestly. I finish my undergrad in May and recruiting season is basically all year long. Each entry level positions I see on LinkedIn have 600+ applicants. I luckily have landed a role to start later in 2023 but nothing is guarantee with the job market and economy, which is honestly quite scary as a new grad. I think it only slowing down because the people that drop $$$$ for a quick bootcamp that promised them a job in design that pays six figures, is struggling to find a job and they are sharing their struggles on social media. They realized only 6 months to a year later AFTER their bootcamp that it wasn't as easy as they were "promised." But still, I constantly see ux "influencers" making videos about how to make an easy or quick transition to UX, so that def doesn't help.
I’ve been doing research on this career path for the better part of 2 years and I finally made the jump to learn more and my art background as well as some team work skills from my storyboarding work has made the learning experience great and I feel like I have a bit of a a leg up. Don’t gate keep too hard senior designers I want to work with you guys 🥺
I work as a graphic designer and people in the last few years would ask me all the time how to get into graphic design/UX design and I would tell them first thing you need to understand is they are very different. I work at a very small company so some of my duties as graphic designer overlap into the UX/UI, even the front end developer space when I have create new designs and implement them for our app and website based on customer feedback. Based on this experience I was able to inform people what they would be getting into if they wanted to pursue this career path. NOT that is a bad career path, it's just not what people see on social media lol
Totally agreed what you said, most bootcamp love to sugarcoat saying UX/UI designer have high earning salary What they are teaching is fundamental things, the current market is in the winter season. Even my instructor from the BootCamp saying is not easy to find a UX/UI designer job. Currently I'm still looking for a job for like 7 months already, gonna continue looking and make changes for my portfolio.
@@StrikeDemonX I'm also looking for a UI UX job for the past 2 months. Got a good amount of interviews and assignments, but then no answers from the company.
I work at Google as an AI prompt Engineer. A lot design jobs are going to disappear. I think only product managers will make it until that becomes automated.
yup I agree. I fell into the trap of the glamour. But also we all go into thinking "i love creating empathetic user experiences" (or something) but its not even like that, at least where im at. This isnt the job for those wanting creative freedom or have creativity in general. In my experience 1.6yrs in, its very "top down", no one knows ux value, they just want u to be a graphic designer, trying to get anyone on your team or stakeholders to buy in is like tug of war. The constant back and forth between leadership, non-design managers, PMs, engineers, other designers AND other teams (if u work a large corp) is so absolutely bonkers that its killed alot of my passion. If you like to debate and are all about facts and have a business mindset, sure go ahead. if not, you will struggle.
Hi Wesley! I'm one of the people who decided to do a career change in 2022 after a year of research and I LOVED it. I have a background in interior design and had alot of transferrable skills into UXUI. It's been six months and I still have not landed a job. I've had 12 interviews and got dropped by other participants who were more fit for the role which is okay! When I talk to people and net work they always say how great my work is and I make revisions to my design if i think it is worth iterating. I'm wondering, what can i do as a entry level design to land my first UXUI job?
Two things come to mind... 1. Networking - This one is very important to me because I got all my jobs through networking. Before applying for the position, I reached out to current/former employees and had coffee chats, I've had friends/colleagues connect me to recruiters, people noticed how active I was within the ux community, etc. Anything you can do to put your name out there consistently will help! and I know networking is not everyone's strength, but it's a necessary skill to have, especially nowadays when ux is so competitive. Find your local UX meetups/events, seek mentorship/feedback, etc. The last thing, give as much as you take. Don't go into networking with the sole mentality of getting something out of it for yourself....people will tell. Give back to the community, engage with the community, and show the community who you are as a professional and human. 2. Feedback - Do not be afraid to get feedback on your portfolio and case study, because that's going to be the one tool that helps you land your ux job, and help others understand who you are as a UXer. When I talk to aspiring UXers, it's still surprising when I hear they only got feedback from 2 or 3 designers, and that's not enough. It's never a good feeling to have your case study "torn to shred" but constructive criticism and feedback will help a lot when it comes to having a case study that's balanced in UX, UI, presentation, and storytelling. Hope this helps! 😊
I'm an older woman and spent a long time doing project management work in telecom. Everyone told me to just go get a PMP cert but to be honest, I hate project management. During the pandemic I started community college and I was thinking of going for software engineering but UI / UX has interested me lately. (my community college has web development as a major and I can do online courses at the state university) I've been watching a lot of videos about it and researching online. Because I'm older I figured getting a degree in it would be better than a bootcamp. What I'm wondering is... how much age discrimination would I run into?
I've wondered this as well! Every video I've ever seen on here is people in the 20s-30s--though of course that's internet reality and may not reflect real workplaces. But I do remember from that time of my life that anyone older seems like an alien. Or a parent. So, it might be tough to convince younger hiring managers of our fit, as "seasoned" workers. For that reason, I plan to go freelance, so that I can connect directly with potential clients who might be more comfortable with a GenX designer.
@@HLB512 Networking in my community and doing online research to identify opportunities to improve or create UX and then reach out to the potential clients.
Folks were definitely attracted by the lifestyle showed by RUclipsrs who became designers in a short time frame. But I still think a lot of companies and teams struggle to understand our value. I’ve see this lead to more experienced designers to speaking out about the challenges we face in our jobs on a daily basis. Things like gas lightning, burn out and trauma. Shit is real and I’ve seen it happen all to often. I just hope that we can find our footing over the next few years through all the challenges in the space. Beauty comes out of walking through the fire in life
This is the case with any new, up-and-coming career, even outside of tech. People have 0 clue what it is, the career finally blows up, people only gravitate towards the "rainbows and butterflies," social media leads the way in terms of exposure, and people don't go beyond social media to do more research. As much as I do believe social media/RUclipsrs has played a part in the struggles, I also think that if you're looking at social media as your primary way of understanding a career, and you don't take the time to actually talk to a UXer (informational interview) to go deeper, then you have to take some level of responsibility as well. If I'm trying to become an astronaut, and I look at social media to learn more about that career and I dont even take the time to talk to an actual one, am I really going to blame social media? Personally, I do feel like the UX space has died down and people are being more patient and rational with their career-changing decisions.
I'm trying to transition into this career, I've been bartending the last 11 years. I didn't finish college so no degree, I've looked into going back but it'll be about 50k to finish and 3 years. The bootcamps don't look like they have enough education behind them so I'm a little stuck at where to go from here. I'm looking into technical diplomas on a lateral design topic but haven't chosen one yet. Any educational recommendations?
Thank you for the video and it's a great insights! I enrolled in bootcamp few months ago, but makes me worry little bit. Could you do a follow up video how what we (like who's transitioning to UX) can do now to overcome the insights you pointed out?
@@aldifnrooepdlljbnnndodkdkdjdji That's a good point. Because I'm working full-time, like you, I'm not practicing and progressing as much as I'd like to be. I guess the old phrases "It's meant to be hard" and "we didn't come this far to come this far" apply. I thought when I was done with the school I'd be making decent designs, but I just need to keep practicing A LOT. Best of luck to you!
I'm not settled yet whether I want to specialize my multimedia and design education, which I'm currently studying, into either UX Designer or Frontend (we have to choose either or) but your video has helped me getting less scared with this. I didn't notice, when I started on my uni ,how 'popular' UX design and web development actually seemed. Especially through instagram! And I guess it made me a bit scared of wanting to go into UX.... As I know it is already so competitive (or at least here it is as I'm from a tiny country, so I'm planning on going abroad for my internships). So thank you for your insight so much it was very insightful! You've helped little me feeling I could take the UX Design path more :D thank you!
And everyone should approach a career switch without feeling strong emotion, pressure and anxiety. I hope everyone gets to a place where they feel like they're making the best informative decision because that's what they truly want. and I'm glad most people are at that comfortable place, then ever before. Thank you!
Can you tell, Is it possible to work as a UX/UI designer fully remotely? It's one of the reasons I'm seriously considering switching careers, as I obviously can't do that in my current dentistry field hehe. I know there are different specifications for different companies, but I wonder if it's possible generally and if there are real cases and companies which do that Also, do I see it correctly that a "UX designer" specialization and understanding of the world is one of the best to prepare for a launch of your own digital product in the future? Thanks for your videos, love you content!
You pretty much answered it yourself. Different companies have different thoughts/processes when it comes to working remotely. I believe most companies will eventually settle on a hybrid model (come into the office couple days, WFH other days).
The perception of UX design has shifted so much since 2021 which is when I started. I think it's the nature of life that constantly changes how a certain industry is viewed. I do agree that the pandemic impacted the rise of UX design when it was super hot in it's earlier years, and now we're experience a dip in attention due to people realizing that UX isn't all just rainbows and sunshines. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I hope this gives people more clarify on whether or not UX is right for them. Keep pushing this amazing content out my guy!
