2/18/21: Gatekeeping in UX 😬: Are Juniors Welcome?

Taking notes and putting on linkedin and from clubhouse to UXCU community

Feb 18

Why does someone design a certain way?

• We don’t know. Maybe they are reaching a certain KPI, business goal, etc that we are not aware of

As a junior designer, don’t feel like you’re a being a burden to other designer

• A lot of people want to help. They have been there — hunt job struggle, being rejected
• We want to help as long as you don’t use us as a gateway to a job
• Be warm, authentic. It’ll take you far to find ppl and making connection

Linkedin message when reaching out to people:

• Drafting that first message with a good amount of warm. Be exact about what you want to know. How much time.
• “Hey I saw your work. It’s super interesting. I’m a beginner. I love to chat with you for 1 hour if you have time.”
• Reach out to ppl with similar background — you can learn from their journey
• Reaching to ppl who you are interested in what they’re doing
• Reaching to ppl who are in the industry you want to be doing (fashion, fintech, etc)

Keeping the fire (connection) going

• Planting the seed at the first connection point
• “This is so great. Would you mind if I reach out to you if I got more questions.” Plant the seed that you might want to continue the connection
• Pre-plan a followup topic
• Look at their profile, linkedin, about → thought about something you two can gel with → bring the topic up in meeting → “Hey, I saw this article and I thought of you.” → be genuine.
• Based on something you both have something in common
• Plant those seeds of topics you can follow up with
• Silly things or professional topic can serve have a little hook

Building an organic relationship takes time and effort…especially if you want the connection to continue. — Kim Alban

To bootcampers: It doesn’t end in bootcamp. Keep working. Keep grinding. Be creative. Coming up with ways you never thought up. Make that opportunity for yourself.

• How can you build that door for yourself?
• There is no way to go into UX design. There’s no one recipe. Hindsight is 2020.

Resources:

• UX Rescue — Connecting UX practitioners to organizations in need across the globe.