this video just popped on my feed and i didn't know how i needed this. i graduated in 2023 and i've "wasted" my 2024 job hunting for a whole year. i'm also the eldest daugther of african immigrant parents and it's a really overwhelming situation. i know that finding your first job as a junior is hard but looking at the state of the market right know it's not giving me much hope and the simple thought of having choose another career path (for the 4th time) just breaks my heart because i enjoy design so much and i don't want to give up :(((((
I so feel this. As someone who is also mid-career in UX (whatever that means haha) I’m feeling so confused about where we are headed and what this looks like long term staying as an IC. I’m also getting so tired of my company pulling the rug out from us… first with delaying raises, then pulling back on parental leave, and finally only paying a quarter of our bonus… all while having a good revenue year. I really feel that they are using the market fear to get away with everything they can and turn a better profit for the private investors who bought us and it’s given me such a bad taste in my mouth. I’m worried about starting the job hunt but you just don’t know what it’s like until you get out there, right?
I really needed this video! I'm also a product designer and went through a tough performance review and it really hurt my confidence. There is always room for growth and sometimes how we hear it can be tough. A few weeks ago, I left the company and looking back, I realize that it wasn't worth the stress, anxiety, and always feeling like failure when I gave it my all. I love this honest chat :)
Realistically like many jobs tech or not, a lot of grunt work will soon be replaced with AI, which will be the main struggle many working-class people face shortly. At the end of the day, you'll have to choose whether you fight against or with your company. I wish you good luck, strength, and prosperity in 2025!
+1 to all of this! something else that crossed my mind about the The Weekend reference, I feel like tech companies have now moved into the mainstream. I think maybe a decade or two ago, these companies were seen as the creative, breaking corporate norms etc. These tech folks were the artist the times, experimenting, exploring and pushing the bounds of technology. But human history seems to repeat itself, and now these tech companies end up corporatizing themselves and now it's about organizational politics and reaching the bottom line. And to be honest with the boom in AI, I think it's a rat race to see who can use it, integrate it and profit from it the fastest, which adds to the fatigue as well. You don't get time to think you have to react and build.
YES! I was thinking the same thing! Back then, we'd have designers inventing the infinite scroll or swipes, etc but now so many patterns are already created we've prioritized efficiency and design systems over innovating new ones.
product designer with 4+ yoe here, I just want to switch to a new company to get more experience and grow more as a designer, but the market is so bad and too competitive, its hard to break out of a niche.
What do you think the future of UX would look like with 2025? Curious about if I should sidestep into this industry and wanting to gather some general feelers for professionals already in the industry!
This is perfect timing, I have had the same thoughts. I’m a product designer with 3 years of experience who was laid off in August but luckily got a job three weeks later. The residual effects of my layoff always have me wondering if it will happen again or if I enter the job market again will it always be this way? It also doesn’t help that there are differing opinions on LinkedIn about the future of UX. *long sigh* hopefully we will figure it out girl. Sending you nothing but love and light ✨
Ugh, I couldn't agree anymore about the "organizational politics". I've actually thought about stepping down and taking a more mid-level role just so I can get more into actual design vs having to focus on stakeholder management, scope planning, project management, etc. The unfortunate thing is the higher you move up, the less you design. It becomes more about standing out to leadership (which directly relates to raises and promotions).
Thank you for sharing your experiences and anxieties! As someone that is sorta considering transitioning into uiux this is really interesting to hear. I see myself primarily as an artist/designer and frankly, the corporatization of tech really turns me off, along with the rat race towards AI. I know that corporations and office politics are inescapable no matter where you go, but sometimes with tech i really wonder what is the end goal for some companies and what are they trying to improve or help? maybe im jaded/pessimistic but it all feels like bullshit sometimes.
I was a bit sad at the time I made the transition from UX Design into UX Research. At one time I did want to work in the tech industry, but over the past few years, the tech layoffs, increasingly ridiculously selective interviews, and more competition have made this less of a possibility for me. Don't get me wrong, being a UX designer in a tech company I'm sure has awesome perks, but I question if I'd have to sacrifice too much. Great video. And good job providing honest perspective on all of this.
Also, my approach to performance reviews I don't necessarily agree with (and that's happened to me) is to shift to internal validation. As in, did I do work that I'm proud of? Were there areas where I personally thought I needed to improve on? I've had 15+ managers now over my career and found that most of them (especially remote managers) didn't really understand the day-to-day of UX. Especially in cases where organizational politics and stakeholder mis-alignment (like you mentioned) were the causes of not getting things done.
I completely relate to your word of 2024, EGG. SHELLS. 🥚 I tried so hard this year to not care about politics and not get affected by corporate, and yet- that's exactly what happens the longer you stay in tech. I wanted to stay neutral, but I realized you don't get anywhere in your design career by being completely amenable. You have to take a hard stance, you have to learn to play the game. It's overwhelming and, several times throughout the year, I had the same doubts you had, "What if I don't belong in this career?" Maybe I don't belong, and that's okay too because it means I'm giving a perspective that isn't mainstream in UX. Mimi, truthfully, we need designers like you to stay in the industry. Your experience is so valuable as well. Sending you good vibes for 2025!! xoxo
this video just popped on my feed and i didn't know how i needed this. i graduated in 2023 and i've "wasted" my 2024 job hunting for a whole year. i'm also the eldest daugther of african immigrant parents and it's a really overwhelming situation. i know that finding your first job as a junior is hard but looking at the state of the market right know it's not giving me much hope and the simple thought of having choose another career path (for the 4th time) just breaks my heart because i enjoy design so much and i don't want to give up :(((((
crazy how this video came out just when i needed it
Happy to hear :) Happy new year!