Thank you for the video, I've been learning about ui\ux design for several months now, approximately seven months ( in addition to some basic knowledge of coding & adobe programs that helped me a lot to shorten this journey ) & I still think it's too early for me to find a job.. and it's real that I've learned that it's not only about designing user interfaces, but that was good for me too since I've known what I like the most & what I'm interested in so I can specialize more in one thing & know my limits. in the beginning, I thought that this video is gonna be a bit disappointing I don't wanna watch it ( i said ) but that was so realistic & optimistic too. glad that I've watched it.
Well.. a lot of banging head around money to do development. I am going to choose UX now to try and find out if it is the cup of tea I needed to have fun in life.
Hey Wesley thank you so much for this inspiring content ! I begin my journey as UX/UI designer. Do you have exemple of good portfolio we can have as junior ? Just to see the presentation and the kind of project I can produce to be employable ?
In India non of the industries respects designers... except core companies and art industries... because in India they have more supply than demand for designer job roles.
I know maybe it seems like the hype is down but from where I am it's just getting started and it's scary tbh, and twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn "influencer designers" are to blame
As a graphic designer with a baseline knowledge/education in UX, and who has been wanting to transition into the field- it's frustrating. I've always loved the idea of being a UX designer. Bootcamps are aimed at helping complete and total beginners transition into the field. Masters programs are expensive. The thing is, in theory I shouldn't need to pay extra money to get another piece of paper. But I feel like I have to just to stand out, and even then it may not be enough. With the high saturation, and layoffs in the tech industry it just seems like there's not enough jobs to go around. Nevermind that entry level jobs in UX pretty much don't exist- which makes NO sense. Entry level graphic design jobs exist, entry level marketing jobs exist... Sigh. I'm just beginning to think I should change my plans and try something else. The future feels so unsure and it's scary.
I agree with a lot of the points in this video - especially social media and boot camps glamourizing UX. Most of the people I've met in 2020-2022 mentioned they first learned about UX because of some FANNG employees' "Day in my life" video and they wanted the 'easy'/'laid back' job in tech that pays +100K... A few mentors at boot camps I talk to mention their work is dying down on that end because incoming students are dropping out and asking for refunds because the market and competition are so bad right now. And, as someone who is still job hunting, I hope this hype dies down even faster lol. The times I do make it to a recruiter/hiring manager they always bring up how they had hundreds of applications and can't review every one. The number of UXDINO* is still crazy high. *UX Designer in name only 😄 (if this isn't a term yet, TM)
Hey wes, Been binging your videos and got to ask, From your experience 2 years ago to now, would you recommend taking a ux BootCamp? or build out case studies, try to land contract work and maybe that can get a junior interview ?
Hello! Today, the question that aspiring ux designers need to ask themselves, before jumping into a bootcamp...why am i choosing this specific bootcamp and how is it better? Better yet, ask the bootcamp reps why their program is better. It's not a matter of just "learning" about the career, it's also about, "how can I apply my learnings into tangible skills, portfolio, case study, and represent myself in a way that people can trust me to be a part of their company? Majority of bootcamps cover the education part, but not the rest. You can try not doing a bootcamp, learn on your own, create your case study, and apply...BUT how do you know if what you're learning (education) and putting into your case study is legit? Then you would need to surround yourself with accountability, a mentor/teacher, a way to get consistent feedback from other "experienced" designer. Hope this helps.
as a product designer who very much got wrapped up in the hype 2 yrs ago, i can confirm, its overrated and NOTHING like what people think and learn in bootcamps. idk if its just the job im at or generalizing the industry, but if i wouldve know how it truly was, i probably wouldnt have gone so far as i did
It's "NOTHING like what people think," because people only look up 50% of what this career is really about (the good stuff), they get stuck on that, and will not do further research to see what the other 50% (the bad stuff) looks like. And if you're getting all your UX info from "UX influencers" and you don't actually talk to a UXer, via conversation/informational interview, then you're doing it wrong...and this is for any career, not just UX.
I don't see it your way, but I don't disagree entirely. Yet, you left out a lot of other relevant info, but the message was clear. Well done. I'm from LA as well, and I've got over a decade of UX experience, and I have seen a lot of changes in methods and titles within this field. The difference between the past and today was that we were either UI Designers or Web Designers. And even then, UI Design was an overarching umbrella over positions like Graphic Designer, Icon Designer (most of the time, the title was interchangeable with graphic design, depending on the size of the company), Wireframe Designer, and Visual Designer. Now UX Design is an overarching umbrella over the positions I mentioned, including a long list of other functions like Interaction Designer, UX Writer, UX Architect (IA), UX Strategist, Product Designer, and UX Researcher. And yes, there's more, but the list is too long to add to this comment. A Web Designer was (in some cases, they still are if they freelance) either a front-end developer or a combination of layout design and front-end dev. Regarding what is occurring now, the hype died down because of the downsizing during the 4th quarter of 2022 and the 1st quarter of 2023. Because of the downsizing, the ad spend on online courses and college classes decreased, not the lack of interest. There were lies within the advertisements that gullible people digested. Some advertisements claimed that you could make 80K after a six-month course. When reality hit them, the slap in the face pushed people back to retail sales, ride-share gigs, or fast food service. And for those who got the chance to work in the tech industry, the recently laid off are likely facing a harsh reality as soon as their unemployment checks stop arriving or getting deposited. More changes in the tech industry are expected now that AI apps are becoming common. I can now ask apps like Chat GPT to write the code for an app I want to create. Things in the tech world will continue changing, so we must face new obstacles to keep our jobs.
Don’t know about rest of the world but India start ups have real misconceptions of what a ux designer role is. They hire people for graphic design, animations , ui design under the profile of UX Designer. And all the product research and Analysis is done by the founders their aunt uncle family members, maids😂
Love this! I’m actually grateful ux blew up because no one knew what it was before and I had to constantly explain to everyone what Ux design was. Now, everyone seems to know and I get to skip that spiel. 😂
I never thought UX was saturated. I've noticed people that have made a small amount of amateur websites would suddenly call them themselves UXers. So it looked saturated, but the amount of people with real UX design and research skills was what is actually limited. Besides, people instantly think about websites and apps when UX is mentioned. UX is for anything with a display that needs an OS regardless of how small or large it is like teams that design car infotainment systems or TV service box systems. I'm 8 weeks away from getting my bachelors in UX. I'm excited but not worried since I currently do have a good position in IT support. Looking forward to the change with open arms. 🙂
Passion with Persistent Efforts will go on with adopting required changes to evolve in the field of UX and Design. No matter it is becoming complex day by as the technology is evolving at a massive pace. All in all after spending 20 yrs in design industry I think it’s a required correction towards betterment 👍🏻
Let's just say hype is dead for those who think UX has a low entry barrier. For those who have core UX/IxD skills, it is far from dead. Moreover, new areas are emerging such as conversation or chat designer or XR UX Designer or service designer.
I am happy that it the hype is dying down. On the other hand, I am glad that so many people know about it because when I used to say UX design, no one knew what I was saying. I was thinking about UX design even before the pandemic so I'm glad I transitioned right on time.
I see some people say you don’t need a degree to get into UX. For sake of argument let’s say that’s absolutely true but my next question would be would a lack of degree hold you back from progressing or promotions in the UX field?
I am 18 years old and was planning to learn ux as high paying skills. I had learnt about ux for 1 month {self taught) and I was enjoying it. Since it is difficult to get entry level job in ux and hype is going down, what new skills should I learn to make bright career?
Hey I'm 18 and have been teaching myself, sometimes I think the job market is too saturated and I won't be able to secure an entry level job anytime soon. It's scary but almost all the jobs that I have studied for are saturated, at this point I think every job imaginable already has better qualified candidates. I give up almost two times everyday but I can't afford to give up. I'm Kenyan which makes it even harder than everyone else. It's confusing but I have no other choice honestly.
Tbh at 18 they’re not gonna give u a job like that. Lie & say u want an internship & that ur in college. Corporate world is very ageism, I’m 26 & had to learn that recently. I’ve worked corporate jobs since 19 & yeah that’s pretty much it. Try graphic design as an entry way.
I love problem solving but I’m too dumb for computer science lol (drop out) so I’ve been focusing on UX for a few years now, (pre pandemic too) I hope to get a job around it one day as I also love service design. The market has been very discouraging and crazy right now but I’m not giving up and if needed will find convergent roles 💪💪 your video is quite motivational
I was looking for Ux because i have Graphic design studies (not experience) and a bachelor in marketing ( without experience sigh). Do you think it helps?
Definitely! I also have a graphic design degree and worked in marketing/advertising. I found that both skills helped me find my way into UX design. I do think having a design background provides an advantage in understanding the UX design process as there is some overlaps.
it’s so-so. What it is that UX and UI is ridiculously easy to get into. People are STILL signing up for UX paths by the droves. It is the computer science portion. People breakout into different paths because in Tech there is a ton of things to do. So, they either want to follow a passion or put into use their developed skills like sales or inventory.
