Last week, I met with one of my best friends who was offered a full-time position as an UX designer at Google. We pulled together some possible tips for you to confidently set off your next episode into the workforce. Whether you’re a freelancer who just decides to pin on a position or a graduate student who is a little nervous to join the real world, we believe our advice will help a lot.
1. No one is born to be experienced
You may have been intimidated when you checked out the job descriptions on your laptop. In fact, your self-doubt is unnecessary because most new grads don’t have much experience. Now if you calm down to rethink about it, you’ll find that it is enthusiasm and talent that the big companies really value. They like to hear that you are a fast learner with an open mind to grow with the team. And your experience such as designing a logo for your friend and making a website for fun will all be counted as excellent experience.
2. Expand your social network
You need to make best of Twitter, Quora, Medium, etc. to expand your social network as quickly as possible. At the same time, offline activities like Startup Weekend, Major League Hacking, XX+UX, MeetUp may bring you unexpected connections.
3. Chose your starting point
Think deeply over Startup, Agencies, Freelance and large-sized companies before you make your final decision. If you are just a confused student who has no idea what to do, the most important thing is that the job really fit you. Ask yourself what kind of person you are going to be 5 years later. Have a talk with your seniors but do not forget your initial determination.
4. Show your passion
Enthusiasm might be the most valuable assets that a new designer can show to his/her potential employers.Companies need to test the way you approach problems and how you understand design. Use prototyping tool like Mockplus to demonstrate your idea in the interviewing process Your independent idea is extremely important. Be confident and stay encouraged. The companies are not only looking for hard skills but healthy attitude and creativity.
5. Be yourself
When you gradually narrow down your options, all you need is to make a successful interview. There is a common mistake that you may overdo the practice because of the strain. It may make you look sophisticated though practicing will help you talk clearly and thoughtfully. If you get hired because of a rehearsed version of yourself, you are likely to find later that the job is not your type.
Here are some great organizations, blogs, and classes:
Mockplus blog and Designers Guild are active online design communities to keep up with the latest trends as well as get feedback on your work
Startup Weekend and Major League Hacking are a great way to get involved in Hackathons
Meetup and Eventbrite to find design events like Dribbble and XX+UX — Women in UX meetups in your area
Skillshare, Lynda, Udacity, Codecademy, Coursera all offer tons of classes related to UX, motion, coding, etc.
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