{"id":6046,"date":"2022-02-07T17:18:29","date_gmt":"2022-02-07T17:18:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=6046"},"modified":"2025-02-18T14:13:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-18T14:13:06","slug":"create-a-ux-portfolio-without-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/create-a-ux-portfolio-without-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"How to create a UX portfolio without experience: 5 tried-and-tested ways to find UX projects"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s one of the biggest challenges new UX designers face: building a UX portfolio before you\u2019ve got any on-the-job experience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there are opportunities everywhere to apply your UX skills\u2014you don\u2019t need to wait til you\u2019re hired.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this post, we\u2019ll show you <\/span><b>how to find projects for your first UX portfolio<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But before we do that, let\u2019s recap on what your UX portfolio should demonstrate. This will help you when it comes to completing and showcasing your projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What goes into your UX portfolio, and what should your portfolio demonstrate?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your UX portfolio is a website that showcases some of your best UX project work. It should demonstrate 3 main things:<\/span><b><\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Key UX hard skills<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> such as user research, wireframing and prototyping<\/span><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your understanding and application of the <\/span><b>UX design process<\/b><\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>How you think and problem-solve<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as a designer<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can learn all about what a UX portfolio is, why it\u2019s important, and what it should include in our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/what-is-a-ux-portfolio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">complete guide to UX portfolios<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. But, in a nutshell, your UX portfolio should contain an \u201cAbout\u201d page, contact details and, most importantly, examples of your work. Your work is presented in the form of case studies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_professional-diploma-in-ux-designp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design?utm_source=blog&utm_medium=blog_panel_pdux&utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n                    <span>Take our Professional Diploma in UX Design course<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h3><strong>What is a UX case study?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><b>A UX case study tells the story of a design project you worked on<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It outlines your design process from A to Z, detailing the problem you set out to solve, the users you were solving it for, the methods and processes you used, and the final solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Case studies include a mixture of text and visuals. As you explain your process, you can illustrate each step with screenshots, photos, videos, wireframes and prototypes, data and quotes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX case studies are the heart of your portfolio. They show employers that you\u2019ve got the necessary skills to work as a UX designer. <\/span><b>But how are you supposed to create UX case studies if you haven\u2019t yet worked on any UX projects?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worry not. Here are 5 tried-and-tested ways to gain valuable UX experience and build case studies for your portfolio.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>5 Ways to find projects for your UX portfolio without experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n<h3><strong>1. Conduct an unsolicited redesign<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An unsolicited redesign is where you take an existing product, service or feature and voluntarily redesign it\u2014without being asked to do so. You\u2019re not working on behalf of a company or client, and your solutions won\u2019t be used.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, you do get to apply your UX design skills to a real product. Excellent material for your portfolio!<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>How to conduct an unsolicited redesign<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To conduct an unsolicited redesign, you first need to identify a UX problem within an existing product.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think about the apps and websites you use on a regular basis. Are you constantly frustrated with your banking app? Did you recently abandon a full online shopping cart because the checkout process was so cumbersome? Could the task of finding new music on your favourite streaming platform be improved in some way?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you start looking for those UX problems, you\u2019ll notice them everywhere. Pick one you fancy tackling and define the scope of the project. This could be \u201cstreamlining the checkout process on the ASOS website\u201d or \u201cimproving the profile-building feature on the Bumble dating app\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From there, follow <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/ux-process\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the entire UX process<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, starting with user research and moving right through to final designs. By the end, you\u2019ll have a fully-fledged project to showcase in your portfolio.