I'm a graphic designer trying to get into ux, and it has been endlessly frustrating competing with people who have done NO design. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely people that have the eye and critical thinking skills to jump ship from what they were originally doing, but the number of "peers" I've seen that just don't "get" UX has just been discouraging.
As someone currently majoring in Interactive Design, I agree. There are a lot of classmates I’ve worked with who just “design” without thinking or laying out a proper approach and it really makes me wonder if I made the right decision enrolling. My professors heavily encourage research, and like you said there are peers who actually do take it seriously, but seeing some people here who are clearly only in it for the pay with zero effort stresses me out. It might sound like gatekeeping but it really sucks to witness it firsthand.
It's also probably worth reframing how we talk about UX. For example, the bootcamp in NYC, Flatiron School, they don't call it a "UX" course, they call it "Product Design."
Don't most people in UX these days have a masters in some sort of Information Science and or MLIS? It seems like this hype is a get rich quick misnomer that you don't actually need to have a degree or training to do it.
I didn’t make a realistic plan for how long it would take me to get a job. I graduated from my bootcamp in 2019, and never got the job. I’m still hopeful, and would love to find more intermediate courses.
@@Danotdrug Great question. I've joined different organizations and have had 3-4 different people look at my portfolio. When I started to get pulled in different directions on what should be on it, I stopped. I haven't added a project since last year. I've paid for people to help me. I just got very discouraged.
I agree with most of your points. I started researching UX because I was unhappy with my career choice and looking for a relatively easy/cost effective way to pivot. But after doing some research I realized UX wasn't a great fit for me. I mean, UX is cool, but I don't know I would be successful with it and some aspects of UX judt seeme offputting to me. Not to mention UX is pretty saturated and you have to do a lot outside of a bootcamp to make yourself marketable. I was going to jump right into a bootcamp but I'm glad I didn't. I think it's a good idea to spend more time exploring other options rather than just jump right in.
Well I'm happy to hear you realized early it wasn't the career for you. I agree that a lot of people really jump the gun on ux design and they'll sign up for a bootcamp right away. Now people seem to be more precautious and logical with their approach to career switch, which is how it should be. Take your time, do a lot of research, talk to a lot of current UXers', make a timeline/plan, and make the best decision for yourself.
My personal definition of what it means to be "creative" in a career....you're allowed to think outside the box and think of new ways to solve a problem/create a solution. With that definition, you're never solving a problem/creating a solution the same way. One project, you're utilizing the UX process this way. Next project, you're utilizing it in a complete different way. There's always a different exercise, session, research method, technology, etc, you can choose to utilize. A career, like being a doctor, doesn't give you the opportunity to be "creative." Also, UI design is a given, when it comes to creativity as well So I do believe UX design is a "creative" career, BUT not as much as people expect it to be. Its probably 30% creativity/design, 70% business/strategy/research.
@@WesleyHongUX I agree with that and that’s how I think of it as well, however, I get the sense people on the outside looking in think of “creative” as “do whatever you want and get paid for being a genius”.
Bootcamps are terrible for lying . They exaggerate saying the jobs are easy to find and after u graduate from bootcamps u will get min 70 k . Terrible . Also to add: This is such an oversaturated industry . annoyed to see how many ppl think just getting a bootcamp or a Google certificate would justify them to become a ux designer can you imagine if everyone can become a doctor or a psychiatrist by just taking an online free course ? Or signing up for 3 month bootcamp ?? They are dumbing down the quality of designers no wonder ppl are not taking it seriously and paying designers $5 an hour for freelance job . I rather work im McDonald’s if I’m so desperate for money
In the beginning, everyone imagined UX being a great career fit for them with what they knew. Now I think more people have done their in-depth research, and a good amount of people have realized it's not for them.
The ones that: - do not teach you soft skills and what that looks like as a ux designer - do not teach you how business effects UX design and what direction you go. - do not have a good, intensive career phase that goes over everything, post-bootcamp (resume, portfolio, case study, applications, interview process, design challenge, etc.) - do not have real, applicable projects to work on. Mock projects do not work sadly. - and more.
I was into UX in the beginning of 2020. I went back to school after being out for 3 years to pursue finishing my meaningless degree, and just landed an internship at Faang. I want to pursue UX initially but planning to diversify into a hybrid UXE role soon.
Finally this hype is over ! I have worked as one for one year but everytime I hear how people are passionate about it I wonder if it's marketing or driven by something fake. Seriously I find this job boring AF, just like any other BS job that needs loads of office politics.
Great video :D I have videos on: Ux is dead in my feed for the past 5 years or so xD But I really like your take and it's really relatable. It's also jnterestjng tk see how the Ux hype has come over to other desing fields (like ID in my case) It's good that the hype died down a bit but it's still a great patch for many and for example Germany still supports people wanting to pursue it because there is still demand ^^ Keep on the great videos, so glad tk have found your channel!
HAHA! Also fair point on the current economy effecting the tech layoffs, especially as things started to settle down, post-pandemic. Not the best time for tech, but it'll probably level off soon.
I love all your insight. I have a graphic design background and have been thinking about taking a ui/ux 9 month career path Bootcamp to open some new doors for myself but worry about how competitive it is since I don’t have a bachelors degree like most others. Still contemplating with the help of all your videos!
I would say you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but since you have a graphic design background, I would leverage some of your work and provide data and research if there is any to back up any design decisions you made. Also talking about who you worked with cross-functionally to create graphics. It’s not just about experience, a large part of what we do is tying user needs to business with an emphasis on users, this requires us to be able to speak and present design and research to stakeholders, and be able to work alongside developers and QA to align expectations. At its core, we work with different roles who are responsible for different parts of the project. If you have this experience in graphic design, leverage it. Every IX role is different, but the soft skills and corporate skills are things you learn without having been in tech.
Hey! I am a graphic designer with ten years of experience, and I definitely agree it should not be easy to become an UX designer for everyone in less than a year! I can't become a UX designer and I don't want to, but I want to improve myself in UI design. Because I really love to create digital things, especially mobile apps! So many people say that I need to practice, follow trends, and create a stunning portfolio for UI design to change my career. That's why I started to learn from different channels and create new UI portfolio works, but I am not sure if it really will work.
The golden era of UX bullshit is seriously done, I made a LOT of money over the last 4 years, people noticed and before I knew it PMs, marketing etc everyone slipped into a UX role. SO last year was the peak, the market was saturated with overpaid 'thinkers' employed through fear, companies thought having a UX person was a magic bullet....they're now seeing it isn't 😅 If you rode the magic carpet like I did then applaud yourself and walk away with a smile...but PLEASE let's stop making out like UX is something it isn't, AI will soon be smashing it out of the park.
I want to add a little more clarity regarding this video....the ux design career itself IS NOT dying down. Its the complete opposite, the career/industry is continuing to grow like crazy.
The "hype"/interest/curiosity in the career is the thing that's dying down, as I address. in the video.
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I can't thank you enough, Wesley. I have been just started to learn about this possible career path for me and your video is the most clear and honest. I really appreciate your sharing!
Nice! This comment you added is a good place for the SkillShare affiliate marketing link. Thanks, I'm going to try the trial!
I think you're "hoping" there ..as soon as people start using this, especially tools like Galileo then companies will start slashing salaries/day rates and just have a one man team....it happened before! Two words... GRAPHIC DESIGN 😅
Thanks for the video.
I’m now a Sr. Product Designer coming from being a UX Designer and before that front end developer. I wasn’t schooled in UX but have studied coding, sociology, game design and creative writing. During this time learned by doing and talking to users and listening - empathy goes a long way.
I’ve been working with UX for about 12 years now. Back then the discipline was called Human Computer Interaction.
My biggest tip for anyone wanting to work within this field is to develop a deep sense of empathy - for people and the problems they’re facing everyday. Then break those down, map it out to get a better sense of the scale, the problems they’re facing, really is.
Learn how to fall in love with problems and not solutions/designs.
Remember, text is also part of the designs - text and information play a vital role in design too, along colors and shapes.
Yasss! My major is Human Systems Engineering at ASU (closest to HCI) but everything else I’m doing for UX is on my own and through networking
Dear The ApeWonder, don't you think empathy word is overused to the point it is an old fashioned buzz word right now? What I am saying is empathy was not the right word initially for it, unless we are psychopath we all have some degree of empathy if our amiygdala works well. But it does not mean we deeply understand other people's motivation behind their actions by emphatising, how can I emphatise a fan's motivation to buy a ticket for World Cup with all his money, there are way too many irrational human behaviour to emphatise. We can only observe and analyse, this is what science has been doing all along. Google's course brough that term emphaty and it becase soo cool for a while. Look at society and people's choices, do you truely emphatise with everybody, all the diciplines you study did they teach you how to emphatise or analyse?
