Hey! 👋 What advice can you share for someone looking to progress their UX Design Career? 🤔What more would you like to know about the responsibilities / roles at Junior / Senior level? Please share your thoughts in the comments below! 🥳↙️ . Also, check out some of our other recent uploads: 1️⃣- How to get a job in UX Design WITHOUT a Portfolio: ua-cam.com/video/4mIr6CvW1nY/v-deo.html 2️⃣- The five ESSENTIAL tools we use for UX Design: ua-cam.com/video/1FyWSHs9ObU/v-deo.html 3️⃣- Why is EVERYONE using Design Sprints: ua-cam.com/video/7oIvJOGhVck/v-deo.html 4️⃣- The one key skill you need to level up your UX Career: ua-cam.com/video/CFRN68ScfVw/v-deo.html 5️⃣- UX / UI Inspiration / resources: ua-cam.com/video/dWZNtpNRpG8/v-deo.html
The video was in fact informative. As a mid-lifer changing careers from Enterprise Networks Architecture design to UX, there were quite a few good points like etiquette, prioritization, multi-tasking, seeing the big picture and more complex client facing skills that I am able to bring to help on company goals. How can you you bring those assets to the table while staying humble?
@@perc-ai Hey! Our premium Masterclass course can be found here: ajsmart.com/masterclass/ Or if you'd like to watch a free Webinar where we go into detail about the Masterclass and Design Sprints, you can check that out here: events.genndi.com/register/818182175026315610/3d52bd3be1 Hope this helps!
@@riverasanchez Hey Robert, so sorry this one slipped under the radar but better late than never! The best way to show expertise while staying humble is to simply teach people what you know! That way you can position yourself as an expert while also offering value and assistance to people. Perhaps organising events or workshops in your place of work or community could be a good start.
Just watched the video again, now with my new intern. I have almost 10 years experience as a graphic designer and have recently started with UI and UX. So I feel like a junior in this area. In general I believe that if you stay humble, love what you do and KEEP STUDYING is the key to climb the ladder. There is always somebody who will make you "feel like a junior" and you will always make someone feel like a junior. There is no end line to knowledge.
As a junior you should be able to explain button and content hierarchy. Also the reason you use certain elements and how that relates to the user. If you can't do that then you are not even a junior UX designer. You are a designer with some UX knowledge.
I am transitioning from being a janitor to being a UX/UI designer. Right now, I am just trying to get a more in-depth perspective on what my responsibilities are in the field and getting my feet wet in the programs that AJ&Smart has mentioned in their videos. I finished signing up for Sketch, Figma, Webflow, and learning HTML5, CSS3, Javascript. Thank you AJ&Smart for providing these videos and getting me inspired by working in design IT field.
Hey Rachid, that's great to hear thank you! Just be yourself, be humble and bring energy and you'll be fantastic. Ohhh and remember to ask questions! From your senior designers and other designers! Hit up our channel or our instagram if you have any questions at all!
Great conversation! I have honestly felt that my "roles/titles" have always been partially ahead of my actual skill set and I have been having to play catch up my whole career. I definitely feel mid-level and I have so much more to learn.
I predict you guys and gals are going to become the voice of usability design for English speaking humans for the next 50+ years. I guess only if it keeps going which I hope. Huge fan. Love the podcast too. Love the casual none serious human none perfect element especially.
As long as civilization still exists and humans are interactingand devving tech then maybe they will be. But the life of the GUI is way less than 50 years due to the evolution of the computer-brain interface. Once that works well, we will be so glad that we don't have to interact with and GUI. The experience will be streamlined with thought user interface.
Extremely helpful video! I'm about to finish college and want to start my career as a UX designer. By reading into the jobs descriptions on the video, you made me feel more confident to apply to any job now. Thanks again.
Junior designer here, it’s been very difficult to transition into a senior designer role and I’ve had senior designs within companies try to diminish my work. So that has brought me to this video and motivated me to try harder. My plan is to create a weekly meeting with designers I know and try to mentor but also work collaboratively on projects from the very beginning to the end. So not only will we have portfolio work to present during interviews but also allow everyone to get real life experience with working with other designers before they enter a company. And I like the idea of having them multitask multiple projects at the same time! Just subscribed :)
Nice video! I really agree that Designers skills are related to the environment where they work. Some times a step back is needed to evolve, and is always nice to be open to criticism and to be surrounded by people better than you. Thanks for the video! :D
I lucked out, my corp keeps promoting/ grooming me for the next level. I got to mid-level after 1 year, and I'm dabbling in lead responsibilities on my 2nd going into 3rd year. I think my domain knowledge of our field is what helped bridge some of the gap. I worked in insurance before I started designing for it.
I'm a UX/UI Designer. Something around Middle level i think. Its hard to evaluate myself properly. Right at this moment i'm looking for a new job because i'm feeling bored at my current company and also it's mess in terms of development processes. I'm the only designer here and i really need another designer mind around. And i want to try to focus more on UX part with research, user interviews and all this complex but interesting stuff. But i have quite doubts. Maybe i really need to refresh my working surroundings and change the company, find some product with other designers in it. Or i should pull myself together and try to fix this situation - start researching and trying new things, even if i don't know how to do it properly without leaving. I know i'm not alone at this))
Pretty much my sitch. I've started going to a ux book club and reading/consuming more UX stuff. I'm not interested in intense research but I LOVE strategy. I'm also focusing on adding ux storytelling to my portfolio. Keep it up, we've got this!
You guys got yourself a new subscriber. The point when you said that you always aply on the vacancies even that you dont have all the skills they are asking and that the dream canidate is never showing up, gives me hope that i will land a job in the next few months as Junior UX designer. Thanks
This content is so useful! I am about to change career to UX Design and I can't help watching your videos. I am excited to receive my copy of the Workshopper Playbook and dive into it. Until then, I have 3 books (Sprint, Blink and Made to stick) to read, thanks to your recommendation. In the next few months I will attend a Product Design course held by my dream workplace (with a clear intention of making an impression and asking them for an internship or junior position 😇). You just justified my plans, so thank you guys! Also the picture at the end made me laugh so hard.. 😂 Lots of love from Hungary! 💗
Thank you for this video! Really cool that you also mention your personal experiences when starting out till now. Helps a lot and gives a certain kind of hope haha. We're all human after all, striving to be better!
i'm 29 years old, i did my graduation in graphic design and now i'm learning about ux design. Your videos are amazing, they explain some type of things that most videos don't. You really go in depth talking about the subjects. Thank you! Do you guys think that 29 is late to start a carrer in ux design?
Hey Will, we get asked this a lot, and the short answer is NO! Go for it! You'll bring a wealth of other vocational experience and personality to the role. Lots of people we know are making the change and starting out in UX now. It's a great time to be getting on board with it too as companies now see UX it as a vital necessity and not just an extra when thinking about new products etc. The demand for skilled UXers is very high! GOOD LUCK!
@@owillmayer No problem at all Will! Now go boss UX! And as always let us know if you have any questions! Our Instagram (@AJSmartdesign) is great to get in touch with too!
I really love you guys, I learn and laugh at the same time 😂. Also, big kudos to your video editor, I'm digging the relaxed/silly vibe of your videos. 👏 Saludos desde México!
I am studying UX at Hyper Island from August 2022. I don't think much about it. What I do know is that time will heal. I don't have to fight for it. Just let it go.
points very well explained ... it was a must watch, glad i didn't skipped :P one thing as per my suggestion, you need to be in an organization where you are not the only designer. By asking seniors for help will help you grow more and look at things with a different and right perspective instead of wasting time in designing and after deployment end user tells you "i want to do this and i am confused how to do this in here" PLEASE ALSO MAKE PODCASTS FOR GOOD AND BAD UX (with real world examples) Thanks for such awesome video.
