On this Q&A webinar, we were joined by a panel of leading industry UX Design experts and Harness Projects mentors, where we answered questions and provided insights into how to give yourself the best chance to land your first UX Design job. On the panel were:
– Alexis Reagan, Head of UX & Design @ HSBC Australia
– Onur Ekinci, CEO @ Calctree
– Sam Hancock, Design Capability Lead @ Helix Collective
– Chris Ventura. CEO @Harness Projects
Harness Projects is Australia’s only Real Project Learning course provider that trains the next generation of UX Designers while they gain experience on real company projects. To know more about our projects, head to our website: www.harnessprojects.com.au
0:00 Introductions
4:08 What is UX Design and how to UX Design roles differ throughout the industry?
10:00 How do you gauge design maturity within an organisation and why is that important for someone looking for their first role in UX Design?
16:10 What are the biggest barriers to entering the UX field, especially when you are competing against more senior designers?
25:29 Should we still apply as new designers if the job description asks for 4+ years experience etc?
27:39 How do you uncover who you are as a designer? What personal traits impact this decision?
31:25 Any tips on how to continue to improve your skills as a solo designer?
33:49 Do you need a degree or formal education in UX?
37:49 Is it preferable to have a link in your portfolio or attach a pdf?
45:17 How do you build a portfolio without proper industry experience?
46:32 As remote work becomes more common, how do we create connections?
49:55 What are the common mistakes you see on applications? And what should you showcase in your portfolio?
54:29 Any advice when you only have short term job experience and no formal education?
56:03 In constructing a portfolio, how do you do user research?
58:35 How do you know if a job is the right fit for you?
1:01:29 Would you advise doing the Google UX course?
1:03:54 What are my chances of securing a remote work position with a mixed work background?
1:06:04 What’s the best website to create a portfolio?
1:08:07 Is it ok to send a re-do of a website to the people who created it?
1:10:16 How do you distinguish between imposter syndrome vs a bad fit, in a new job?
1:14:15 What do you look for during the UX interview process as a hiring manager?
1:18:44 I come from academia with university teaching and research experience. Would it be a good idea to include this background in the portfolio as am just starting in UX?
1:19:26 How open are business stakeholders to listen to the UX research done from a new UX Designer?
1:22:09 What are you thoughts on discussing projects when you have signed an NDA?
1:24:27 What are some communities early stage designers can connect to?
1:26:05 Wrap-up.
What are you thoughts on discussing projects when you have signed an NDA?
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