I guess human computer interaction was a better way to name it all along anyway.
@@uxerhypaHey! I’m not sure what you’re implying here. 🙂
I’m not saying empathy is a word for anything or replacing any method nor science. I’m simply saying empathy for people’s problems goes a long way to *help* you embrace people’s struggles we, as designers, can help out with. For example, *empathy mapping* can help out with getting a better picture of the drive and motivations people have. Simply saying you have empathy with someone’s struggle doesn’t mean you have it. Here is where we, within UX, can dig in and uncover motivations and pain points more.
Only observing and analyze isn’t enough. We really have to talk to people too. To me this is a no brainer, it’s something we must do to fully grasp problems. Problems are diverse because people are diverse, solutions require getting good insights about diversity to come up with one that makes most sense (to most people) within this diversity.
So buzzword or not (unsure if you mean *UX* or *empathy* here) - I do believe working within the field of UX or HCI requires a lot more than designing and observing.
Sorry if I misunderstood your post.
@@floralandfleur that’s so cool I am applying to ASU. How’s the major? Is it really math and physics heavy?
What do you think about UI development?
I'm also relieved. Not that I am trying to gate keep the job, but the glamorization of the role was setting people up with unrealistic expectations. I had multiple people reach out to me to learn more about UX and in those conversations it came to light that their main motivator was making a lot of money rather than seeing whether the role and skillet aligns with theirs.
Based on TikTok and Instagram content, I wouldn't be surprised if the hype around UX gets replaced with branding/graphic design. Ive been seeing A LOT of content about that lately.
I've had those same conversations with others interested in ux design. And I'm glad that people are networking and reaching out to current UXers' to understand the current day-to-day and see all perspectives of it. Since bootcamps are a business, its not in their best interest to tell you the bad side of it as well.
I'm in the same situation as you. I do not have a Bachelor's but I have been working as a graphic designer for almost 5 years now. I am about to complete a 3 month UX/UI course and tbh, I learned a lot especially on the UX research side. It altered my creative process and definitely contributed to how I design.
Unfortunately working in a heavily corporate industry limits my application of it. However, I do enjoy creating side projects now and have been refining my skills.
I'm at a point where I do not regret taking up a short course because I can use it to leverage myself amongst others. The worse thing to happen as a creative is being stagnant and not not upskilling. It's easy to be jobless in this field.
I'm relieved and I am trying to gatekeep the job :D
LOL 😅
I won't lie- when I first met up with my friend from college that majored in a non-creative field and switched to UX 1 year post-grad and was making significantly more than me (about 200% more!) my interest was grabbed. I majored in media production and ended up in motion design- which is pretty nice to me, but my designs in my particular industry are essentially used once and then never seen again.
I've since done a deep and personal dive into UX concerning my initial desires going into college of using design to communicate environmental and social good initiatives. I'd always been fascinated with the ability to learn from diverse perspectives (which almost took me down a documentarian path) but UX seems to strike this perfect convergence of a creative outlet while learning and caring for the human factor above all else.
Wow, thank you for sharing your introspective thoughts and journey so far!
I'm a documentary filmmaker and now work as a UX researcher. I still do filmmaking on the side, so it's possible to do both 😃.
@@thisiselodie Wow that's super cool to hear! 100% support that idea that although we may work in a creative field we should still find time to work on the passion products outside of work regardless of the medium.
"Leisure historically meant simply freedom from the work needed to survive, freedom for intellectual or creative pursuits. It was the learning and the studying and the pursuit of higher things."
Exactly!!!! I think this is such a beautiful career so I'm going to do it anyways. This is the first time where I actually found something that clicks with me.
I have worked for 23 years as an audiovisual producer on TV and I have taken advantage of the fact that this year I was fired from the company where I had been linking dozens of contracts for 12 years (I was only with a stable contract for the last 3 years), to train in a new profession. I have always liked computing since I was little, and I have started a higher degree in my country (Spain) taught by the Ministry of Education in DAW (Web Application Development), while I am taking a 6-month Google course. UX, and I am really liking UX, because I have always loved my relationship with people on television, and the research and documentation aspect as well. That's why if I have the opportunity and in addition to knowing how to program, I can work with something related to UX researcher, it would be fantastic. I would like to know more about your experience or from anyone who reads me who works as a UX designer from any country. Thank you very much in advance. You can contact me through my Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero
En español: Yo he trabajado 23 años como productor audiovisual en TV y he aprovechado que este año me despidieron de la empresa en la que llevaba 12 años enlazando docenas de contratos (solo estuve con contrato estable los ultimos 3 años), para formarme en una nueva profesión. Siempre me ha gustado la informática desde pequeño, y he comenzado un grado superior en mi pais (España) impartido por el ministerio de educación de DAW ( Desarrollo de aplicaciones web), a la vez que estoy cursando un curso de 6 meses de Google de UX, y me está gustando mucho la UX, porque mi relación con las personas en la televisión siempre me ha encantado, y la faceta de investigación y documentación también. Por eso si tengo oportunidad y además de saber programar, puedo trabajar con algo relacionado con investigador UX, sería fantastico. Me gustaría saber más de tu experiencia o de cualquiera que me lea que trabaje como diseñador UX de cualquier país. muchas gracias por adelantado. Pueden contactarme por medio de mi Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero
As a mid level UX/UI D I agree completely. My background is a little different as I didn’t complete a boot camp. I am glad the hype is dying down. I think another positive of the trend die-down is ppl stop asking crazy salary questions and other really arbitrary questions. I encourage ppl to be thoughtful and intentional because this field is 70% research, thought processand understanding data, testing, and 30% design. I think a lot of ppl had a hard time during the trend because they weren’t being creative with what they learned in boot camps. It’s just like college, it’s not real world practice, you have to find the real world scenarios to apply learning to get a deeper understanding. I don’t think ppl understood that level of effort as a non-traditional career seeker. Hopefully now people take the time to really think about if they are serious about the field, and how they can get the most out of their learning and put their best foot forward
Totally relate, with the endless arbitrary questions and everything being so focused on the salary and glamorous tech life.
And i love the analogy you used regarding college. A lot of the real world stuff isn't taught at majority of the bootcamps sadly.
I switched from graphic design to UX design. Although the money is a lot better and I make 6 figures, my experience in this field has been pretty poor and no longer passionate. Maybe it's because I've only worked at companies that don't care about UX but instead of doing actual design work (gathering research, data, brainstorming, doing ui work) my time is spent either convincing the PM of why we should go about this design or having the PM tell me exactly what to do because we don't see eye to eye. It's completely frustrating and I feel like I'm powerless in my team and organization. Even my design manager can't do anything about it and is experiencing the same thing
Thanks for sharing your experience. Your journey is similar to some of my other ux friends as well, working with companies that aren't knowledgable on UX, constantly fighting for your designs against stakeholders, PMs, etc.
It feels like designers who have been working at least 5+ years or so have been on the frontline dealing all the unnecessary damages that have caused mass burnout, pessimism, and jadedness.
Hey, I’m a 10 year exp graphic designer looking to switch. Is there any way we can chat about your experience?
Graphic designer here as well. I've been trying to switch into UX and I'm second guessing this move now.... It's frustrating.
The most annoying thing about the hype was when i had to interview candidates and they literally had 1 or 2 screens worth of work in their portfolio. Someone new needs 2 case studies to prove they have the skills, training is always available but I cannot teach you from the ground up. You have to hit the ground RUNNING. This was for a product designer position. When i was a graphic designer the deadlines and workloads were always insane so you have to learn how to streamline and enhance your skills in your free time. Design is no bed of roses.
Hi, I have a portfolio with serious research done but still hard to get an entry-level job in this situation of economic. If you are still open to recruiting, could you have a look at my portfolio? Thank you so much :)
And all the "case studies" are the same for people that went to the same boot camp.
I've been hearing this sentiment from senior UXers I regularly talk to and they actually think that this might be good for people who are really determined to do UX. Those who are trying to go in or got in for the wrong reasons are getting weeded out.
Now, I'm not immune to what's happening even though my background is one of the closest to UX (10+ years of Graphic Design, Branding, Art Director). I started my transition back in 2020 since I want to do design on a different, more tech-adjacent field. I told myself I would give 2 years to completely transition. So after 2+ years of learning and practicing, 6-month bootcamp that I finished in 12, 7 month job search and counting, 10+ numerous unsuccessful interviews, I still haven't landed a UX job. And it's okay.
But the upside? I showed myself that UX is what I really want to do and I will keep pushing forward to pursue it.