As someone who just finished his 6 year design eduction and is perfecting (like way too much) his portfolio to get a junior job, this is very reassuring. Great content as always!
late in the comments BUT You confirmed gems of advice for me. "You are your own career" "You are pretty much in a place where you are paid while you figure yourself" . It helps that people also relate to this. I'm a senior level designer. There will be times that I get burned out or frustrated. But I get back up and figure a solution to my issues with the company by asking for help, collaboration, advice and guidance from my manager, colleauges and mentors. Being a senior, it's not just about the design literally. You start working with complex problems involving clients, stakeholders and that you need to formulate solutions and DEFEND that by the evaluated data you gathered. You also have to be able to articulate and express your ideas as well as absorbing them from others. To be a senior is to be someone mature and smart in handling more responsibility and complexity. Being a senior doesn't mean you stop learning either. You are a role model to your direct and indirect juniors.
(HEADS UP THIS IS A PARAGRAPH) hey guys im starting a marketing and design agency and we are learning from chris do (the futur), ran segall (Flux) and you guys. while we are juniors regarding design we've taken the time to learn strategy,discovery,team management,handling the client,dealing with objections,basically everything we conclude a senior designer would know. As the team leader ive been educating myself nonstop for the past year and a half. we're going to use everything we've learned and make an attempt to scale faster from the get go. the key thing i see in juniors is the lack of knowledge regarding sales,marketing,solving the client issue, basically the bigger picture. If you understand that early on and properly educate yourself, I believe you can skip ahead.the issue lies in your amount of experience.hire people smarter than you that do have work to show, fill out your profile with practice projects, have confidence and focus on problem solving. in some cases just having the confidence leads to them never questioning your ability upfront.As long as you get results i dont see a huge difference other than pay and experience. get your first few clients and use their results in your portfolio. the other thing is juniors usually look for the job where seniors have people coming to them. having a good funnel could give a younger designer an advantage. lots of thought on this.we plan on going from US dollars)$3k to 5k to 10k to 30k+
This was great! I love how you talk about staying humble and learning throughout your whole career. I'm a junior level designer at a start up, and have recently been left as the only designer. What advice would you give to a sole designer who wants to keep learning and improving but is working by themselves?
Interesting video and good to hear the perspectives from the experienced designer. You guys made me embrace my junior/mid level Worked at a startup for a couple years which gave me broad knowledge of the field. Later started at a bigger organization that wasn't very design mature despite a force of 30+ if designer. From a organizational level I was delivering on a senior Pedigree, but through the discussion and working with more experienced colleagues, I obviously still have ways to go.
Didn't watch through the whole video, a bit to long and unstructured. felt like a mixture of podcast format of discussion but trying to being presented as a info video. A nice inspiration (lighting demo) is how game informers podcast gets broken out to UA-cam discussion videos. I really think that format would suit you and your goals perfectly
Hey Leon great points thanks for sharing! Working with so many more designers can sometimes create a more competitive, insular environment, which can hinder this learning / feedback / progression, did you find this in your situation? Or did you focus on learning from the more experienced people?
@@LeonJCort Thanks for the feedback too, sure it was a long video, we felt it was good to have to experienced people just open up in a discussion format on this topic, but can appreciate your comments fully. We'll definitely check out the game informers podcast. Thank you for the suggestion this is very valuable and helpful feedback!
@@AJSmart At first I was a bit full of myself and thought that I already knew how to do x or y, successful startup designer you know. But then I realized I was stupid to not take in the opportunity to learn from the veterans. So I quickly tried to get a seat at their high level meetings where I could learn their reasoning and strategy methods. Highly recommended to get yourself in projects where your are the dumbest person in the room.
Great video! I am a junior designer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. One thing I find interesting is that not all junior designers are created equal. Getting my first (and current) job was crazy difficult. It seemed that nearly every one I talked with who was hiring a junior designer, wanted the candidates to have a graphic design background, and they--the hiring company--would just need to help teach them UX design principles. Since there were (and probably still are) many graphic designers moving into the UX design space, it seemed employers assumed that's were all potential junior UX designers were going to come from. I did not come from a graphic design background, I used to work in marketing and administration in the assisted living industry. Now that I have been a junior designer for nearly two years, what you said about humility rings true with me. Being open-minded and welcoming criticism can be difficult, but it is imperative. One other attribute I would add to that is grit--true grit. I found that I need the ability (which, I am working on) to persevere with humility, and exercise patience.
Hey Chad, great insights thanks so much for sharing with us! That's very true, humility, eagerness and openness to learn are all vital traits, both long and short term to career growth in this industry. It can be hard to seek out honest feedback but in the long run it's always beneficial, for everyone involved. Wish you every luck with your career progression too!
Such a great video! I'm a junior designer and currently going through this phase of being overwhelmed by UX techniques and methodologies as well as the career path ahead. This video gave some clarity on that aspect! Thanks and looking forward to more such videos! Also, loved the editing on the video! It's dope! xD
Very helpful. Thank you for making this video. I am an architectural designer who is trying to make a transition to UX and even with my architecture experience I can relate to everything you talked about. Can’t agree more
Such a great video, I get you - I am so not detail-oriented & at some point even was afraid to not make it in design because of the 'pixel perfect' but you gave me hope I can find myself in another area of design where my skills are stronger. Thanks for the video!
I think the difference is being able to present a solution to the client, but also being able to support the development through designing all the use cases. Most junior designers focus too much on the design itself, therefore causing problems in the development phase. This is what I saw happening the most. I am a product designer @Toptal, not if that matters that much. :)
Oh My god Really my mind flow out in the good sense.. when you guys research and analysis the jobs plataform.Thank you so much.. I really need this kind of information and review.
Im actually trying to get into a junior position (ux designer or 3d artist - yes i have good knowledge in both areas :) ) and im totally struggling with these job ads where they are looking for ... hmm in german there is a word for it "eierlegende wollmilchsau". basically a person who is 23 years old has a master degree, knows every software and has 5 years work experience :D. good to know that im not alone with it and your words really motivates me to keep going. thank you very much :)
The video editing is crazy lol... I'm a person who's very easily distracted [there's a bird right there ] This is so funny!!!!!!!! Thanks for this great video! I'm a junior product designer but the sole designer at work. I was doing a bunch of stuff at my old job such as motion design, packaging, UI, identity, front-end development, etc. I ran into The Futur a while ago and I found out I actually had to focus on only one thing rather than a lot of things. I'm so glad I stopped learning web development and started engaging in UX. I carried out my first user interview at my new job which I learned from David Travis:) He's course is on Udemy. We're on the ideation phase at work now, I recently found the debates are getting worse as time goes by. So I will be trying to run a design sprint when we scale --We're a small team, we don't have enough people to do design sprint. I think I saw one of your comments saying not as many people can actually run the sprint, right?
Hey Hazel! Thanks so much for you kind feedback! It was a super fun video to work on as well! Great to hear there's more focus now and your also planning on scaling your team. We have LOADS of resources about the design sprint here, but we'd certainly recommend trying it out regardless. Even certain exercises, the Sprint methodology can be broken up and exercises applied as necessary, it's great to experiment with. As ever, any questions on this please let us know!
This video is really awesome. For me as a Junior Designer I still struggle on asking the right questions, sometimes there's a lot going on my head and I kinda mess what my original question or point is.
@@AJSmart because most of the time I don't construct or frame my question very well before asking. I just went to the person and ask what's on top of my head and most often than not it comes out unclear and missing my point.
