{"id":8214,"date":"2023-03-16T15:46:40","date_gmt":"2023-03-16T15:46:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/?p=8214"},"modified":"2024-01-16T14:22:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-16T14:22:33","slug":"want-to-become-a-ux-designer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uxdesigninstitute.com\/blog\/want-to-become-a-ux-designer\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to become a UX designer? Here\u2019s how your \u2018unrelated\u2019 work experience will help you"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the biggest perceived barriers that new UX designers face is their lack of related work experience. If your current or previous career path is worlds away from design, crossing over into this brand new field may feel impossible\u2014or extremely daunting at least.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But what if we told you that your unrelated work experience can actually help you in your UX career?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve trained thousands of new UX designers, many of them coming from completely unrelated fields. Often, it\u2019s their \u2018irrelevant\u2019 work experience that sets them apart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They start their UX journey feeling like a blank canvas, but soon discover that they\u2019ve already mastered some crucial UX skills\u2014or that they have some unique experience or insight that makes them a great UX designer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s why your unrelated work experience is actually very valuable if you want to become a UX designer:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Your last job(s) taught you essential soft skills<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  2. You\u2019ve got unique knowledge of a specific industry (an industry which needs UX designers)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  3. You\u2019ve got the advantage of a fresh perspective (that\u2019s your UX superpower!)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  4. You\u2019re learning UX from scratch\u2014which means your new skills and qualifications are up-to-date and super relevant<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n
  5. The UX industry is full of career-changers who will recognise your value<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Keep reading to learn more\u2014and take inspiration from some of our favourite UX career-change success stories at the end.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    [GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n 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

    1. Your unrelated work experience taught you essential soft skills<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Many of the most important UX designer skills are soft skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Browse UX designer job ads and you\u2019ll find that most of them ask for things like \u2018the ability to work in a team and communicate with stakeholders\u2019, \u2018the ability to multitask and prioritise\u2019, and \u2018providing constructive and actionable feedback.\u2019\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll also find a lot of emphasis on curiosity and learning, showing initiative, great attention to detail, and problem-solving.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    How many of those skills are UX-specific? None of them! You\u2019ve acquired at least one or two of those key soft skills in your lifetime\u2014which means you already possess some essential UX design skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Learn more about <\/span>what skills you need to be a UX designer<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Your unrelated work experience has given you unique knowledge of a specific industry\u2026an industry which needs UX designers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    Another interesting thing about UX job ads is that they don\u2019t just ask for soft skills and UX-specific know-how. They almost always mention that knowledge of a specific industry is a plus.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Take this job ad for a UX designer role at Holland & Barrett (the health food chain) which asks for ecommerce and\/or retail experience:<\/span><\/p>\n

    You\u2019ll find job ads for UX designers in all sorts of industries and sectors\u2014finance, automotive, healthcare, education, publishing, government, insurance, beauty, fashion\u2026wherever there\u2019s a product or service and a target customer, there\u2019s a need for UX designers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    And, while you may be new to UX design, you probably have some unique insight into a particular industry as a result of your previous career. This niche knowledge and experience will serve as a major USP when applying for UX jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Your unrelated work experience gives you the advantage of a fresh perspective<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    If you consider <\/span>what UX stands for and what it actually means<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s a discipline that benefits from new and diverse perspectives. It relies on them, in fact.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    At its core, UX is about understanding the needs of different users and designing solutions to their problems. As a UX designer coming from an unrelated field, you automatically bring the value of a fresh perspective. You\u2019ll have a different take on things compared to someone who\u2019s only ever worked in UX, or who\u2019s been in the field for many years. This allows you to consider UX problems from a different angle\u2014and to offer new and unique approaches to solving those problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Don\u2019t think of your \u2018unrelated work experience\u2019 as something you\u2019re <\/span>lacking<\/span><\/i>. Reframe it as an <\/span>asset<\/span><\/i>; the unique and valuable perspective you can bring to the role.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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    [GET CERTIFIED IN UX]<\/p>\n 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

    4. You\u2019re learning UX from scratch\u2026which means your new skills and qualifications will be super relevant<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    If you\u2019re coming from an unrelated field, you\u2019ll be learning UX design from scratch\u2014presumably via an online course or bootcamp with an up-to-date curriculum. This actually serves as a huge benefit: you\u2019ll be trained in line with current market needs and challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    UX design is about bridging the gap between human users and technology. It\u2019s about making digital products usable and accessible. As such, UX has always been a fast-moving and ever-evolving field\u2014and now, as <\/span>global digital transformation accelerates<\/span><\/a>, it\u2019s more important than ever for UX designers to keep up.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Newly-trained UX designers are taught to navigate the UX world as it is right now. They\u2019re equipped to tackle current UX challenges and to leverage the most up-to-date methods, practices, and tools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    If a hiring manager can see that you\u2019ve recently completed rigorous, high-quality UX training, they\u2019ll feel confident in your abilities to break into\u2014and adapt to\u2014the fast-paced world of UX.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Of course, it\u2019s important to bear in mind that not all UX qualifications will instil this confidence. You\u2019ll need to train with a reputable provider who employers will recognise as credible. Consider a <\/span>university credit-rated UX certification<\/span><\/a> to ensure you\u2019re getting legitimate UX training.<\/span><\/p>\n

    5. The UX industry is full of career-changers who will recognise your value<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    You might think that, as a newly qualified UX designer without any relevant experience, you\u2019ll stick out like a sore thumb in the job market. But actually, the UX industry is full of career-changers just like you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    This is partly due to the multidisciplinary nature of the field. UX relies on a broad and diverse mix of skills, and it\u2019s steeped in a variety of disciplines\u2014technology, business, psychology, research, data analysis, visual design\u2026to name a few. Because of this, it tends to draw people from all different kinds of professional backgrounds.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    At the same time, it\u2019s important to remember that UX is relatively new\u2014hard to imagine considering how big it is today. The term \u2018user experience\u2019 wasn\u2019t coined until the early 90s, and it\u2019s only in recent years that businesses have truly begun to recognise <\/span>the value of UX<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Because UX design hasn\u2019t been around for all that long, it\u2019s actually quite common for UX designers to come from different fields. Not only common, but widely accepted and valued by those in the industry.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In reality, UX hiring managers are used to seeing applicants with all different professional backgrounds\u2014and they\u2019re primed to see the value in your \u2018unrelated\u2019 experience. As long as you know <\/span>how to reframe your previous experience and use it to your advantage<\/span><\/a>, you\u2019ve got every chance of success as a new UX designer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Why your \u2018unrelated\u2019 work experience is valuable for UX: The takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    As we\u2019ve highlighted throughout this post, your \u2018unrelated\u2019 work experience comes with lots of hidden value. Here\u2019s a recap of how your non-design background can actually help you forge a successful career in UX:<\/span><\/p>\n