I've got a similar story and background to you. Studied communication and design and initially worked in branding, graphic design, consultancy and frontend for ever 6 years. In 2020 I reskilled and then funny enough it took me 1,5 months to get a job in Switzerland. But then I figured out how unsatisfying it is when you feel like your work isn't really appreciated. I don't mind debating or fighting for ideas as I love to keep the big picture in mind, the reqs, the branding, business goals and strategy. I never get lost in the weeds. But now with the tech layoffs, I'm out there, scouting the market for new opportunities. Everybody wants to hire seniors and it drives me insane. Nobody wants to invite me and I'm applying in three European countries atm. It's tough but I'm convinced that this is what I want to do at least until I study game design. So if you want my two cents, just try. It's literally just iterating and improving your skills. There will be companies who will give you a chance, like they did with me.
I have worked for 23 years as an audiovisual producer on TV and I have taken advantage of the fact that this year I was fired from the company where I had been linking dozens of contracts for 12 years (I was only with a stable contract for the last 3 years), to train in a new profession. I have always liked computing since I was little, and I have started a higher degree in my country (Spain) taught by the Ministry of Education in DAW (Web Application Development), while I am taking a 6-month Google course. UX, and I am really liking UX, because I have always loved my relationship with people on television, and the research and documentation aspect as well. That's why if I have the opportunity and in addition to knowing how to program, I can work with something related to UX researcher, it would be fantastic. I would like to know more about your experience or from anyone who reads me who works as a UX designer from any country. Thank you very much in advance. You can contact me through my Linkedin: es.linkedin.com/in/oscarracero
I'm hoping that the job market is finally going to be much less saturated later this year. I got a 2-year master's degree to shift to UX. It wasn't easy to make that decision in the first place, but then tech layoffs started right after I graduated. The job market is a disaster right now for applying to entry-level UX positions, and right now I have to go back to my previous industry out of necessity. I'm still looking for a UX job, I don't care if it's not "glamourous". I have a background in a different design role, and I know all design roles are always going to be overworked and requires a realistic mindset. Having to compete for UX jobs with thousands of people who don't even REALLY do UX is really frustrating.
Thanks for sharing! May I ask what degree you got?
In the similar boat. Did masters, and graduated during the covid lockdowns. Got a bad content strategist job with no room to grow. Now looking to up my ui skills for a real ux job
"Having to compete for UX jobs with thousands of people who don't even REALLY do UX is really frustrating."
Yes. A thousand times yes. I interviewed people for jobs at one point and most of them didnt even have a portfolio!!!!
@@purefunguy can relate to the part about getting a bad content strategist job with no room to grow 😊
I had a similar issue and I was happy to accept an unpaid role although it was tough. Had another job to keep me afloat and work as a UX design intern . Sometimes you take what you can . Experience for me was better than none.
As someone looking for jobs at the moment, I'm very glad the hype is dying down some. I'm definitely a proponent of not 'speedrunning' your way into UX, I'm focusing on quality and steady growth over time. Great video!
Hi Jansley, thank you for watching! Yes, do your best to take those small steps and do not let the whole tech blitz/hype rush you through this new UX journey of yours. Thank you for sharing your journey so far on your channel as well! Feel free to reach out, I'd love to help in any way!
This video took the words right out of my mouth! When I started my career as a UX writer/content designer, all the hype of UX/Product Designers was all over my tiktok and it became easier to notice the influencers who were obviously making clickbait when mentioning the extreme salaries. A lot of those influencers were purposefully not talking about the ACTUAL work designers do like research, collaborating with content designers/ux writers and other stakeholders like PM's and engineers, etc. It sucks that it's still so hard to get into UX since the entry level positions are practically nonexistent, but hopefully people can take the time to do some serious digging on what it means to be a designer and not be distracted by the fluff that's floating around online.
I’m someone with a fine arts background looking to jump into graphic design first and ux design later down the line. I’m super interested in the communicative and creative part of the process but it seems like ui/ux gets bogged down by company politics, which suck
I'm currently doing the UX design course from Google but I'm also working on my front end development skills. I guess they do compliment each other
UX has been a job in the mainstream since 1999. I know. I was there. There has never been a better time to get into UX than right now. It's literally a land grab situation, not unlike 1999, with a need for a UX driven POV on things like AI, accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability and more. The next 25 years of UX'ers will change the world.
Yo dude, this is a solid video. Totally going to subscribe. I’m hearing from more and more UX designers who are suggesting volunteer projects rather than boot camps (even hearing hiring managers talk about how they avoid hiring fresh grads, valuing experience over course completion).
Appreciate the on point video 👌
Dude, I'm having a future crisis.
I'm just starting off learning UI/UX design, and the industry in 5 to 10 years is so blurry with AI rapidly advancing, giving quicker and precise knowledge on the database there is on the internet including UI/UX design knowledge. And a group of people are already trying to make an AI that'll able to do UI and UX for the user.
I'm extremely concern about this, because whether we like it or not, things are changing, meaning it will likely be a lot harder to get hire as a UI/UX designer.
Is this something I should be greatly concern about or should I just take my pace on focus on enhancing my skill? It'd be great to hear your thoughts on this.
Love this video! Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the state of the field! Insightful and encouraging
I think things have changed drastically over the years. I can still remember people thinking I was talking about burgers when I said I had a big Mac. I'm not a UX designer but a graphic designer, a field that was once deemed slightly nerdy, technical and creative at the same time. Now I think it has had a similar hype to UX thanks to the super fast assimilation of information ie social media etc. It is seen as cool and glamorous. I do detect though, a need in a lot of inexperienced people to want to progress really really fast. I'd say slow down and just absorb what you're learning and reassess your work at regular intervals, progress and promotions will happen!
I'm not sure about the hiring trends in this industry and will watch for forecasts. What I will say as a web developer in training, I find UX Design extremely helpful in understanding how and why websites are designed the way they are.
hello sir ....
I am really very interested in designing and I want to do it as my career. but I want to know that who can get job easier '' industrial '' designer or '' UX designer '', I know it depends upon our skill, knowledge and experience but I am saying in general....hope you will reply❤❤
I honestly don't think the hype is dying just yet... with social media like TikTok and boom of bootcamps, the entry-level market is still so overly saturated and quite awful. I think it will be like that for a couple of more years honestly. I finish my undergrad in May and recruiting season is basically all year long. Each entry level positions I see on LinkedIn have 600+ applicants. I luckily have landed a role to start later in 2023 but nothing is guarantee with the job market and economy, which is honestly quite scary as a new grad. I think it only slowing down because the people that drop $$$$ for a quick bootcamp that promised them a job in design that pays six figures, is struggling to find a job and they are sharing their struggles on social media. They realized only 6 months to a year later AFTER their bootcamp that it wasn't as easy as they were "promised." But still, I constantly see ux "influencers" making videos about how to make an easy or quick transition to UX, so that def doesn't help.
I’ve been doing research on this career path for the better part of 2 years and I finally made the jump to learn more and my art background as well as some team work skills from my storyboarding work has made the learning experience great and I feel like I have a bit of a a leg up. Don’t gate keep too hard senior designers I want to work with you guys 🥺
I work as a graphic designer and people in the last few years would ask me all the time how to get into graphic design/UX design and I would tell them first thing you need to understand is they are very different. I work at a very small company so some of my duties as graphic designer overlap into the UX/UI, even the front end developer space when I have create new designs and implement them for our app and website based on customer feedback. Based on this experience I was able to inform people what they would be getting into if they wanted to pursue this career path. NOT that is a bad career path, it's just not what people see on social media lol
Totally agreed what you said, most bootcamp love to sugarcoat saying UX/UI designer have high earning salary
What they are teaching is fundamental things, the current market is in the winter season. Even my instructor from the BootCamp saying is not easy to find a UX/UI designer job.
Currently I'm still looking for a job for like 7 months already, gonna continue looking and make changes for my portfolio.
What are you doing now?
@@HarishBabuM finding for a job
@@StrikeDemonX I'm also looking for a UI UX job for the past 2 months. Got a good amount of interviews and assignments, but then no answers from the company.
@@HarishBabuM not bad you have replies, I don't. I got to edit my portfolio, you joined bootcamp?
@@StrikeDemonX self taught, a little bit of Art and Engineering background. Btw I am from India, where are you from?
I work at Google as an AI prompt Engineer. A lot design jobs are going to disappear. I think only product managers will make it until that becomes automated.
An assumption/wild guess....If AI takes over, I assume it'll be engineer jobs first, and then design jobs next.
Who knows...
yup I agree. I fell into the trap of the glamour. But also we all go into thinking "i love creating empathetic user experiences" (or something) but its not even like that, at least where im at. This isnt the job for those wanting creative freedom or have creativity in general. In my experience 1.6yrs in, its very "top down", no one knows ux value, they just want u to be a graphic designer, trying to get anyone on your team or stakeholders to buy in is like tug of war. The constant back and forth between leadership, non-design managers, PMs, engineers, other designers AND other teams (if u work a large corp) is so absolutely bonkers that its killed alot of my passion.