I worked on creating websites on my own for over ten years. Trying to learn it on my own and support a family was difficult for me, but I didn't stop because I wanted to do that full time one day. Understanding my limitations and working two jobs I realized the only way I was going to create a portfolio was to put more on my plate. The best structured way to do it was go to school. Knowing my self if I put that on me I know I would push really hard to complete my classes. Going from Web Design and Development course to now Graphic Design Degree. I learned so much about me. What I can do and what I can not. The only way I learn is by asking questions and making mistakes. With all that said I know I have a lot to learn, but I always have this thought in my head that really bothers me and I do not know why and I feel like I am just starting my career at almost 40 years old. I get age doesn't mean to much. By going to school and I learned a lot about myself it took me on the path to UX/UI Design. I realized everyday I learned something that helps me get closer to my goal to be a UX/UI Designer. I was thinking my portfolio is holding me back because I am in the process on putting on online, but after listening to your video which was great! thank you! I think maybe because of my age and how long I been working on websites maybe I am looking for a job that has to much of a bigger role for me at the start of my career. Should I be putting Junior UX/UI Designer on my Resume? Does that help who ever is looking to automatically think..ok he still needs to learn some stuff? I can ask questions all day ,so sorry for the long comments. Thanks again.
You are not junior, don't make yourself one. What do you think about your chances on the job market? I seem to be more successful freelancing than looking for at least a mid-level UX/UI job... I lose to 30-years olds, in love with mobile shit.
I am going to apply for Junior UX designer soon. As Jonathan said, we have to find the reasons why we use UI animation to swipe right or swipe from the bottom. Could you recommend the resources or materials to learn more about the psychology behind those interaction design? Thank you so much!
Hey Pimwipha! Thanks for sharing, good luck on your new career! We'd strongly recommend checking out the iOS and Material Design Guidelines for a start: - iOS: developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/overview/themes/ - Material Design: material.io/design/ If you want some nice reading around the psychology side of things too, check out: - Don't Make Me Think: www.amazon.de/gp/product/0321965515/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i1 - Design of Everyday Things: www.amazon.de/gp/product/0465050654/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2 Also, we have a great video with a whole load of design resources / inspirational links in it, you can view it here: ua-cam.com/video/dWZNtpNRpG8/v-deo.html Hope these help!
Hey Theodore, thanks so much. This video wasn't a live stream, but the guys (and the bird) were just on a roll. It's a nice discussion / podcasty type video actually. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video, but I believe it's important to make a hard distinction between Junior and Senior designs. I have seen inexperience designers who are excellent and senior designer who really don't know what they are doing. What matters is the persons to apply critical thinking. People who are unable to grasp critical thinking during younger years are often also unable to grasp it in their more mature years. Another thing is that the UX industry adopts new approaches through word of mouth. This can sometimes be good, but other times be bad as the methods are not scientifically proven. For example, the "mobile first approach" was shown to lead to a subpar user experience by NNgroup, yet it is widespread and the go-to approach, even though the evidence is pointing in another direction. I believe we living inside our own little bubble. We are not putting enough scrutiny to our own practices. We need to understand the limitations before we can understand the qualities of what we are doing.
Hey Michael, great point, thanks for sharing. It's something we try to address here, when Tim mentions designers who do a few years, then go freelance and 'self-promote' themselves to creative directors after a few years of freelance. Critical thinking, and humility for what you know and don't know are important traits at any level. We love your point about the bubble though that's very relevant and more openness and having the ability to accept critical feedback, even at later stages are incredibly important. Thanks so much for your points!
That last comment really resonated with me: "I have struggles working on the details, so I would never be a good UI designer. Could you maybe elaborate on how you discovered that about yourself and how you dealt with that situation?
Great video! Thank you ☺️ In the journey of becoming senior whats a good way to show/take-on responsibility of managing people and teams even though you are at a lower level?
Hey Cameron! Great question! IF you don't currently have any 'direct-reports' under you, perhaps organising a design related event? A UX jam / hack-a-thon style event perhaps? YOu could manage / direct + document the whole thing to show management and strategy etc
Hello, I started in print and web design in 2004 then transitioned to web UI dev around 2010. I worked for an enterprise financial company for 6 years as a web designer, front end dev and accessibility SME. I then went to work for a startup for 7 months as a front end dev and designer. Now I work for a non profit as a UX designer but trying to gain a title of Sr. now for a good year. My management has praised me countless times on great work and skill and leadership I have but they shy away at paying me a decent rate or working seriously with me on getting to where I want to go. Ive tried so hard for so long but never seem to catch a break. What am I missing? :/
Very interesting video - definitely learned a lot! ..considering this is where i'm at in my career. I even set apart some time with my Manager on what I can do to move forward in my career :) Something I lack is confidence and that's something i'm forcing myself to push.
I think this video was on point with 98% of the topic. But don’t forget people don’t leave bad jobs they leave bad management. Some of the take care of yourself by finding another job sediment was starting to lean that way. Aka manager cop out.
I’m not even sure what level I’m on at this point. In my last role my boss told me I was more mid-level and she regularly worked with me on things that would move me to a senior level. Today, I’m not sure what I am to be honest, I’ve been interviewing for 6+ months with so many companies that I don’t even want to go back and count, with ZERO luck. So I’m not sure if I should move on or what, I was really enjoying Product Design, but no one has hire me. 3+ years of experience and not a thing 🤷♂️.
Hello. This video is MEGA interesting. Some UX/UI Bootcamps tell their students that they can go straight from Bootcamp to Sr. roles. Then one goes and applies to both, senior and junior positions, there is always this feeling of inner questioning ourselves when applying to offers. Is that very common? All schools do the same? should students apply for Sr. positions? I don't think so, either. Here you make sense; Being humble and smart enough to learn fast is the only way according to me too. Please comment and thanks's a lot for this subject, sorry I discovered it one year after you made it. I'm new to UX/UI. and to your channel. Regards,
My advice is do your best on self-assessment if you want to expand your knowledge and awareness on design. Being really aware of your skills and attitudes (as well as of your weaknesses) is the hardest part of leveling up. ps. it's actually addressed to myself too :D
This arrived just on time. I’m starting a UX design online course in May since I believe this would help me to produce better work in general, providing a meaning to each decision and thinking every step within the process. Atm I see UX design as the strategy of brand design for example, idk if I’m right or not 😅
Hey Ethan! Thanks for sharing. That's great to hear about your course! Can we ask who you're doing it with? Can you expand a little on what you mean by the strategy of brand design? We'll try to help! Thanks again.
Yeah the course is with UX Design Institute. By strategy I mean, UX is kind of the strategy to apply before jump into design work, like with brand strategy using for example stylescapes? So you target your audience, make research, etc (UX stage, as strategy) and then move to design (UI stage) ? That's how I see UX at the moment, but I'm probably wrong @@AJSmart
Hi! I'm Tania from Peru, I studied social psychology, and I'm going to study a Service Design Master next year (I'm motivated to learn the research methods in design and to know more about its tools) ...while I watched this video I had this question: how professionals from different backgrounds can enter into the design word? I mean ... I want to switch career kind of ... and my biggest struggle right now is to find my value. Thanks a lot for your videos!
How can I break into UX design? I graduate from college with a Bachelors in Psychology. I am trying to break into this industry but there is much to learn that I’m just not sure where to start. Please help!!!
