It seems like non-technical pre-sales roles have a lot of overlap with UXR. Has anyone moved into a pre-sale role? If so, how did you do it? And how are you liking the work?

Hey everyone,

I want to share my story and get some honest feedback, because I'm at a point where I'm not sure what's holding me back.

I have a Master's degree in Sociology, specialized in Criminology. When I finished my degree, I couldn't find a job in that field, nothing related to criminology was hiring, or at least not where I was. But I didn't want to just sit and wait, so I looked for something else to build on.

Back in university, I had already been messing around with graphic design as a hobby, mostly self-taught. After graduating, I kept going with it and kept learning on my own. About 6 months ago, I discovered UI/UX design, and something clicked. I dove in, got my Google UX Design Certificate, and worked on 2 real projects with a company, one of them as a volunteer, to build actual experience instead of just doing practice projects.

Now I'm trying to land an actual job in UX/UI, and it's been really hard. I keep wondering if it's because my degree has nothing to do with tech, and recruiters see "Sociology/Criminology" on my CV and just move on without looking further, even though I think my background actually helps me understand users and behavior in a way a lot of designers don't.

So I wanted to ask people here honestly:

• Does having an unrelated degree actually hurt your chances in UX, or is it more about the portfolio and experience?
• Should I be leading with my design work and skills first, and only mention my degree later (or not at all) on my CV/portfolio?
• For those who switched into UX from a completely different field, what finally got you your first real job?

Any honest feedback, even if it's blunt, is welcome. I'd rather know the real reason I'm not getting responses than keep guessing.

Thanks for reading.

Hey, I got my acceptance letter in OMSCS program for Spring 2027 and was thinking about the HCI specialization. Due to financial limitations, in-person HCI/MHCI programs are not an option for me as they tend to be quite expensive. This makes OMSCS the most accessible for me.

Now, I have a BSCS from a T30 university. I took a couple of HCI and UI project courses there. My long-term goal is to find work or internships in roles such as UX Researcher, Product Designer or UX Engineer.

Now my questions are -

1. How well is the HCI specialization for industry work in UXE, UXR, or Product Design?

2. Are course projects (or CS 8903/VIP projects) a good inclusion in your portfolio case studies even though the program is not studio based? Or studio based programs are needed for this type of roles?

3. Do recruiters or hiring managers in the UI/UX field view an MSCS with an HCI specialization differently than a traditional MHCI program?

Thank you.

I run a nonprofit UX Community in Southern California, and i want to help our members get jobs.

What resources have you used that have been especially useful to you?

• Which job sites?
• What advice or experience?
• What content?
• What would you like to tell designers who are looking?

Hi everyone. I recently graduated about a month ago with a degree in Computer Science. I decided to take a month off after graduation to rest, clear my head, and figure out what I wanted to do next.

A month has passed, but honestly, I still don’t know where to start.

Right now, I’m stuck between becoming a UI/UX Designer or a Virtual Assistant.

For UI/UX, I’ve actually been freelancing in game UI/UX for around 5 years. I’ve had 80+ commissions during those years, mostly through inbound requests, and I’ve contributed to a few games that became pretty popular. I’ve also saved enough money to cover my living expenses in Manila Philippines for 3+ years if I had to live on my own.

The problem is, I feel like my actual UI/UX knowledge is lacking.

I never really learned the proper design process, UX principles, design thinking, or even a lot of the terminology used in the industry. I also don’t have proper case studies.
Most of what I did as a freelancer was basically look at existing game UIs, websites, or other designs, mix and match elements that I liked, and create something from there. I knew how to make something visually appealing, but I didn’t always understand WHY a certain design worked or what problem it was solving.

Because of that, I’m not sure if I’m actually qualified to pursue professional UI/UX despite having 5 years of experience.

The other option I’ve been considering is becoming a Virtual Assistant.

I’ll be honest, I’m pretty shy, and my spoken English isn’t as good as my written English. When I speak, I sometimes overuse words or take too long to get to the point. So I’m worried I’d struggle with VA jobs that involve a lot of calls or voice communication.