If you like to debate and are all about facts and have a business mindset, sure go ahead. if not, you will struggle.
I like Ux design and Frontend developement hard to choose between them
same!
They compliment each other, a lot of UX designers I know are learning front end as well
oops, look like everyone is gatekeeping meanwhile I don't care about money and just want to get a job I enjoy. guess I'll die then
Hi Wesley! I'm one of the people who decided to do a career change in 2022 after a year of research and I LOVED it. I have a background in interior design and had alot of transferrable skills into UXUI. It's been six months and I still have not landed a job. I've had 12 interviews and got dropped by other participants who were more fit for the role which is okay! When I talk to people and net work they always say how great my work is and I make revisions to my design if i think it is worth iterating. I'm wondering, what can i do as a entry level design to land my first UXUI job?
Two things come to mind...
1. Networking - This one is very important to me because I got all my jobs through networking. Before applying for the position, I reached out to current/former employees and had coffee chats, I've had friends/colleagues connect me to recruiters, people noticed how active I was within the ux community, etc. Anything you can do to put your name out there consistently will help! and I know networking is not everyone's strength, but it's a necessary skill to have, especially nowadays when ux is so competitive. Find your local UX meetups/events, seek mentorship/feedback, etc.
The last thing, give as much as you take. Don't go into networking with the sole mentality of getting something out of it for yourself....people will tell. Give back to the community, engage with the community, and show the community who you are as a professional and human.
2. Feedback - Do not be afraid to get feedback on your portfolio and case study, because that's going to be the one tool that helps you land your ux job, and help others understand who you are as a UXer. When I talk to aspiring UXers, it's still surprising when I hear they only got feedback from 2 or 3 designers, and that's not enough. It's never a good feeling to have your case study "torn to shred" but constructive criticism and feedback will help a lot when it comes to having a case study that's balanced in UX, UI, presentation, and storytelling.
Hope this helps! 😊
Man don’t say this 😂😅. I’m still finishing up a camp, still need to polish my portfolio and case studies, and start applying
I'm an older woman and spent a long time doing project management work in telecom. Everyone told me to just go get a PMP cert but to be honest, I hate project management.
During the pandemic I started community college and I was thinking of going for software engineering but UI / UX has interested me lately. (my community college has web development as a major and I can do online courses at the state university) I've been watching a lot of videos about it and researching online. Because I'm older I figured getting a degree in it would be better than a bootcamp. What I'm wondering is... how much age discrimination would I run into?
I've wondered this as well! Every video I've ever seen on here is people in the 20s-30s--though of course that's internet reality and may not reflect real workplaces. But I do remember from that time of my life that anyone older seems like an alien. Or a parent. So, it might be tough to convince younger hiring managers of our fit, as "seasoned" workers. For that reason, I plan to go freelance, so that I can connect directly with potential clients who might be more comfortable with a GenX designer.
@@kltaylor1863 how do you plan to freelance?
@@HLB512 Networking in my community and doing online research to identify opportunities to improve or create UX and then reach out to the potential clients.
Folks were definitely attracted by the lifestyle showed by RUclipsrs who became designers in a short time frame. But I still think a lot of companies and teams struggle to understand our value. I’ve see this lead to more experienced designers to speaking out about the challenges we face in our jobs on a daily basis. Things like gas lightning, burn out and trauma. Shit is real and I’ve seen it happen all to often. I just hope that we can find our footing over the next few years through all the challenges in the space. Beauty comes out of walking through the fire in life
People who became designers in short time. That was clickbait.
This is the case with any new, up-and-coming career, even outside of tech. People have 0 clue what it is, the career finally blows up, people only gravitate towards the "rainbows and butterflies," social media leads the way in terms of exposure, and people don't go beyond social media to do more research. As much as I do believe social media/RUclipsrs has played a part in the struggles, I also think that if you're looking at social media as your primary way of understanding a career, and you don't take the time to actually talk to a UXer (informational interview) to go deeper, then you have to take some level of responsibility as well. If I'm trying to become an astronaut, and I look at social media to learn more about that career and I dont even take the time to talk to an actual one, am I really going to blame social media?
Personally, I do feel like the UX space has died down and people are being more patient and rational with their career-changing decisions.
The exceptions don't make the rule.
I'm trying to transition into this career, I've been bartending the last 11 years. I didn't finish college so no degree, I've looked into going back but it'll be about 50k to finish and 3 years. The bootcamps don't look like they have enough education behind them so I'm a little stuck at where to go from here. I'm looking into technical diplomas on a lateral design topic but haven't chosen one yet. Any educational recommendations?
Great video :) Can I still become a UX designer with a software engineering major?
Thank you for the video and it's a great insights! I enrolled in bootcamp few months ago, but makes me worry little bit. Could you do a follow up video how what we (like who's transitioning to UX) can do now to overcome the insights you pointed out?
How's your bootcamp going? I'm doing the Berkeley one, I'm 8 months in and my work is still dog sh*t 😢
@@Nickporter17 I'm struggling also 😞it's been not so easy juggling with my job and doing UX bootcamp/study
@@aldifnrooepdlljbnnndodkdkdjdji That's a good point. Because I'm working full-time, like you, I'm not practicing and progressing as much as I'd like to be. I guess the old phrases "It's meant to be hard" and "we didn't come this far to come this far" apply. I thought when I was done with the school I'd be making decent designs, but I just need to keep practicing A LOT. Best of luck to you!
I'm not settled yet whether I want to specialize my multimedia and design education, which I'm currently studying, into either UX Designer or Frontend (we have to choose either or) but your video has helped me getting less scared with this. I didn't notice, when I started on my uni ,how 'popular' UX design and web development actually seemed. Especially through instagram! And I guess it made me a bit scared of wanting to go into UX.... As I know it is already so competitive (or at least here it is as I'm from a tiny country, so I'm planning on going abroad for my internships).
So thank you for your insight so much it was very insightful! You've helped little me feeling I could take the UX Design path more :D thank you!
And everyone should approach a career switch without feeling strong emotion, pressure and anxiety. I hope everyone gets to a place where they feel like they're making the best informative decision because that's what they truly want. and I'm glad most people are at that comfortable place, then ever before.
Thank you!
Wich boot camps you recommended?
Can you tell, Is it possible to work as a UX/UI designer fully remotely? It's one of the reasons I'm seriously considering switching careers, as I obviously can't do that in my current dentistry field hehe. I know there are different specifications for different companies, but I wonder if it's possible generally and if there are real cases and companies which do that
Also, do I see it correctly that a "UX designer" specialization and understanding of the world is one of the best to prepare for a launch of your own digital product in the future?
Thanks for your videos, love you content!
You pretty much answered it yourself. Different companies have different thoughts/processes when it comes to working remotely.
I believe most companies will eventually settle on a hybrid model (come into the office couple days, WFH other days).
The perception of UX design has shifted so much since 2021 which is when I started. I think it's the nature of life that constantly changes how a certain industry is viewed. I do agree that the pandemic impacted the rise of UX design when it was super hot in it's earlier years, and now we're experience a dip in attention due to people realizing that UX isn't all just rainbows and sunshines.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I hope this gives people more clarify on whether or not UX is right for them. Keep pushing this amazing content out my guy!
Thanks for the love and support sir!
Thank you for the video, I've been learning about ui\ux design for several months now, approximately seven months ( in addition to some basic knowledge of coding & adobe programs that helped me a lot to shorten this journey ) & I still think it's too early for me to find a job.. and it's real that I've learned that it's not only about designing user interfaces, but that was good for me too since I've known what I like the most & what I'm interested in so I can specialize more in one thing & know my limits. in the beginning, I thought that this video is gonna be a bit disappointing I don't wanna watch it ( i said ) but that was so realistic & optimistic too. glad that I've watched it.
Well.. a lot of banging head around money to do development. I am going to choose UX now to try and find out if it is the cup of tea I needed to have fun in life.
Hey Wesley thank you so much for this inspiring content !
I begin my journey as UX/UI designer. Do you have exemple of good portfolio we can have as junior ?
Just to see the presentation and the kind of project I can produce to be employable ?
Ux is a joke 😂 I’m so fucking mad I got into a program, these bootcamp scammers need to go to jail 🥑
Avocademy? Learn cloud or cyber security. LOTS of job opportunity there, and it’s a market ALWAYS in demand.
I am from India, what do you think about Indian UX atmosphere
In India non of the industries respects designers... except core companies and art industries... because in India they have more supply than demand for designer job roles.