In my current state I actually work full time as a Banker for a major Fortune 500 Company. However I find myself wanting to break away from the "stuffiness" of finance. Im considering a career change now that I have a baby on the way and would like to take a more fresh and creative outlook in my job. I say that the biggest advice about moving up the ladder is to make your bosses look good in front of clients, to master your current role, and to take more initiative/ responsibility even if you're not asked to
Hey Marisha! Congrats on your news! Also, we totally agree! That's very similar to the Canvas Strategy about helping those both above and below you to progress. You can check out hte article by Ryan Holiday here: ryanholiday.net/the-canvas-strategy/ Thanks for taking the time to comment! Good luck on your new venture too 🥳
The biggest problem for me, as a junior, is that I do understand these things BUT don't know how to create things that "look cool". I really focused on UX from the beginning and missing that UI part...
Hi, I'm 50 years old and doing a carer change I'm taking the google UI/UX design class. My question to you guys is, do you think I'm too old for this at this point?
Well hello Gyies.. Well everyone is talking about ...experience I am fresher in this field Recently i have completed following softwares 1)PS 2)Ai 3)ID 4)corel drawer 5)Also doing Ui/Ux Well guide me how to start.... My journey in the field of earning and turning myself into a designer
@@AJSmart as one is employed by others one is relying on external income. What makes a senior not to retire as he surely has gathered the wealth to become selfsustained?
Great content again AJ%Smart Team. I guess biggest stuck for Junior is to be not surrounded your title people. Just need to go outside and create a network which will help you to improve much faster. That's just from my perspective because I have that issue... But trying to fixing step by step. ;)
Good advice, thanks for sharing! Being proactive and getting out there and attending events etc is a great way to open new doors! Best of luck on your journey too!
Love your video so much!! I just have a question about how to deal with negative feedback. I'm always asked by that question and I don't know what is the best answer.
YES! All great advice... Exceptionally wise perspective @ 30:07 when accepting criticism that reveals where you may NOT naturally be gifted. #FreakinBird
AJ&Smart... I love what you are doing and you have been putting out some great info. I am a new UX/UI Designer at a new Startup (the lone designer). So, I feel I am a Jr. being thrown into a Sr. roll. It has been a crazy ride and I often feel overwhelmed and over my head, but I keep going, trust my design instincts and look for advise and direction from experienced people in this field. What would be the biggest part of my job that I need to focus on in becoming that "rock solid" Sr. designer?
Hey Jay, thanks so much for the kind comment, greatly appreciated. Great question, we get asked this a lot, and for sure it can be very overwhelming at first. Dependability and consistency would be a great starting point. Go out your way to help others and your seniors, and become indispensable to the team. Being able to look at the bigger picture, and strategic moves too. Reading / researching product strategy moves is a great way to level up. Check out Stratechery, TechMeme, Product Crunch and A16z for more on this. All those guys have great content online like podcasts, articles and videos to learn more on strategy! We have a bunch of resources in this video that might come in handy: ua-cam.com/video/CFRN68ScfVw/v-deo.html
@@AJSmart Fantastic..! I will dive into this. Also, I LOVE that everyone at AJ&Smart looks to be having a great time working there. Your work culture has Personality... Thank you and I'll be watching...
Hi from Argentina! I found your channel and videos/emails/links so valuable! I am about to start my career in UX, and figuring out the different roads and highways to a successful one. So first of all: thanks a lot for such an impactful information. Then, my question would be: I come from an art background and I am very creative. Fond of birds too and fearful of my path on UX being old. Or what I consider old. Which in my case would be 43 years old. I found this career just recently and I am sorry I haven't found it before. So my humble questions are: is any room for older people in this industry? Given my age, should I become a real genius to start as a junior in a company? What would be the most important things to learn before applying to my first job and where would you recommend me to show my -still non-existent portfolio? I am eager to learn, I think empathy is one of my super powers, I like to know how things are done and how can I help others (the user) to make things easier to navigate or use. Intuitive would be the word, I guess? I used to give art classes at university and use to be a children's book illustrator. I have some idea of storytelling and love to draw. So... Do you think I have a future in this industry? I love bird watching and singing, but I rather would be working on my own or in a company helping with the design process. Many thanks for your time and again, thanks a lot for sharing your experience, knowledge and tips. 😊♥️👋
Do you have a video that gives advice to people in other design fields, like graphic design, motion graphics, web design e.t.c. trying to get into UX or Product design? I've been having that problem personally, especially with my portfolio having multimedia design projects instead of UX focused ones.
Tim mentioned moving to a new company as a way to move up to mid-level or Sr. Level. But how might it look to promote within, even at AJ&Smart? Is that a manger’s initiative or the Jr. speaking up? Thanks 😄
Hey Jack, that depends on the size of the agency to be honest. At AJ&Smart we have relatively small teams so it can be quite clear where your progression lies. In large, multi-national businesses or agencies, there can be many staff across many design / marketing related departments to move between so it can look very different. We would generally look for a Junior designer to have a few years of experience with us and be aware of the bigger picture (strategic thinking / client relationships etc) to progress as we describe. Hope this helps?
![[UA] Eternal Fire проти NAVI | EPL Season 20 Malta](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/chvlsDygrZM/mqdefault.jpg)
Hey! 👋 What advice can you share for someone looking to progress their UX Design Career? 🤔What more would you like to know about the responsibilities / roles at Junior / Senior level?
Please share your thoughts in the comments below! 🥳↙️
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Also, check out some of our other recent uploads:
1️⃣- How to get a job in UX Design WITHOUT a Portfolio: ua-cam.com/video/4mIr6CvW1nY/v-deo.html
2️⃣- The five ESSENTIAL tools we use for UX Design: ua-cam.com/video/1FyWSHs9ObU/v-deo.html
3️⃣- Why is EVERYONE using Design Sprints: ua-cam.com/video/7oIvJOGhVck/v-deo.html
4️⃣- The one key skill you need to level up your UX Career: ua-cam.com/video/CFRN68ScfVw/v-deo.html
5️⃣- UX / UI Inspiration / resources: ua-cam.com/video/dWZNtpNRpG8/v-deo.html
The video was in fact informative. As a mid-lifer changing careers from Enterprise Networks Architecture design to UX, there were quite a few good points like etiquette, prioritization, multi-tasking, seeing the big picture and more complex client facing skills that I am able to bring to help on company goals. How can you you bring those assets to the table while staying humble?
where do i buy your course i need it bad
@@perc-ai Hey! Our premium Masterclass course can be found here: ajsmart.com/masterclass/ Or if you'd like to watch a free Webinar where we go into detail about the Masterclass and Design Sprints, you can check that out here: events.genndi.com/register/818182175026315610/3d52bd3be1 Hope this helps!
19:00 agree 100%
@@riverasanchez Hey Robert, so sorry this one slipped under the radar but better late than never! The best way to show expertise while staying humble is to simply teach people what you know! That way you can position yourself as an expert while also offering value and assistance to people. Perhaps organising events or workshops in your place of work or community could be a good start.
Just watched the video again, now with my new intern.
I have almost 10 years experience as a graphic designer and have recently started with UI and UX. So I feel like a junior in this area.
In general I believe that if you stay humble, love what you do and KEEP STUDYING is the key to climb the ladder.
There is always somebody who will make you "feel like a junior" and you will always make someone feel like a junior.
There is no end line to knowledge.
This is very true, thanks so much Matheus!
As a junior you should be able to explain button and content hierarchy. Also the reason you use certain elements and how that relates to the user. If you can't do that then you are not even a junior UX designer. You are a designer with some UX knowledge.
Hey Brial, well put, we'd agree. Thanks for the comment!
This is dumb -maybe- pointing out at this, but I loved the way the top line of the mac is perfectly alined with the table...visually
Hahah thanks Hector, full disclosure, it wasn't strictly planned #accidentalcinematography Thanks for sharing though!
