Trying to Break into the Tech World with UX Design - Any Advice?

bethanymark·Dec 21, 2021

Posted in:Design Advice Personal Growth Tech Career Growth

Hey, Elphas! 🙋‍♀️😍

I am currently a Development and Marketing Coordinator for a non-profit K-12 school. In the three years I have worked with the school, I have:

raised over $1.5 million
increased enrollment by 200 students
grew social media visibility by 40%

Working for a non-profit is fulfilling when you believe in the mission. However, I have given my life away for this job. Over the last three years, I have lost friendships, my health has declined, and overall burned out.

I found out about Google's career certificates, and I decided to pursue UX Design! Do you have any advice for breaking into the tech world? Does the tech industry promote holistic wellbeing of their employees? Have you found any resourses that might be helpful?

Thanks all! I'm excited to hear from you!

annamiller·Dec 22, 2021

Hi Bethany, Thanks for sharing your story on here. As someone who has worked in numerous companies, working in the tech world is what you make of it. There are plenty of companies that value well being, yet you have to learn to seek them out and recognize them in interviews, asking questions and looking for signs that show respect for your time. UX is a wonderful field and I hope you grow to enjoy it. As you move into the tech space, the most important element is taking initiative and speaking about what matter to you. Hope this gives you some starting points. Happy to offer some additional advice on starting out, feel free to DM me.

bethanymark·Dec 27, 2021

Hi again, Anna! Thank you for your reply! These are indeed great starting points. I'll definitely reach out if I have any other questions!

rachelserwetz·Dec 28, 2021

Hi @bethanymark! If you're thinking about a certain career direction but you're not sure yet, I'd consider:a) Ensure you feel 100% about the change, ie you understand the role/industry deeply and feel confident it is a fit for you; if not, pursue career exploration until you feel certainb) Once you feel certain, leverage networking as a means of understanding the day to day but also the realistic pathways and nuances as to how people break inc) This will inform your next steps, whether there is a "step a" to take before "step b" (ie do you need to start in one role in order to move into the role you want?), and/or whether its worth it to pursue upskilling opportunities/further education, etc.d) Then you'll be ready to refresh your personal branding materials and pursue job searching to forge into the path you want.Let me know if you'd like to chat further and get help with these steps! Best, Rachel, Career Exploration Coach (iamwoken.com) (Free career coaching call here --> calendly.com/woken/demo)