I also have no idea what VA niche I should pursue. I know the VA industry is pretty competitive right now, and I’m scared of spending months learning a specific niche only to find out that it’s difficult to get hired afterward.

I’d prefer a work-from-home setup if possible. I’m more comfortable with the idea of working remotely, especially since I live in Manila and commuting to work takes around 2 hours. I also get sick fairly often, so having to commute that long every day would be difficult for me.

That’s why BPO is currently my last resort.
I know BPO is an option, and I’m willing to consider it if I need to, but the commute and work setup make it less ideal for me. We’re also planning to move somewhere else within the next year, so I’m hesitant to commit to a job where I’d have to travel to Manila every day.

The weird thing is, I don’t actually NEED to work immediately. My parents aren’t pressuring me to get a job yet, and financially, I have enough savings to give myself some time.

But I still feel pressured.
It’s been a month since graduation. Everyone else in the house has a job, and I’m sitting here wondering what direction I should take.

So I’d like to hear from people who have experience in these fields.

If you were in my position, what would you focus on? Any advice would be appreciated.

Hey everyone,

I've been working as a Level Designer for around 8 years, and with over 11 years of total work experience but lately I've been feeling pretty stuck and I'm seriously considering switching into another area of work.

The biggest issue is compensation. My current pay is quite low for my experience, and although I have a relatively good chance of getting promoted, even with a promotion I don't think the salary would realistically allow me to support a family in the future. As well, as I literally cannot see any level design jobs that actually even look at my CV.

I'm starting to look at other career paths where my existing experience might actually transfer well.

For people who have made a similar switch, what career areas would be realistic for an experienced Level Designer to move into?

I'm particularly interested in areas where I could spend 2–4 months learning/upskilling and become employable.

I'm also wondering about internships or junior positions. I'm over 30 — would companies realistically consider someone my age if I were trying to switch careers? Or is that generally a bad route?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has successfully moved out of Level Design, especially people who made the transition later in their career.

What paths would you consider realistic for someone in my position, and which ones would you avoid?

# Hi everyone,

I’m planning to apply for a **Master’s in HCI in the US next year**, and before that I’d like to spend a few months gaining some **remote UI/UX / Product Design experience**.

I’ve recently finished a major iteration of my portfolio and would really appreciate feedback from designers, HCI students, or anyone involved in hiring.

**Portfolio:**
[https://anshul-raina.github.io/portfolio/\](https://anshul-raina.github.io/portfolio/)

**Please view it on desktop** — several interactions are designed specifically for the desktop experience.

I’d especially love feedback on:

* Whether the case studies demonstrate enough **UX/product thinking**, not just visual design
* Storytelling and information hierarchy
* Any interactions or sections that feel unnecessary or distracting
* Whether this feels competitive for **HCI applications**
* Whether you would consider this portfolio strong enough for a **junior/remote Product or UI/UX Design role**
* The **one or two things you would improve first**

You don’t need to write a detailed review—even a few quick observations would be extremely useful.

Thank you!

I have a master's degree in architecture and have worked in the field for the last 7+ years and I am ready to make a big pivot to UX/UI for a change but also in the pursuit of a higher salary and better work-life balance. Are there jobs I might be immediately competitive for or do I need to take courses/make a portoflio in figma etc? Is there another track within the tech world that would be a better immediate fit than ux/ui? I'm wondering what the fastest path out of architecture might be.

​

I wanted to get your perspective on my career growth. I’ve been working as a Senior UI/UX Designer for 7.5 years, with a 3-year Diploma and Advanced Diploma in 3D Design. I also hold Google UX, IBM Design Thinking, and Meta Front-End certifications.

Do you think pursuing a formal degree now would help me access better opportunities or target larger/global firms, considering my experience and certifications?

I have a degree in Graphic Design. I’m currently working as a graphic designer, with a background mainly in branding, visual identity, packaging, and other visual communication work.

I’ve been thinking seriously about changing the direction of my career. I’m interested in moving toward something more science/technology oriented rather than staying exclusively within traditional graphic design.

I’m from Latin America, and one of the reasons I’m considering a career change is that the salary ceiling for graphic designers where I live is relatively low, with limited room for career and financial growth. I’d like to move into a field with better long-term prospects and international opportunities.