I am transitioning from being a janitor to being a UX/UI designer. Right now, I am just trying to get a more in-depth perspective on what my responsibilities are in the field and getting my feet wet in the programs that AJ&Smart has mentioned in their videos. I finished signing up for Sketch, Figma, Webflow, and learning HTML5, CSS3, Javascript. Thank you AJ&Smart for providing these videos and getting me inspired by working in design IT field.
How’s your journey been?
Im going into my first summer internship as a product designer this summer. Im nervous as F**K, but this video really eased me into it.
Thank you!
Hey Rachid, that's great to hear thank you! Just be yourself, be humble and bring energy and you'll be fantastic. Ohhh and remember to ask questions! From your senior designers and other designers! Hit up our channel or our instagram if you have any questions at all!
As Senior your job is to create clarity and confidence with asking the right questions for this you need experience.
Great point Pat! Thanks for sharing!
Great conversation! I have honestly felt that my "roles/titles" have always been partially ahead of my actual skill set and I have been having to play catch up my whole career. I definitely feel mid-level and I have so much more to learn.
Great to hear Zach, thanks for the feedback too! We ALL have much more to learn!
I predict you guys and gals are going to become the voice of usability design for English speaking humans for the next 50+ years. I guess only if it keeps going which I hope. Huge fan. Love the podcast too. Love the casual none serious human none perfect element especially.
Thanks so much Joubert! A very kind comment, glad you're enjoying the content and the Podcast too!
As long as civilization still exists and humans are interactingand devving tech then maybe they will be. But the life of the GUI is way less than 50 years due to the evolution of the computer-brain interface. Once that works well, we will be so glad that we don't have to interact with and GUI. The experience will be streamlined with thought user interface.
Extremely helpful video! I'm about to finish college and want to start my career as a UX designer. By reading into the jobs descriptions on the video, you made me feel more confident to apply to any job now. Thanks again.
Hey Ronaldo, that's great to hear, best of luck! As Jon says in the video, apply anyway, most job ads are poorly written anyway...!
Junior designer here, it’s been very difficult to transition into a senior designer role and I’ve had senior designs within companies try to diminish my work. So that has brought me to this video and motivated me to try harder. My plan is to create a weekly meeting with designers I know and try to mentor but also work collaboratively on projects from the very beginning to the end. So not only will we have portfolio work to present during interviews but also allow everyone to get real life experience with working with other designers before they enter a company. And I like the idea of having them multitask multiple projects at the same time! Just subscribed :)
Nice video!
I really agree that Designers skills are related to the environment where they work. Some times a step back is needed to evolve, and is always nice to be open to criticism and to be surrounded by people better than you.
Thanks for the video! :D
I lucked out, my corp keeps promoting/ grooming me for the next level. I got to mid-level after 1 year, and I'm dabbling in lead responsibilities on my 2nd going into 3rd year. I think my domain knowledge of our field is what helped bridge some of the gap. I worked in insurance before I started designing for it.
That’s good!!!!!!
Trying to be like you my boy
Agree with the different of responsibility, and Junior designer sometimes struggles to see the big picture of the project. Great Video. Kudos!
Great thanks Rudityas! Yeah that's a key point for sure!
I'm a UX/UI Designer. Something around Middle level i think. Its hard to evaluate myself properly. Right at this moment i'm looking for a new job because i'm feeling bored at my current company and also it's mess in terms of development processes. I'm the only designer here and i really need another designer mind around. And i want to try to focus more on UX part with research, user interviews and all this complex but interesting stuff.
But i have quite doubts. Maybe i really need to refresh my working surroundings and change the company, find some product with other designers in it. Or i should pull myself together and try to fix this situation - start researching and trying new things, even if i don't know how to do it properly without leaving.
I know i'm not alone at this))
Pretty much my sitch. I've started going to a ux book club and reading/consuming more UX stuff. I'm not interested in intense research but I LOVE strategy. I'm also focusing on adding ux storytelling to my portfolio. Keep it up, we've got this!
Literally love your videos, I'm starting out trying to get a UX and UI internship, and this video is literally what I needed. Thank you!
Thanks so much James! Best of luck in your new career! Let us know if you ever have any questions around this field!
You guys got yourself a new subscriber. The point when you said that you always aply on the vacancies even that you dont have all the skills they are asking and that the dream canidate is never showing up, gives me hope that i will land a job in the next few months as Junior UX designer. Thanks
This content is so useful! I am about to change career to UX Design and I can't help watching your videos. I am excited to receive my copy of the Workshopper Playbook and dive into it. Until then, I have 3 books (Sprint, Blink and Made to stick) to read, thanks to your recommendation. In the next few months I will attend a Product Design course held by my dream workplace (with a clear intention of making an impression and asking them for an internship or junior position 😇). You just justified my plans, so thank you guys! Also the picture at the end made me laugh so hard.. 😂 Lots of love from Hungary! 💗
Thank you for this video! Really cool that you also mention your personal experiences when starting out till now. Helps a lot and gives a certain kind of hope haha. We're all human after all, striving to be better!
This video was so funny guys! The picture of the bird at the end LOL!! Great content, humour and video editing PERFECT.
Hahaha thanks, it was ridiculous while filming...SO noisy. Glad you enjoyed (AND watched all the way to the end!)
i'm 29 years old, i did my graduation in graphic design and now i'm learning about ux design. Your videos are amazing, they explain some type of things that most videos don't. You really go in depth talking about the subjects. Thank you! Do you guys think that 29 is late to start a carrer in ux design?
Hey Will, we get asked this a lot, and the short answer is NO! Go for it! You'll bring a wealth of other vocational experience and personality to the role. Lots of people we know are making the change and starting out in UX now. It's a great time to be getting on board with it too as companies now see UX it as a vital necessity and not just an extra when thinking about new products etc. The demand for skilled UXers is very high! GOOD LUCK!
Hey guys! That's awesome! Thanks a lot for the response! I really appreciate that 🤘🙏👏
@@owillmayer No problem at all Will! Now go boss UX! And as always let us know if you have any questions! Our Instagram (@AJSmartdesign) is great to get in touch with too!
I’m in my 40s and just getting started in it after a career in freelance design, marketing and writing. I don’t think it’s too late :)
I really love you guys, I learn and laugh at the same time 😂. Also, big kudos to your video editor, I'm digging the relaxed/silly vibe of your videos. 👏
Saludos desde México!
This is so incredibly helpful for cultivating the right mindset for growing in this field. Thank you for making this!
I am studying UX at Hyper Island from August 2022. I don't think much about it. What I do know is that time will heal. I don't have to fight for it. Just let it go.
points very well explained ... it was a must watch, glad i didn't skipped :P
one thing as per my suggestion, you need to be in an organization where you are not the only designer. By asking seniors for help will help you grow more and look at things with a different and right perspective instead of wasting time in designing and after deployment end user tells you "i want to do this and i am confused how to do this in here"
PLEASE ALSO MAKE PODCASTS FOR GOOD AND BAD UX (with real world examples)
Thanks for such awesome video.
Thanks a lot Muhammad! Great suggestion too! Really glad you liked the video too!
As someone who just finished his 6 year design eduction and is perfecting (like way too much) his portfolio to get a junior job, this is very reassuring.
Great content as always!
late in the comments BUT
You confirmed gems of advice for me. "You are your own career" "You are pretty much in a place where you are paid while you figure yourself" . It helps that people also relate to this.
I'm a senior level designer. There will be times that I get burned out or frustrated. But I get back up and figure a solution to my issues with the company by asking for help, collaboration, advice and guidance from my manager, colleauges and mentors.
Being a senior, it's not just about the design literally. You start working with complex problems involving clients, stakeholders and that you need to formulate solutions and DEFEND that by the evaluated data you gathered. You also have to be able to articulate and express your ideas as well as absorbing them from others.