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Unsolicited redesign examples<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you with your own unsolicited redesign, here are some examples of what other designers have done:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uxdesign.cc\/paypal-unsolicited-redesign-cc3c2dea362\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carolina Niglio\u2019s unsolicited redesign of the PayPal app<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/jeffshibasaki.com\/work\/colgate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jeff Shibasaki\u2019s unsolicited redesign of the Colgate website<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/free-code-camp\/the-day-i-redesigned-tinder-3ee6445b9a06\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Daniel Lopes\u2019 Tinder redesign<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/startup-grind\/i-got-rejected-by-apple-music-so-i-redesigned-it-b7e2e4dc64bf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jason Yuan\u2019s unsolicited redesign of Apple Music<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Tips for completing a successful unsolicited redesign<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treat your unsolicited redesign like a real UX project. Don\u2019t be tempted to cut corners; the aim is to apply your skills as practically as possible. Here are some tips to ensure your unsolicited redesign is a success:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recruit real people for things like user research and testing. Involve friends and family who are familiar with the product you\u2019re redesigning, or advertise in Facebook groups<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Document everything along the way, ready to be featured in your portfolio case study<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When writing up your case study, clearly state that it\u2019s an unsolicited redesign<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feature \u201cbefore\u201d and \u201cafter\u201d comparisons to show how your redesign has improved the existing product<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsolicited redesigns demonstrate exactly how you\u2019d approach a real client project\u2014and they show that you\u2019re a proactive and resourceful designer. A great impression to make in your UX portfolio.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6048\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/barney-yau-BbGuVc9YTaw-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"Designer working on a whiteboard\" width=\"4240\" height=\"2832\" title=\"\"><\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo by <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@barneyyau?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Barney Yau<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/designer?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsplash<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Design to fix a real user problem\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is similar to an unsolicited redesign, except the product doesn\u2019t actually exist yet\u2014you\u2019re going to conceptualise and design it from scratch. You might hear this referred to as a fictitious UX project.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The main difference between an unsolicited redesign and the \u201cfictitious project\u201d approach is that you\u2019re starting with an unsolved user problem rather than improving an existing design. The scope for creativity is therefore a lot broader.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>How to complete a fictitious UX project<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To complete your fictitious UX project, you first need to give yourself a design brief. This means identifying a user problem that doesn\u2019t seem to have an existing solution.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, you\u2019ll need to view the world through your UX lens in order to spot those unsolved problems. Perhaps you find yourself in a state of confusion whenever it comes to recycling your household rubbish. Wouldn\u2019t it be great if you had an app that could help you identify the right bin for different types of waste?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maybe you wish there was an easier way to meet people when you go travelling, or to curate playlists that match the tempo of your movement while you\u2019re working out. Wherever there\u2019s a user problem, there\u2019s a UX design project just waiting to happen!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve identified your UX problem, all the usual rules apply. Go through the UX process from start to finish, documenting all your research, early ideations, and final designs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Tips for an effective fictitious UX project<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fictitious UX projects can be overwhelming as there\u2019s so much room for creativity. Here\u2019s how to make it work:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on applying the UX design process\u2014not on coming up with the most innovative, groundbreaking idea. It doesn\u2019t matter if there is actually a solution out there somewhere; the most important point is that you\u2019re designing your own solution from scratch<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with the unsolicited redesign, make it clear that your case study is based on a fictitious UX project<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Share how your own experiences inspired your fictitious project. This makes for interesting reading in your portfolio case study<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re struggling to come up with your own design challenge, why not try a design challenge generator? Sites like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sharpen.design\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sharpen Design<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.briefz.biz\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Briefz<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.whatshouldidesign.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Should I Design?<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are great sources of UX inspiration.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-9522 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/surface-L1VV4YuHFrs-unsplash-1-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"Designer working on a Microsoft surface\" width=\"5030\" height=\"4024\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo by <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@surface?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Surface<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/designer?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsplash<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<section id=\"promotion\" class=\"promotion-content-raw inlinepromo inlinepromo_ux-design-fundamentalsp-1 my-4\" style=\"\">\n\t<div class=\"w-container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row align-items-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col-md-12 promotion-info\">\n                <a class=\"link-content\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/courses\/ux-design-fundamentals?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_panel_text&amp;utm_campaign=blog_promo\" style=\"\">\n                    <p>[UX DESIGN FUNDAMENTALS COURSE]<\/p>\n                    <span>Get the Best Start in UX Design<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<h3><strong>3. Volunteer your UX skills for free<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are plenty of organisations out there who could benefit from a UX designer but don\u2019t have the funds to hire one. If you\u2019ve got the time, volunteering is a great way to use your UX skills and gain real-world experience.