I know maybe it seems like the hype is down but from where I am it's just getting started and it's scary tbh, and twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn "influencer designers" are to blame
As a graphic designer with a baseline knowledge/education in UX, and who has been wanting to transition into the field- it's frustrating. I've always loved the idea of being a UX designer. Bootcamps are aimed at helping complete and total beginners transition into the field. Masters programs are expensive. The thing is, in theory I shouldn't need to pay extra money to get another piece of paper. But I feel like I have to just to stand out, and even then it may not be enough. With the high saturation, and layoffs in the tech industry it just seems like there's not enough jobs to go around. Nevermind that entry level jobs in UX pretty much don't exist- which makes NO sense. Entry level graphic design jobs exist, entry level marketing jobs exist... Sigh. I'm just beginning to think I should change my plans and try something else. The future feels so unsure and it's scary.
I feel you, have you thought about another plan
After designing SaaS solutions for 12 years, I agree, it is over.
All careers have trends
I agree with a lot of the points in this video - especially social media and boot camps glamourizing UX. Most of the people I've met in 2020-2022 mentioned they first learned about UX because of some FANNG employees' "Day in my life" video and they wanted the 'easy'/'laid back' job in tech that pays +100K...
A few mentors at boot camps I talk to mention their work is dying down on that end because incoming students are dropping out and asking for refunds because the market and competition are so bad right now.
And, as someone who is still job hunting, I hope this hype dies down even faster lol. The times I do make it to a recruiter/hiring manager they always bring up how they had hundreds of applications and can't review every one. The number of UXDINO* is still crazy high.
*UX Designer in name only 😄 (if this isn't a term yet, TM)
Still I don't get the answer of !!! Is I have to start learning after college UI/ux designing for getting a good job ??
Hey wes,
Been binging your videos and got to ask, From your experience 2 years ago to now,
would you recommend taking a ux BootCamp? or build out case studies, try to land contract work and maybe that can get a junior interview ?
Hello! Today, the question that aspiring ux designers need to ask themselves, before jumping into a bootcamp...why am i choosing this specific bootcamp and how is it better? Better yet, ask the bootcamp reps why their program is better. It's not a matter of just "learning" about the career, it's also about, "how can I apply my learnings into tangible skills, portfolio, case study, and represent myself in a way that people can trust me to be a part of their company?
Majority of bootcamps cover the education part, but not the rest. You can try not doing a bootcamp, learn on your own, create your case study, and apply...BUT how do you know if what you're learning (education) and putting into your case study is legit? Then you would need to surround yourself with accountability, a mentor/teacher, a way to get consistent feedback from other "experienced" designer.
Hope this helps.
@@WesleyHongUX that helps a lot brotha, thanks wes
as a product designer who very much got wrapped up in the hype 2 yrs ago, i can confirm, its overrated and NOTHING like what people think and learn in bootcamps. idk if its just the job im at or generalizing the industry, but if i wouldve know how it truly was, i probably wouldnt have gone so far as i did
It's "NOTHING like what people think," because people only look up 50% of what this career is really about (the good stuff), they get stuck on that, and will not do further research to see what the other 50% (the bad stuff) looks like.
And if you're getting all your UX info from "UX influencers" and you don't actually talk to a UXer, via conversation/informational interview, then you're doing it wrong...and this is for any career, not just UX.
I don't see it your way, but I don't disagree entirely. Yet, you left out a lot of other relevant info, but the message was clear. Well done. I'm from LA as well, and I've got over a decade of UX experience, and I have seen a lot of changes in methods and titles within this field. The difference between the past and today was that we were either UI Designers or Web Designers. And even then, UI Design was an overarching umbrella over positions like Graphic Designer, Icon Designer (most of the time, the title was interchangeable with graphic design, depending on the size of the company), Wireframe Designer, and Visual Designer. Now UX Design is an overarching umbrella over the positions I mentioned, including a long list of other functions like Interaction Designer, UX Writer, UX Architect (IA), UX Strategist, Product Designer, and UX Researcher. And yes, there's more, but the list is too long to add to this comment. A Web Designer was (in some cases, they still are if they freelance) either a front-end developer or a combination of layout design and front-end dev.
Regarding what is occurring now, the hype died down because of the downsizing during the 4th quarter of 2022 and the 1st quarter of 2023. Because of the downsizing, the ad spend on online courses and college classes decreased, not the lack of interest. There were lies within the advertisements that gullible people digested. Some advertisements claimed that you could make 80K after a six-month course. When reality hit them, the slap in the face pushed people back to retail sales, ride-share gigs, or fast food service. And for those who got the chance to work in the tech industry, the recently laid off are likely facing a harsh reality as soon as their unemployment checks stop arriving or getting deposited.
More changes in the tech industry are expected now that AI apps are becoming common. I can now ask apps like Chat GPT to write the code for an app I want to create. Things in the tech world will continue changing, so we must face new obstacles to keep our jobs.
Don’t know about rest of the world but India start ups have real misconceptions of what a ux designer role is. They hire people for graphic design, animations , ui design under the profile of UX Designer. And all the product research and Analysis is done by the founders their aunt uncle family members, maids😂
I have been working at this for a couple of years and ...for a field based off of empathy, there is little to none present for newer designers
Love this! I’m actually grateful ux blew up because no one knew what it was before and I had to constantly explain to everyone what Ux design was. Now, everyone seems to know and I get to skip that spiel. 😂
Very true! Enough of the "So what's ux design?" HAHAHA
I'm a UX researcher and people never know what I do lol.
I never thought UX was saturated. I've noticed people that have made a small amount of amateur websites would suddenly call them themselves UXers. So it looked saturated, but the amount of people with real UX design and research skills was what is actually limited. Besides, people instantly think about websites and apps when UX is mentioned. UX is for anything with a display that needs an OS regardless of how small or large it is like teams that design car infotainment systems or TV service box systems. I'm 8 weeks away from getting my bachelors in UX. I'm excited but not worried since I currently do have a good position in IT support. Looking forward to the change with open arms. 🙂
In which bootcamp u have enrolled
Passion with Persistent Efforts will go on with adopting required changes to evolve in the field of UX and Design.
No matter it is becoming complex day by as the technology is evolving at a massive pace.
All in all after spending 20 yrs in design industry I think it’s a required correction towards betterment 👍🏻
Would you still say it is worth getting into this field as far as options for jobs as entry level applicant?
Let's just say hype is dead for those who think UX has a low entry barrier. For those who have core UX/IxD skills, it is far from dead. Moreover, new areas are emerging such as conversation or chat designer or XR UX Designer or service designer.
Agreed. The career as a whole is still trending, BUT the actual interest around becoming one has died down.
@WesleyHong OK. You maybe thinking of last 1-2 year overzealous hype. Maybe that's the case, however, the field is progressing.
I have yet to see a single UX bootcamp that was worth what it charges students.
I am happy that it the hype is dying down. On the other hand, I am glad that so many people know about it because when I used to say UX design, no one knew what I was saying. I was thinking about UX design even before the pandemic so I'm glad I transitioned right on time.
I see some people say you don’t need a degree to get into UX. For sake of argument let’s say that’s absolutely true but my next question would be would a lack of degree hold you back from progressing or promotions in the UX field?
I am 18 years old and was planning to learn ux as high paying skills. I had learnt about ux for 1 month {self taught) and I was enjoying it. Since it is difficult to get entry level job in ux and hype is going down, what new skills should I learn to make bright career?
Hey I'm 18 and have been teaching myself, sometimes I think the job market is too saturated and I won't be able to secure an entry level job anytime soon. It's scary but almost all the jobs that I have studied for are saturated, at this point I think every job imaginable already has better qualified candidates. I give up almost two times everyday but I can't afford to give up. I'm Kenyan which makes it even harder than everyone else. It's confusing but I have no other choice honestly.
Same dude
Tbh at 18 they’re not gonna give u a job like that. Lie & say u want an internship & that ur in college. Corporate world is very ageism, I’m 26 & had to learn that recently. I’ve worked corporate jobs since 19 & yeah that’s pretty much it. Try graphic design as an entry way.
@@jema5039 what do you do now?
Feels timely and appropriate! nice video!!
Thank you sir! 🙏
Interesting topic to touch upon and so relevant to the times now. With the layoffs, I think it's difficult for both entry and senior level positions.
It's true that UI/UX design has been overly hyped for the past 6 years. But now we can see its downfall.
I love problem solving but I’m too dumb for computer science lol (drop out) so I’ve been focusing on UX for a few years now, (pre pandemic too) I hope to get a job around it one day as I also love service design. The market has been very discouraging and crazy right now but I’m not giving up and if needed will find convergent roles 💪💪 your video is quite motivational
Now trendy is Data Analytics
Data Science is trendy right now, but apparently what the industry really wants is more DevOps people.
I was looking for Ux because i have Graphic design studies (not experience) and a bachelor in marketing ( without experience sigh). Do you think it helps?
Definitely! I also have a graphic design degree and worked in marketing/advertising. I found that both skills helped me find my way into UX design. I do think having a design background provides an advantage in understanding the UX design process as there is some overlaps.