To be a senior is to be someone mature and smart in handling more responsibility and complexity. Being a senior doesn't mean you stop learning either.
You are a role model to your direct and indirect juniors.
(HEADS UP THIS IS A PARAGRAPH) hey guys im starting a marketing and design agency and we are learning from chris do (the futur), ran segall (Flux) and you guys. while we are juniors regarding design we've taken the time to learn strategy,discovery,team management,handling the client,dealing with objections,basically everything we conclude a senior designer would know. As the team leader ive been educating myself nonstop for the past year and a half. we're going to use everything we've learned and make an attempt to scale faster from the get go. the key thing i see in juniors is the lack of knowledge regarding sales,marketing,solving the client issue, basically the bigger picture. If you understand that early on and properly educate yourself, I believe you can skip ahead.the issue lies in your amount of experience.hire people smarter than you that do have work to show, fill out your profile with practice projects, have confidence and focus on problem solving. in some cases just having the confidence leads to them never questioning your ability upfront.As long as you get results i dont see a huge difference other than pay and experience. get your first few clients and use their results in your portfolio. the other thing is juniors usually look for the job where seniors have people coming to them. having a good funnel could give a younger designer an advantage. lots of thought on this.we plan on going from US dollars)$3k to 5k to 10k to 30k+
This was great! I love how you talk about staying humble and learning throughout your whole career. I'm a junior level designer at a start up, and have recently been left as the only designer. What advice would you give to a sole designer who wants to keep learning and improving but is working by themselves?
Find another company and get mentored
@@KillerKyuubi good advice
Do you have an advice for those who have 10+ years experience in print design and want to change into UX Design? Thank you🙌
Thank you, your advices are very helpful.
Thank you so much for this video! I graduate soon so I was struggling with a lot of questions but this has clarified so much!
That's great to hear, so glad it's of use to you!
I learned many things from you guys
Simply as a junior be open mind and ask questions and ready to learn accept that i don't know this tell what to do
Thank you for the video! 12:12 Can you make a video describing a difference between a good and a bad portfolio for junior UX/UI designer please?
Hey this is a great idea, thanks for sharing! We'll certainly look into this as we get asked a lot!
Interesting video and good to hear the perspectives from the experienced designer. You guys made me embrace my junior/mid level
Worked at a startup for a couple years which gave me broad knowledge of the field. Later started at a bigger organization that wasn't very design mature despite a force of 30+ if designer. From a organizational level I was delivering on a senior Pedigree, but through the discussion and working with more experienced colleagues, I obviously still have ways to go.
Didn't watch through the whole video, a bit to long and unstructured. felt like a mixture of podcast format of discussion but trying to being presented as a info video.
A nice inspiration (lighting demo) is how game informers podcast gets broken out to UA-cam discussion videos. I really think that format would suit you and your goals perfectly
Hey Leon great points thanks for sharing! Working with so many more designers can sometimes create a more competitive, insular environment, which can hinder this learning / feedback / progression, did you find this in your situation? Or did you focus on learning from the more experienced people?
@@LeonJCort Thanks for the feedback too, sure it was a long video, we felt it was good to have to experienced people just open up in a discussion format on this topic, but can appreciate your comments fully. We'll definitely check out the game informers podcast. Thank you for the suggestion this is very valuable and helpful feedback!
@@AJSmart
At first I was a bit full of myself and thought that I already knew how to do x or y, successful startup designer you know.
But then I realized I was stupid to not take in the opportunity to learn from the veterans. So I quickly tried to get a seat at their high level meetings where I could learn their reasoning and strategy methods.
Highly recommended to get yourself in projects where your are the dumbest person in the room.
This is a great video, great editing (it works!) and good advice. I'm hyped!
Hey thanks Ana! Yeh it was a funny one to edit for sure! Glad you enjoyed we have new videos out every week!
Great video! I am a junior designer based in Salt Lake City, Utah. One thing I find interesting is that not all junior designers are created equal. Getting my first (and current) job was crazy difficult. It seemed that nearly every one I talked with who was hiring a junior designer, wanted the candidates to have a graphic design background, and they--the hiring company--would just need to help teach them UX design principles. Since there were (and probably still are) many graphic designers moving into the UX design space, it seemed employers assumed that's were all potential junior UX designers were going to come from. I did not come from a graphic design background, I used to work in marketing and administration in the assisted living industry.
Now that I have been a junior designer for nearly two years, what you said about humility rings true with me. Being open-minded and welcoming criticism can be difficult, but it is imperative. One other attribute I would add to that is grit--true grit. I found that I need the ability (which, I am working on) to persevere with humility, and exercise patience.
Hey Chad, great insights thanks so much for sharing with us! That's very true, humility, eagerness and openness to learn are all vital traits, both long and short term to career growth in this industry. It can be hard to seek out honest feedback but in the long run it's always beneficial, for everyone involved. Wish you every luck with your career progression too!
@@AJSmart Thank you! You guys are the best!
@@chadbowen6839 🥳🥰
Thank you for taking the time to explain your perspective in such detail !
Thanks Parisa, hope it was helpful for you!
Such a great video! I'm a junior designer and currently going through this phase of being overwhelmed by UX techniques and methodologies as well as the career path ahead. This video gave some clarity on that aspect! Thanks and looking forward to more such videos! Also, loved the editing on the video! It's dope! xD
To my experience "Learning How to Listen, See and Spot problems effectively" is something experience with client work will teach you
this is the first time I relate so hard on a video, thanks :)
Very helpful. Thank you for making this video. I am an architectural designer who is trying to make a transition to UX and even with my architecture experience I can relate to everything you talked about. Can’t agree more
Glad it was helpful!
That painting behind attracts my full attention lol
Fantastic information. Solid work guys! Can't wait to purchase your book.
Such a great video, I get you - I am so not detail-oriented & at some point even was afraid to not make it in design because of the 'pixel perfect' but you gave me hope I can find myself in another area of design where my skills are stronger. Thanks for the video!
Many thanks for such valuable tips and wisdom. It has really have me some new lights
I think the difference is being able to present a solution to the client, but also being able to support the development through designing all the use cases. Most junior designers focus too much on the design itself, therefore causing problems in the development phase. This is what I saw happening the most.
I am a product designer @Toptal, not if that matters that much. :)
I was considering studying UX to break into a new career. Glad I watched this video.
Still keen to study it though?!
AJ&Smart I determined my interest wasn’t strong enough. But, that’s really good to know. 😀
Oh My god
Really my mind flow out in the good sense.. when you guys research and analysis the jobs plataform.Thank you so much.. I really need this kind of information and review.
This was such an eye-opening video. Thanks a lot for sharing this.
Great video guys! Thanks for sharing so much!
Thanks Matheus!
Im actually trying to get into a junior position (ux designer or 3d artist - yes i have good knowledge in both areas :) ) and im totally struggling with these job ads where they are looking for ... hmm in german there is a word for it "eierlegende wollmilchsau". basically a person who is 23 years old has a master degree, knows every software and has 5 years work experience :D. good to know that im not alone with it and your words really motivates me to keep going. thank you very much :)
The video editing is crazy lol... I'm a person who's very easily distracted [there's a bird right there ] This is so funny!!!!!!!!
Thanks for this great video! I'm a junior product designer but the sole designer at work. I was doing a bunch of stuff at my old job such as motion design, packaging, UI, identity, front-end development, etc. I ran into The Futur a while ago and I found out I actually had to focus on only one thing rather than a lot of things. I'm so glad I stopped learning web development and started engaging in UX. I carried out my first user interview at my new job which I learned from David Travis:) He's course is on Udemy. We're on the ideation phase at work now, I recently found the debates are getting worse as time goes by. So I will be trying to run a design sprint when we scale --We're a small team, we don't have enough people to do design sprint. I think I saw one of your comments saying not as many people can actually run the sprint, right?