I so feel this. As someone who is also mid-career in UX (whatever that means haha) I’m feeling so confused about where we are headed and what this looks like long term staying as an IC. I’m also getting so tired of my company pulling the rug out from us… first with delaying raises, then pulling back on parental leave, and finally only paying a quarter of our bonus… all while having a good revenue year. I really feel that they are using the market fear to get away with everything they can and turn a better profit for the private investors who bought us and it’s given me such a bad taste in my mouth. I’m worried about starting the job hunt but you just don’t know what it’s like until you get out there, right?
I really needed this video! I'm also a product designer and went through a tough performance review and it really hurt my confidence. There is always room for growth and sometimes how we hear it can be tough. A few weeks ago, I left the company and looking back, I realize that it wasn't worth the stress, anxiety, and always feeling like failure when I gave it my all. I love this honest chat :)
I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but I'm happy you have a new perspective from it. Thanks for your support :)
Realistically like many jobs tech or not, a lot of grunt work will soon be replaced with AI, which will be the main struggle many working-class people face shortly. At the end of the day, you'll have to choose whether you fight against or with your company. I wish you good luck, strength, and prosperity in 2025!
+1 to all of this! something else that crossed my mind about the The Weekend reference, I feel like tech companies have now moved into the mainstream. I think maybe a decade or two ago, these companies were seen as the creative, breaking corporate norms etc. These tech folks were the artist the times, experimenting, exploring and pushing the bounds of technology. But human history seems to repeat itself, and now these tech companies end up corporatizing themselves and now it's about organizational politics and reaching the bottom line. And to be honest with the boom in AI, I think it's a rat race to see who can use it, integrate it and profit from it the fastest, which adds to the fatigue as well. You don't get time to think you have to react and build.
YES! I was thinking the same thing! Back then, we'd have designers inventing the infinite scroll or swipes, etc but now so many patterns are already created we've prioritized efficiency and design systems over innovating new ones.
product designer with 4+ yoe here, I just want to switch to a new company to get more experience and grow more as a designer, but the market is so bad and too competitive, its hard to break out of a niche.
What do you think the future of UX would look like with 2025? Curious about if I should sidestep into this industry and wanting to gather some general feelers for professionals already in the industry!
This is perfect timing, I have had the same thoughts. I’m a product designer with 3 years of experience who was laid off in August but luckily got a job three weeks later. The residual effects of my layoff always have me wondering if it will happen again or if I enter the job market again will it always be this way? It also doesn’t help that there are differing opinions on LinkedIn about the future of UX. *long sigh* hopefully we will figure it out girl. Sending you nothing but love and light ✨
I hear ya! The uncertainty is real but we're gonna power through.
Dropping facts! Thanks for always keeping it real! We got this 🙌🏻
Woohoo! We got this!!
Ugh, I couldn't agree anymore about the "organizational politics". I've actually thought about stepping down and taking a more mid-level role just so I can get more into actual design vs having to focus on stakeholder management, scope planning, project management, etc. The unfortunate thing is the higher you move up, the less you design. It becomes more about standing out to leadership (which directly relates to raises and promotions).
I hear you! It’s definitely a shift as you move up. Finding the right balance can be tricky.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and anxieties! As someone that is sorta considering transitioning into uiux this is really interesting to hear. I see myself primarily as an artist/designer and frankly, the corporatization of tech really turns me off, along with the rat race towards AI. I know that corporations and office politics are inescapable no matter where you go, but sometimes with tech i really wonder what is the end goal for some companies and what are they trying to improve or help? maybe im jaded/pessimistic but it all feels like bullshit sometimes.
Me too!
I was a bit sad at the time I made the transition from UX Design into UX Research. At one time I did want to work in the tech industry, but over the past few years, the tech layoffs, increasingly ridiculously selective interviews, and more competition have made this less of a possibility for me. Don't get me wrong, being a UX designer in a tech company I'm sure has awesome perks, but I question if I'd have to sacrifice too much.
Great video. And good job providing honest perspective on all of this.
Thank you for sharing your insights! And your support
Also, my approach to performance reviews I don't necessarily agree with (and that's happened to me) is to shift to internal validation. As in, did I do work that I'm proud of? Were there areas where I personally thought I needed to improve on? I've had 15+ managers now over my career and found that most of them (especially remote managers) didn't really understand the day-to-day of UX. Especially in cases where organizational politics and stakeholder mis-alignment (like you mentioned) were the causes of not getting things done.
I really feel that too..! I really thought I got used to America, still sometimes my East Asian conscious is here
Do you know any free courses besides the google and meta one for UX design beginners?
Welcome to being average. It gets worse.
I’m a stripe, let me know if you wanna chat
I completely relate to your word of 2024, EGG. SHELLS. 🥚 I tried so hard this year to not care about politics and not get affected by corporate, and yet- that's exactly what happens the longer you stay in tech. I wanted to stay neutral, but I realized you don't get anywhere in your design career by being completely amenable. You have to take a hard stance, you have to learn to play the game. It's overwhelming and, several times throughout the year, I had the same doubts you had, "What if I don't belong in this career?" Maybe I don't belong, and that's okay too because it means I'm giving a perspective that isn't mainstream in UX. Mimi, truthfully, we need designers like you to stay in the industry. Your experience is so valuable as well. Sending you good vibes for 2025!! xoxo
Aww thank you so much for sending this! Means a lot and glad to hear I'm not alone!