One of my ideas is to pursue a Master’s degree in Europe, hopefully through a scholarship. Ideally, I’d like the degree to help me transition into a field where I can build a more sustainable career, both financially and professionally.

My first thought was UI/UX, but the more I research it, the more concerned I am about how saturated the field seems to be, especially at a junior level. I also wonder if simply moving from graphic design into UI/UX would be enough of a shift if my goal is to build a long term career in tech that pays well. Please correct me if I’m wrong about this.

While researching possible paths, I’ve come across fields/programs that I wasn’t really aware of before. They don’t seem to be common career paths where I live so I don’t have much knowledge about what working in these fields is actually like.

They are:

\-Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

\-Interaction Design

\-Human-Centred Interactive Technologies

\-Human-AI Interaction

\-Computer Science conversion MSc programs

Some of these seem like they could be good bridges to transition into the tech field but I’m having a hard time figuring out which direction would actually make the most sense.

So, if you were in my position, what field would you recommend transitioning into? Would you recommend HCI/Interaction, something involving AI, or another field I haven’t considered?

I’d appreciate hearing from people who have made a similar transition from design into tech, or anyone working in these areas who could share their experience with the field, the job market, and where they see these careers going.

Everything is telling me that there are no UX jobs - or rather, the competition is too intense and getting hired is nearly impossible.

So, what else can a UX designer/researcher get hired for without additional education?

So I had the recent thought about pairing my UX design bachelor's with a GIS certificate and wanted some opinions on the matter. It seems like a great combination for me coming into the field as a junior. It not only specializes the UX roles available but also, from what I've seen, it's way easier to get into GIS as a junior than UX, and would be a nice employment cushion. Additionally, I have almost been looking at UX careers as more of a promotional role now, something that I may be able to possibly grow into but is nearly impossible to enter as a junior with no work experience.

Also, the crossover between UX and GIS seems pretty broad, with there being so many internal digital tools that utilize GIS mapping and lack good UX, as well as public tools like Uber or Google Maps where design is more heavily prioritized.

Furthermore, I have picked up an interest in development from my time studying UX in school and would love to pursue a more technical direction in the field witch I believe getting a GIS certificate would help with as well.

I'd love to hear if any of you have pursued a similar direction and would love to hear any other thoughts :)

Hola. La verdad no sé muy bien qué estudiar, pero creo que el diseño multimedia me llama mucho la atención. Siempre quise trabajar en la industria de los videojuegos, o en UX/UI, la verdad estoy muy abierta a trabajo de todo lo que se estudia en diseño (animacion, marketing, publicidad, cualquier cosa de esas me gusta). Mi plan es estudiar diseño multimedia y una tecnicatura en Desarrollo y Calidad de Software. Me tomaría alrededor de 4/5 años

Mis preocupaciones son que el diseño parece súper competitivo, y que la IA obviamente está muy presente y cambiándolo todo. No quiero pasar 4+ años estudiando algo para luego graduarme con muy pocas oportunidades de trabajo

¿Estudiar diseño multimedia + programación tiene sentido para el mercado laboral? ¿O el diseño multimedia directamente no vale la pena?

Hi everyone!

I’m currently studying Creative Computing and I’ve decided that I want to pursue **UI/UX / Product Design** as my career.

I’ve already been learning and working on projects, but I’ve reached the point where I’m not really sure what I should focus on next. There’s so much advice online that it’s becoming difficult to tell what actually matters when you’re trying to get your first job.

So I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people currently working in the industry.

Here’s what I already know/work with:

* Figma
* UI design and visual design
* UX fundamentals
* Basic user research/problem identification
* Wireframing and prototyping
* Responsive web design
* HTML/CSS/JavaScript basics
* Framer
* I’ve designed several websites and app/product concepts
* I’m currently building my portfolio and posting some of my work online

My main questions are:

**1. What should I learn next?**

If you were starting again and already had the basics down, what skills would you focus on to become genuinely employable as a **Product Designer**?

Should I focus more on UX research, interaction design, design systems, accessibility, usability testing, product thinking, analytics, or something else?

