How Do I Start a Career in UX Design?

How Do I Start a Career in UX Design?

It’s not likely for someone to tell you they enjoy speed bumps and traffic detour signs, but these pesky obstacles exist for a reason, and, not unlike these pesky obstacles, career shifts, starts, and stops, exist so that you can slow down and recalibrate your professional desires, i.e., your job. If you’ve found yourself in this headspace and you want to start a career in User Experience (UX) design, here are a few things to keep in mind as you pursue your new career in the world of tech.

Bring Your Existing Professional Skills Into the Tech Industry

 

Bring Your Existing Professional Skills Into the Tech Industry

 

Don’t think about starting a career in UX design so much as beginning at square one as much as continuing from wherever you’re at. (Sorry to those of you who are at square one. You’ll have to start there no matter what.) If you have professional experience in any field, you can most likely bring it with you into the world of UX design. Worked in marketing? You’ve thought about users a lot already. Have experience in sales? You know how to keep customers happy. Bring all that.

Become Familiar with the UX Design Process and Principles

 

Become Familiar with the UX Design Process and Principles

 

There’s no way of getting around the learning part of starting a new career, but if you’ve chosen to start a career in UX design because it excites you, then becoming familiar with the UX design process and principles shouldn’t be a problem. If anything, you may be looking for a firehose method for learning as much as possible as quickly as possible. For those of you who don’t need all that structure and support, you can Google (DuckDuckGo?) these basics and carry on.

5 Basic Design Principles

  • Balance
  • Rhythm and repetition
  • Emphasis
  • Proportion and scale
  • Harmony

Build a UX Design Portfolio and Find Networking Opportunities

 

Build a UX Design Portfolio and Find Networking Opportunities

 

Once you’ve taken your existing professional wisdom and added heaps of UX design knowledge to the mix, then you’re ready for what any good career needs: a portfolio and network. You can take care of the portfolio part by yourself with some time and dedication. Come up with your own project and use what you’ve learned to put it together in a digestible way. As far as finding networking opportunities goes, you will have to step outside of your comfort zone and attend remote or in-person UX design events. You may also find and participate in related groups.

Jump Start Your Career with a UX Design Course

Designing a future career for yourself might not take as long as you think. With Devmountain’s UX Design course, you can help yourself launch a UX design career quickly. Learn more about the 16 week part-time UX Design course to see if it’s a good fit for you.

Grab a UX Design Course Outline

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Recommended Reading

What Does a UX Designer Do?

Ace Your UX Design Interview: 10 Common Questions

How to Become a UX Designer with Devmountain

 

How Do I Start a Career in UX Design?

 

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