Hey Hazel! Thanks so much for you kind feedback! It was a super fun video to work on as well! Great to hear there's more focus now and your also planning on scaling your team. We have LOADS of resources about the design sprint here, but we'd certainly recommend trying it out regardless. Even certain exercises, the Sprint methodology can be broken up and exercises applied as necessary, it's great to experiment with. As ever, any questions on this please let us know!
*Placeholder comment for reference*
*OK*
im neither as of yet, but planning to go to junior and then senior. and continue work on my side stuff. Good video
Thanks guys for this video. This is exactly what I needed!
Great to hear it Rajiv! Hope it comes in handy!
This video is really awesome. For me as a Junior Designer I still struggle on asking the right questions, sometimes there's a lot going on my head and I kinda mess what my original question or point is.
Great to hear Jayson, glad the video resonated with you! Why do you feel you struggle asking questions?
@@AJSmart because most of the time I don't construct or frame my question very well before asking. I just went to the person and ask what's on top of my head and most often than not it comes out unclear and missing my point.
I’m starting out as UX designer
I worked on creating websites on my own for over ten years. Trying to learn it on my own and support a family was difficult for me, but I didn't stop because I wanted to do that full time one day. Understanding my limitations and working two jobs I realized the only way I was going to create a portfolio was to put more on my plate. The best structured way to do it was go to school. Knowing my self if I put that on me I know I would push really hard to complete my classes. Going from Web Design and Development course to now Graphic Design Degree. I learned so much about me. What I can do and what I can not.
The only way I learn is by asking questions and making mistakes. With all that said I know I have a lot to learn, but I always have this thought in my head that really bothers me and I do not know why and I feel like I am just starting my career at almost 40 years old. I get age doesn't mean to much. By going to school and I learned a lot about myself it took me on the path to UX/UI Design. I realized everyday I learned something that helps me get closer to my goal to be a UX/UI Designer. I was thinking my portfolio is holding me back because I am in the process on putting on online, but after listening to your video which was great! thank you! I think maybe because of my age and how long I been working on websites maybe I am looking for a job that has to much of a bigger role for me at the start of my career. Should I be putting Junior UX/UI Designer on my Resume? Does that help who ever is looking to automatically think..ok he still needs to learn some stuff? I can ask questions all day ,so sorry for the long comments. Thanks again.
You are not junior, don't make yourself one. What do you think about your chances on the job market? I seem to be more successful freelancing than looking for at least a mid-level UX/UI job... I lose to 30-years olds, in love with mobile shit.
I am going to apply for Junior UX designer soon. As Jonathan said, we have to find the reasons why we use UI animation to swipe right or swipe from the bottom. Could you recommend the resources or materials to learn more about the psychology behind those interaction design? Thank you so much!
Hey Pimwipha! Thanks for sharing, good luck on your new career! We'd strongly recommend checking out the iOS and Material Design Guidelines for a start:
- iOS: developer.apple.com/design/human-interface-guidelines/ios/overview/themes/
- Material Design: material.io/design/
If you want some nice reading around the psychology side of things too, check out:
- Don't Make Me Think: www.amazon.de/gp/product/0321965515/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i1
- Design of Everyday Things: www.amazon.de/gp/product/0465050654/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
Also, we have a great video with a whole load of design resources / inspirational links in it, you can view it here: ua-cam.com/video/dWZNtpNRpG8/v-deo.html
Hope these help!
AJ&Smart Thank you so much! :D
Hey I am just starting Ui&UX design
Like always, you guys are the best. Very rare to have an informative video with humorous editing. Was this a live stream?
Hey Theodore, thanks so much. This video wasn't a live stream, but the guys (and the bird) were just on a roll. It's a nice discussion / podcasty type video actually. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for the video, but I believe it's important to make a hard distinction between Junior and Senior designs. I have seen inexperience designers who are excellent and senior designer who really don't know what they are doing. What matters is the persons to apply critical thinking. People who are unable to grasp critical thinking during younger years are often also unable to grasp it in their more mature years.
Another thing is that the UX industry adopts new approaches through word of mouth. This can sometimes be good, but other times be bad as the methods are not scientifically proven. For example, the "mobile first approach" was shown to lead to a subpar user experience by NNgroup, yet it is widespread and the go-to approach, even though the evidence is pointing in another direction.
I believe we living inside our own little bubble. We are not putting enough scrutiny to our own practices. We need to understand the limitations before we can understand the qualities of what we are doing.
Hey Michael, great point, thanks for sharing. It's something we try to address here, when Tim mentions designers who do a few years, then go freelance and 'self-promote' themselves to creative directors after a few years of freelance. Critical thinking, and humility for what you know and don't know are important traits at any level. We love your point about the bubble though that's very relevant and more openness and having the ability to accept critical feedback, even at later stages are incredibly important. Thanks so much for your points!
#3-4 was super helpful and heartening. Also love when you walkthrough job ads; they're fucking wild
Great video, guys! I wish there were junior UX designer roles in the San Francisco area.
Wow thank you for these practical informations and mindsets, really helpful and encouraging for a struggling first year design student
Best of luck with your course Brandon, if you ever have any questions just drop us a line! Thanks for commenting!
That last comment really resonated with me: "I have struggles working on the details, so I would never be a good UI designer. Could you maybe elaborate on how you discovered that about yourself and how you dealt with that situation?
Great video! Thank you ☺️ In the journey of becoming senior whats a good way to show/take-on responsibility of managing people and teams even though you are at a lower level?
Hey Cameron! Great question! IF you don't currently have any 'direct-reports' under you, perhaps organising a design related event? A UX jam / hack-a-thon style event perhaps? YOu could manage / direct + document the whole thing to show management and strategy etc
Hello,
I started in print and web design in 2004 then transitioned to web UI dev around 2010. I worked for an enterprise financial company for 6 years as a web designer, front end dev and accessibility SME. I then went to work for a startup for 7 months as a front end dev and designer. Now I work for a non profit as a UX designer but trying to gain a title of Sr. now for a good year. My management has praised me countless times on great work and skill and leadership I have but they shy away at paying me a decent rate or working seriously with me on getting to where I want to go. Ive tried so hard for so long but never seem to catch a break. What am I missing? :/
This video is still relevant. Nice video.
Ah this is the very good video for me a baby started a design career :p thanks
Very interesting video - definitely learned a lot! ..considering this is where i'm at in my career. I even set apart some time with my Manager on what I can do to move forward in my career :) Something I lack is confidence and that's something i'm forcing myself to push.
Thank you for sharing your opinion on this video.
It’s helpful for my career : )
I also sharing this video to my friend.
Great Carol, thanks for sharing the video too! Best of luck!
I think this video was on point with 98% of the topic. But don’t forget people don’t leave bad jobs they leave bad management. Some of the take care of yourself by finding another job sediment was starting to lean that way. Aka manager cop out.
Hey Matthew, that's a very fair point! Thanks for sharing your insights here too!
when you are a junior in a startup you do everything alone and it's so difficult
This video answer lots of my questions. Thanks
I’m not even sure what level I’m on at this point. In my last role my boss told me I was more mid-level and she regularly worked with me on things that would move me to a senior level. Today, I’m not sure what I am to be honest, I’ve been interviewing for 6+ months with so many companies that I don’t even want to go back and count, with ZERO luck. So I’m not sure if I should move on or what, I was really enjoying Product Design, but no one has hire me. 3+ years of experience and not a thing 🤷♂️.