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Where to find UX volunteering opportunities<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One way to find UX volunteering opportunities is through dedicated websites and portals such as:<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.volunteermatch.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">VolunteerMatch<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.catchafire.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Catchafire<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxrescue.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX Rescue<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also send out speculative applications. Research local non-profits or large-scale initiatives you\u2019re interested in and familiarise yourself with their work. Then send an email to introduce yourself and the skills you can offer. Be ready to pitch ideas for how you might help them in case they want specifics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve landed a volunteering gig, you should have lots of material for your UX portfolio. As always, document everything you work on so you can turn it into a coherent case study.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>UX volunteering case study examples<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Volunteering isn\u2019t just for entry-level designers; many senior UXers offer their skills pro-bono as a way of giving back. If you\u2019re curious about how a UX volunteering case study might look, here are some examples:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@nampetch.ptn\/my-ux-design-volunteer-experience-83b93eb30300\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nampetch Peetinavasakul\u2019s UX\/UI volunteering experience with Reviv<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><strong>How to make the most of your UX volunteering gig<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only is it nice to offer your skills for a good cause\u2014you\u2019ll learn a lot from the experience, too. Here\u2019s how to make the most of your UX volunteering gig:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If possible, get involved in a cause that you genuinely care about. This will make it easier to talk about your UX work and create an interesting case study<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask for a testimonial from the people you work with; this will look great on your portfolio website<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can learn more about <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/how-volunteering-can-help-build-your-ux-portfolio\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how volunteering can help you build your UX portfolio in this guide<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6050\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/jason-goodman-6awfTPLGaCE-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"a group of UX design students\" width=\"3600\" height=\"2400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo by <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@jasongoodman_youxventures?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jason Goodman<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/ux-design-students?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsplash<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Take a UX design course<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want a structured approach to learning UX design and creating a professional portfolio, consider a UX design course.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many UX courses include project work in the curriculum, and some will even guide you through the portfolio-building process. Depending on the setup, you may also have access to mentors or industry professionals who can review your project work and give feedback.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even without all the extras, a UX course with a project-based syllabus provides an excellent starting point for your portfolio. You\u2019ll learn the UX process from start to finish, and can build out your first UX case study as you go.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Choosing a UX design course<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several factors to consider when choosing a UX design course. Think about the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do you want to study flexibly online, or attend in-person classes?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How much time can you dedicate to a UX course?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s your budget?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/choose-university-accredited-ux-certification\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Should you choose a university credit-rated UX program?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How practical is the curriculum?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do plenty of research before signing up\u2014including taking a look at <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/student-stories\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what UX course graduates have to say about their experience<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX portfolio examples from course graduates<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re wondering how your portfolio might look if you build it as part of a UX course, check out these portfolios created by graduates of the UX Design Institute:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.veronicapraml.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Veronica Praml\u2019s UX research and design portfolio<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.polywork.com\/klexo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alexis\u2019 product design portfolio<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.adamcarbeck.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adam Carbeck\u2019s UI\/UX portfolio<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more inspiration, take a look at our complete round-up of <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the best <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/7-inspirational-ux-portfolios-created-by-our-graduates\/\">UX graduate portfolio examples (and what we can learn from them)<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>How to make the most of your UX course project work\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re building your UX portfolio based solely on course work, you might have concerns about standing out. Here are some ways to ensure your UX portfolio is unique:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Create spin-off projects and case studies. The curriculum might limit you to specific project ideas, but there\u2019s nothing to stop you from developing those ideas into something original. If your course has you designing a dating app, why not create another case study exploring new features and improvements?