Never trust a skinny chef: Using UX skills to architect your career

This session will approach the unique challenges that UX professionals face when crafting their career path and finding roles that are both appropriate fits for their existing skillsets and offer opportunities to grow. It will help the attendees understand UX career options and help them craft their work samples and personal interactions to maximise their chances for success, whatever that looks like to them.

After reviewing hundreds of resumes, portfolios, and job descriptions, I’ve come to the point of view that many UX job-seekers would be much more successful if they could apply the core UX concepts that they utilise for their project work with to how they present themselves. I’ve seen many talented and smart individuals get stuck because they don’t know the best way to present themselves, so they miss out on great opportunities. Creating a solid experience, whether for reading a resume or building an application, has many of the same components.

I’ll discuss:

  • The varying career paths within UX and definitions of success
  • What employers are looking for in UX professionals

And we’ll work on:

  • Ways to utilise existing UX skills to illustrate strengths and articulate value within a work environment or to potential employers
  • Tips to improve work samples to demonstrate expertise
  • Methods to present and brands oneself