Hello. This video is MEGA interesting. Some UX/UI Bootcamps tell their students that they can go straight from Bootcamp to Sr. roles. Then one goes and applies to both, senior and junior positions, there is always this feeling of inner questioning ourselves when applying to offers.
Is that very common? All schools do the same? should students apply for Sr. positions?
I don't think so, either. Here you make sense; Being humble and smart enough to learn fast is the only way according to me too.
Please comment and thanks's a lot for this subject, sorry I discovered it one year after you made it. I'm new to UX/UI. and to your channel.
Regards,
My advice is do your best on self-assessment if you want to expand your knowledge and awareness on design. Being really aware of your skills and attitudes (as well as of your weaknesses) is the hardest part of leveling up.
ps. it's actually addressed to myself too :D
Hey Alessandro! Self-assessment is VITAl. Along with being humble and eager for sure! Great point, thanks for sharing!
This arrived just on time. I’m starting a UX design online course in May since I believe this would help me to produce better work in general, providing a meaning to each decision and thinking every step within the process. Atm I see UX design as the strategy of brand design for example, idk if I’m right or not 😅
Hey Ethan! Thanks for sharing. That's great to hear about your course! Can we ask who you're doing it with? Can you expand a little on what you mean by the strategy of brand design? We'll try to help! Thanks again.
Yeah the course is with UX Design Institute. By strategy I mean, UX is kind of the strategy to apply before jump into design work, like with brand strategy using for example stylescapes? So you target your audience, make research, etc (UX stage, as strategy) and then move to design (UI stage) ? That's how I see UX at the moment, but I'm probably wrong @@AJSmart
Hi! I'm Tania from Peru, I studied social psychology, and I'm going to study a Service Design Master next year (I'm motivated to learn the research methods in design and to know more about its tools) ...while I watched this video I had this question: how professionals from different backgrounds can enter into the design word? I mean ... I want to switch career kind of ... and my biggest struggle right now is to find my value. Thanks a lot for your videos!
Thanks! Keep going guys!
this is so fun to watch love your humor
How can I break into UX design? I graduate from college with a Bachelors in Psychology. I am trying to break into this industry but there is much to learn that I’m just not sure where to start. Please help!!!
In my current state I actually work full time as a Banker for a major Fortune 500 Company. However I find myself wanting to break away from the "stuffiness" of finance. Im considering a career change now that I have a baby on the way and would like to take a more fresh and creative outlook in my job. I say that the biggest advice about moving up the ladder is to make your bosses look good in front of clients, to master your current role, and to take more initiative/ responsibility even if you're not asked to
Hey Marisha! Congrats on your news! Also, we totally agree! That's very similar to the Canvas Strategy about helping those both above and below you to progress. You can check out hte article by Ryan Holiday here: ryanholiday.net/the-canvas-strategy/ Thanks for taking the time to comment! Good luck on your new venture too 🥳
The biggest problem for me, as a junior, is that I do understand these things BUT don't know how to create things that "look cool". I really focused on UX from the beginning and missing that UI part...
Hi, I'm 50 years old and doing a carer change I'm taking the google UI/UX design class. My question to you guys is, do you think I'm too old for this at this point?
Well hello Gyies..
Well everyone is talking about ...experience
I am fresher in this field
Recently i have completed following softwares
1)PS
2)Ai
3)ID
4)corel drawer
5)Also doing Ui/Ux
Well guide me how to start....
My journey in the field of earning and turning myself into a designer
Geez this was soo imformative. Thanks for this vid!
Thanks a lot! Glad it was useful for you! Which stage are you at currently?
What are the motivations to stay senior? Why stay employed to others for less compendation?
Hey Tommy! We're not sure what you mean? Please can you clarify?
@@AJSmart as one is employed by others one is relying on external income. What makes a senior not to retire as he surely has gathered the wealth to become selfsustained?
That first job description was definitely written by a recruiter.
OMG I LOVE THE POSTER/PAINTING IN THE BACK
Great content again AJ%Smart Team.
I guess biggest stuck for Junior is to be not surrounded your title people. Just need to go outside and create a network which will help you to improve much faster. That's just from my perspective because I have that issue... But trying to fixing step by step. ;)
Good advice, thanks for sharing! Being proactive and getting out there and attending events etc is a great way to open new doors! Best of luck on your journey too!
Love your video so much!! I just have a question about how to deal with negative feedback. I'm always asked by that question and I don't know what is the best answer.
YES! All great advice... Exceptionally wise perspective @ 30:07 when accepting criticism that reveals where you may NOT naturally be gifted. #FreakinBird
What was the website that you used to find those hiring proposals?
AJ&Smart... I love what you are doing and you have been putting out some great info.
I am a new UX/UI Designer at a new Startup (the lone designer). So, I feel I am a Jr. being thrown into a Sr. roll. It has been a crazy ride and I often feel overwhelmed and over my head, but I keep going, trust my design instincts and look for advise and direction from experienced people in this field. What would be the biggest part of my job that I need to focus on in becoming that "rock solid" Sr. designer?
Hey Jay, thanks so much for the kind comment, greatly appreciated. Great question, we get asked this a lot, and for sure it can be very overwhelming at first. Dependability and consistency would be a great starting point. Go out your way to help others and your seniors, and become indispensable to the team. Being able to look at the bigger picture, and strategic moves too. Reading / researching product strategy moves is a great way to level up. Check out Stratechery, TechMeme, Product Crunch and A16z for more on this. All those guys have great content online like podcasts, articles and videos to learn more on strategy! We have a bunch of resources in this video that might come in handy: ua-cam.com/video/CFRN68ScfVw/v-deo.html
@@AJSmart Fantastic..! I will dive into this.
Also, I LOVE that everyone at AJ&Smart looks to be having a great time working there. Your work culture has Personality...
Thank you and I'll be watching...
What about mid-level designer?
Hi from Argentina! I found your channel and videos/emails/links so valuable! I am about to start my career in UX, and figuring out the different roads and highways to a successful one. So first of all: thanks a lot for such an impactful information. Then, my question would be: I come from an art background and I am very creative. Fond of birds too and fearful of my path on UX being old. Or what I consider old. Which in my case would be 43 years old. I found this career just recently and I am sorry I haven't found it before. So my humble questions are: is any room for older people in this industry? Given my age, should I become a real genius to start as a junior in a company? What would be the most important things to learn before applying to my first job and where would you recommend me to show my -still non-existent portfolio? I am eager to learn, I think empathy is one of my super powers, I like to know how things are done and how can I help others (the user) to make things easier to navigate or use. Intuitive would be the word, I guess? I used to give art classes at university and use to be a children's book illustrator. I have some idea of storytelling and love to draw. So... Do you think I have a future in this industry? I love bird watching and singing, but I rather would be working on my own or in a company helping with the design process. Many thanks for your time and again, thanks a lot for sharing your experience, knowledge and tips. 😊♥️👋
Do you have a video that gives advice to people in other design fields, like graphic design, motion graphics, web design e.t.c. trying to get into UX or Product design? I've been having that problem personally, especially with my portfolio having multimedia design projects instead of UX focused ones.
Tim mentioned moving to a new company as a way to move up to mid-level or Sr. Level. But how might it look to promote within, even at AJ&Smart? Is that a manger’s initiative or the Jr. speaking up? Thanks 😄
Hey Jack, that depends on the size of the agency to be honest. At AJ&Smart we have relatively small teams so it can be quite clear where your progression lies. In large, multi-national businesses or agencies, there can be many staff across many design / marketing related departments to move between so it can look very different. We would generally look for a Junior designer to have a few years of experience with us and be aware of the bigger picture (strategic thinking / client relationships etc) to progress as we describe. Hope this helps?