Please I want to learn Uc content strategy but it is not talk about😢 I don’t know how to go about it
it’s so-so. What it is that UX and UI is ridiculously easy to get into. People are STILL signing up for UX paths by the droves. It is the computer science portion. People breakout into different paths because in Tech there is a ton of things to do. So, they either want to follow a passion or put into use their developed skills like sales or inventory.
I'm a graphic designer trying to get into ux, and it has been endlessly frustrating competing with people who have done NO design. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely people that have the eye and critical thinking skills to jump ship from what they were originally doing, but the number of "peers" I've seen that just don't "get" UX has just been discouraging.
As someone currently majoring in Interactive Design, I agree. There are a lot of classmates I’ve worked with who just “design” without thinking or laying out a proper approach and it really makes me wonder if I made the right decision enrolling. My professors heavily encourage research, and like you said there are peers who actually do take it seriously, but seeing some people here who are clearly only in it for the pay with zero effort stresses me out. It might sound like gatekeeping but it really sucks to witness it firsthand.
It's also probably worth reframing how we talk about UX. For example, the bootcamp in NYC, Flatiron School, they don't call it a "UX" course, they call it "Product Design."
Don't most people in UX these days have a masters in some sort of Information Science and or MLIS? It seems like this hype is a get rich quick misnomer that you don't actually need to have a degree or training to do it.
I didn’t make a realistic plan for how long it would take me to get a job. I graduated from my bootcamp in 2019, and never got the job. I’m still hopeful, and would love to find more intermediate courses.
Have you been learning since then? How does your portfolio look?
@@Danotdrug Great question. I've joined different organizations and have had 3-4 different people look at my portfolio. When I started to get pulled in different directions on what should be on it, I stopped. I haven't added a project since last year. I've paid for people to help me. I just got very discouraged.
I agree with most of your points. I started researching UX because I was unhappy with my career choice and looking for a relatively easy/cost effective way to pivot. But after doing some research I realized UX wasn't a great fit for me. I mean, UX is cool, but I don't know I would be successful with it and some aspects of UX judt seeme offputting to me. Not to mention UX is pretty saturated and you have to do a lot outside of a bootcamp to make yourself marketable. I was going to jump right into a bootcamp but I'm glad I didn't. I think it's a good idea to spend more time exploring other options rather than just jump right in.
Well I'm happy to hear you realized early it wasn't the career for you. I agree that a lot of people really jump the gun on ux design and they'll sign up for a bootcamp right away.
Now people seem to be more precautious and logical with their approach to career switch, which is how it should be. Take your time, do a lot of research, talk to a lot of current UXers', make a timeline/plan, and make the best decision for yourself.
what are you doing now?
Girl aside from the hype itself UI is almost dead 😭 have you seen the Galileo AI tool?
I feel like people are taking a more "logical approach" bc so many people aren't able to find jobs after spending all that money
I always wince when I hear people describe UX as “creative”. I’m at about 11 years in with experience.
What’s so creative about it?
My personal definition of what it means to be "creative" in a career....you're allowed to think outside the box and think of new ways to solve a problem/create a solution.
With that definition, you're never solving a problem/creating a solution the same way. One project, you're utilizing the UX process this way. Next project, you're utilizing it in a complete different way. There's always a different exercise, session, research method, technology, etc, you can choose to utilize.
A career, like being a doctor, doesn't give you the opportunity to be "creative."
Also, UI design is a given, when it comes to creativity as well
So I do believe UX design is a "creative" career, BUT not as much as people expect it to be. Its probably 30% creativity/design, 70% business/strategy/research.
@@WesleyHongUX I agree with that and that’s how I think of it as well, however, I get the sense people on the outside looking in think of “creative” as “do whatever you want and get paid for being a genius”.
Agreed. The outside perspective is "oh, all i need to do is talk to people and empathize with them, and be creative when I design screens and apps."
thanks for makin this!
Bootcamps are terrible for lying . They exaggerate saying the jobs are easy to find and after u graduate from bootcamps u will get min 70 k . Terrible .
Also to add: This is such an oversaturated industry . annoyed to see how many ppl think just getting a bootcamp or a Google certificate would justify them to become a ux designer can you imagine if everyone can become a doctor or a psychiatrist by just taking an online free course ? Or signing up for 3 month bootcamp ?? They are dumbing down the quality of designers no wonder ppl are not taking it seriously and paying designers $5 an hour for freelance job . I rather work im McDonald’s if I’m so desperate for money
Man you rocking the Heat in LA??
I did grow up in SoFla haha.
Thought about it for 2 yrs before taking the bootcamp myself LOL
HAHAHA you're definitely the "exception" these days, my friend!
Beyond Expectations, Look for UX UI Pros, They Revolutionized My Approach to User Testing and Design Decision Confidence
UX defs is not for everyone its actually so niche
In the beginning, everyone imagined UX being a great career fit for them with what they knew.
Now I think more people have done their in-depth research, and a good amount of people have realized it's not for them.
Which boot amps are sub par?👀👀👀
The ones that:
- do not teach you soft skills and what that looks like as a ux designer
- do not teach you how business effects UX design and what direction you go.
- do not have a good, intensive career phase that goes over everything, post-bootcamp (resume, portfolio, case study, applications, interview process, design challenge, etc.)
- do not have real, applicable projects to work on. Mock projects do not work sadly.
- and more.
@@WesleyHongUX what do you mean by mock projects ? :)
Projects that are based on a fake client/stakeholder, and fake problems/solutions
Im also glad thst this hype is pretty OVER!
I was into UX in the beginning of 2020. I went back to school after being out for 3 years to pursue finishing my meaningless degree, and just landed an internship at Faang. I want to pursue UX initially but planning to diversify into a hybrid UXE role soon.
great vid!
Finally this hype is over ! I have worked as one for one year but everytime I hear how people are passionate about it I wonder if it's marketing or driven by something fake. Seriously I find this job boring AF, just like any other BS job that needs loads of office politics.
Great video :D
I have videos on:
Ux is dead in my feed for the past 5 years or so xD
But I really like your take
and it's really relatable.
It's also jnterestjng tk see how the Ux hype has come over to other desing fields (like ID in my case)
It's good that the hype died down a bit but it's still a great patch for many and for example Germany still supports people wanting to pursue it because there is still demand ^^
Keep on the great videos,
so glad tk have found your channel!
Thank you!
what are u doing man?
@@looksmatteronly Nowdays mainly UX and strategy for physical products and services :)
Originally Industrialdesign
I just use Adobe UX/UI application to design my android apps UI on the fly before I start developing the real thing.
???
Good, now maybe I can get a job in it 😅 since I graduated in November. All jokes aside, I think it's because the economy and tech took a dive.
HAHA! Also fair point on the current economy effecting the tech layoffs, especially as things started to settle down, post-pandemic. Not the best time for tech, but it'll probably level off soon.
I love all your insight. I have a graphic design background and have been thinking about taking a ui/ux 9 month career path Bootcamp to open some new doors for myself but worry about how competitive it is since I don’t have a bachelors degree like most others. Still contemplating with the help of all your videos!
You don't need a bachelor's degree to be in UX.
I would say you don’t need a bachelor’s degree, but since you have a graphic design background, I would leverage some of your work and provide data and research if there is any to back up any design decisions you made. Also talking about who you worked with cross-functionally to create graphics. It’s not just about experience, a large part of what we do is tying user needs to business with an emphasis on users, this requires us to be able to speak and present design and research to stakeholders, and be able to work alongside developers and QA to align expectations. At its core, we work with different roles who are responsible for different parts of the project. If you have this experience in graphic design, leverage it. Every IX role is different, but the soft skills and corporate skills are things you learn without having been in tech.
Hey! I am a graphic designer with ten years of experience, and I definitely agree it should not be easy to become an UX designer for everyone in less than a year! I can't become a UX designer and I don't want to, but I want to improve myself in UI design. Because I really love to create digital things, especially mobile apps! So many people say that I need to practice, follow trends, and create a stunning portfolio for UI design to change my career. That's why I started to learn from different channels and create new UI portfolio works, but I am not sure if it really will work.
Brust Bubble is cooming whooooo
ux design student here 😬
Hang in there, fight on!
This video is super depressing 😢😢😂😂
The golden era of UX bullshit is seriously done, I made a LOT of money over the last 4 years, people noticed and before I knew it PMs, marketing etc everyone slipped into a UX role. SO last year was the peak, the market was saturated with overpaid 'thinkers' employed through fear, companies thought having a UX person was a magic bullet....they're now seeing it isn't 😅
If you rode the magic carpet like I did then applaud yourself and walk away with a smile...but PLEASE let's stop making out like UX is something it isn't, AI will soon be smashing it out of the park.