20
UX Researcher/Designer
Hi Ladies! I am interested in pursuing a role in UX but am unsure of how to start or what companies are looking for in a portfolio. I've been in the fashion design industry for 6 years and believe that a lot of my skills and experiences can be transitioned over, do you think companies would hire based on that or would you have to go back to school to get a degree?
Thuytee
20
09/28/19 at 2:58PM UTC
Wow Barb, thank you so much for this wonderful insight/feedback! This really helped a lot :)
Barb HansenStartup Product, Growth & Strategy
9.66k
09/30/19 at 3:40AM UTC
I'm happy to help where I can. Again, i'm not a UX/UI designer, and researcher, but i work in the digital field and I hire UX/UI staff and contractors all the time.
And I'm always up to help a new UX person out, so as you grow your portfolio, please keep me in the loop, I may have an opportunity that is a good fit for you.
Barb HansenStartup Product, Growth & Strategy
9.66k
09/30/19 at 3:36AM UTC (Edited)
tl:dr. I hire UX/UI contractors and full-time staff. I look for talent, and knowledge not a degree.
I would get experience and training as an UX designer (or researcher). Experience does not mean a paid job, it means doing the work even if you are doing the work for make-believe clients :)
You do not need a degree, you just need to show that you know what you are doing.
Review sites where designers and creatives host their work (like https://dribbble.com/ <-- this is where I go to find UX/UI designers) to see what others are highlighting.
You can learn what you need through Youtube & Linkedin training (free or almost free) or inexpensive online training (udemy etc -- always wait until these sites have their 9.99 sales which happens frequently), so you know the software, the words and the processes that UX/UI peeps use. And some cities have 6- to 10-week full-time/evening classes through places like Galvanize (and similar). Galvanize (etc) are not inexpensive but it's no where near the cost of a degree.
As someone who hires UX/UI contractors and full-time staff: I start with their online profile, then I want to know that:
- they can do the work and they have collateral to show
- they know the latest trends for industry verticals
- they know how to do customer research
- they know the newest tools for customer research even if they haven't used each tool (cause no one can use all of the tools)
- they are aware of the major types of tools used in UX/UI design/research. Example: Axure, interactive wireframes & requirements. Invision, UI design sharing. Zeplin, a handoff platform for designs and styleguides. Just to mention three of the thousands of tools available.