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Treat your UX portfolio website as another project. Write a personal \u201cAbout Me\u201d section, get creative with the UI, and go the extra mile to include videos or a blog<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have the opportunity, ask your course instructors or fellow students for a testimonial about what kind of designer you are. This will look great on your portfolio homepage<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And remember: Hiring managers ultimately want to see that you understand and can apply the UX design process. You don\u2019t need to reinvent the wheel in order to stand out.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6051\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/christina-wocintechchat-com-FPQlXQtjkqU-unsplash-1.jpg\" alt=\"UX design students working together\" width=\"6016\" height=\"4016\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo by<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/@wocintechchat?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Christina @ wocintechchat.com<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on<\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/s\/photos\/ux-design-students?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unsplash<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Consider a UX internship<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s not a feasible option for everyone, but if you are able to take on an unpaid (or low-paid) short-term gig, consider a UX internship.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A UX internship will have you working in-house on real design projects. Besides the obvious benefit for your UX portfolio, you\u2019ll have the chance to shadow and learn from experienced UX designers\u2014and get your first taste of working on a design team.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Where to find UX internships<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Searching for a UX internship is much like searching for a job. You can use both generic job boards and UX-specific sites, including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.indeed.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indeed<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">LinkedIn<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/dribbble.com\/jobs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dribbble Jobs<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxjobsboard.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UX Jobs Board<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As with volunteering, prioritise finding an internship with a company or brand you\u2019re interested in. With that said, it\u2019s important to be flexible\u2014you can start your search with your \u201ctop pick\u201d companies, and then cast the net wider later on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>UX internship case studies<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to learn about UX internships (and to weigh up if it\u2019s something for you) is to hear from those who have first-hand experience. Here are some UXers who have shared their internship stories:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/uxplanet.org\/what-i-learned-from-my-first-ux-internship-at-the-home-depot-d2c803cea68a\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What I learned from my UX internship at the Home Depot<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Tony Jin (now working at Google)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ux.shopify.com\/my-experience-as-a-ux-design-intern-at-shopify-4ad46efc6d0d\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My experience as a UX design intern at Shopify<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by Helga Jiang (now working at Facebook)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Tips for a successful UX internship<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you take on a UX internship, it\u2019s important to ensure that you\u2019re in line for a truly valuable experience. Here\u2019s how to get the best out of your UX internship:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before you start, get together with your future supervisor to establish clear responsibilities and goals. What exactly will you work on while you\u2019re there? What kind of experience can you expect to gain? This will help to avoid a situation where you\u2019re working for free but not actually getting what you want from the experience<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a good rapport with your supervisor or teammates, ask for their feedback on your UX portfolio. Having a senior UXer review your project case study will help to ensure you\u2019re ticking all the boxes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reflect on your internship in your portfolio\u2014not just in terms of how you applied the UX process, but also what you learned about cross-team collaboration and the role of UX within a business<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see, there are many ways you can build out your portfolio, long before you\u2019ve <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/how-to-land-your-first-ux-role\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">landed your first UX job<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. So what\u2019s next? Try some (or all) of the strategies we\u2019ve shared, and follow <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-ux-portfolio-from-scratch-your-step-by-step-guide\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">this practical step-by-step guide on how to build your UX portfolio from scratch<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s one of the biggest challenges new UX designers face: building a UX portfolio before you\u2019ve got any on-the-job experience.\u00a0 Fortunately, there are opportunities everywhere to apply your UX skills\u2014you don\u2019t need to wait til you\u2019re hired.\u00a0 In this post, we\u2019ll show you how to find projects for your first UX portfolio.\u00a0 But before we [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":6055,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[265,269],"tags":[287,298],"class_list":["post-6046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-ux-portfolio","tag-new-to-ux","tag-ux-portfolios"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6046"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11737,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6046\/revisions\/11737"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}