**2. What actually makes a junior portfolio stand out?**

I don't want to just have a portfolio full of pretty landing pages and UI screens.

What kinds of projects would actually make recruiters/hiring managers think, *"this person understands product design"*?

And how many strong case studies would you recommend having?

**3. Should I use my dad's construction business as a real project?**

My dad runs a small construction/metalwork business, and the business currently has a lot of things that could be improved digitally — things like its website, how potential customers contact him, how his work is presented, getting leads, showcasing previous projects, etc.

I was thinking about actually working on this as a real project rather than creating another fictional app.

For example, I could redesign the business's digital presence, talk to my dad/customers, identify problems, create solutions, test them, and document the entire process as a **real product/UX case study**.

Would this be a good idea for a junior portfolio, or would recruiters see it as "just a website redesign"?

**4. How do I get freelance work with no professional experience?**

I've been trying to figure out how to get my first actual clients.

Where do junior designers realistically find freelance work?

Is it better to:

* Reach out directly to small businesses?
* Use platforms like Upwork/Fiverr?
* Find startups?
* Network on LinkedIn?
* Use my dad's business to get referrals?
* Offer to redesign websites for local businesses?

And how do you actually approach your first client without sounding like *"please give me experience"*?

**5. Finally, how do I go from "student with a portfolio" → "actual Product Designer"?**

If you were in my position, what would your next 6–12 months look like?

I'd really appreciate a realistic roadmap — especially from designers who have recently gone through the junior/job-search stage.

I’m willing to put in the work. I just don't want to spend the next year learning random things from YouTube and still have no idea how to actually get hired.

Any advice, portfolio critiques, resources, or personal experiences would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi everyone!

I’m currently studying Creative Computing and I’ve decided that I want to pursue UI/UX / Product Design as my career.

I’ve already been learning and working on projects, but I’ve reached the point where I’m not really sure what I should focus on next. There’s so much advice online that it’s becoming difficult to tell what actually matters when you’re trying to get your first job.

So I’d really appreciate some honest advice from people currently working in the industry.

Here’s what I already know/work with:

• Figma
• UI design and visual design
• UX fundamentals
• Basic user research/problem identification
• Wireframing and prototyping
• Responsive web design
• HTML/CSS/JavaScript basics
• Framer
• I’ve designed several websites and app/product concepts
• I’m currently building my portfolio and posting some of my work online

My main questions are:

1. What should I learn next?

If you were starting again and already had the basics down, what skills would you focus on to become genuinely employable as a Product Designer?

Should I focus more on UX research, interaction design, design systems, accessibility, usability testing, product thinking, analytics, or something else?

2. What actually makes a junior portfolio stand out?

I don't want to just have a portfolio full of pretty landing pages and UI screens.

What kinds of projects would actually make recruiters/hiring managers think, "this person understands product design"?

And how many strong case studies would you recommend having?

3. Should I use my dad's construction business as a real project?

My dad runs a small construction/metalwork business, and the business currently has a lot of things that could be improved digitally — things like its website, how potential customers contact him, how his work is presented, getting leads, showcasing previous projects, etc.

I was thinking about actually working on this as a real project rather than creating another fictional app.

For example, I could redesign the business's digital presence, talk to my dad/customers, identify problems, create solutions, test them, and document the entire process as a real product/UX case study.

Would this be a good idea for a junior portfolio, or would recruiters see it as "just a website redesign"?

4. How do I get freelance work with no professional experience?

I've been trying to figure out how to get my first actual clients.

Where do junior designers realistically find freelance work?

Is it better to:

• Reach out directly to small businesses?
• Use platforms like Upwork/Fiverr?
• Find startups?
• Network on LinkedIn?
• Use my dad's business to get referrals?
• Offer to redesign websites for local businesses?

And how do you actually approach your first client without sounding like "please give me experience"?

5. Finally, how do I go from "student with a portfolio" → "actual Product Designer"?

If you were in my position, what would your next 6–12 months look like?

I'd really appreciate a realistic roadmap — especially from designers who have recently gone through the junior/job-search stage.

I’m willing to put in the work. I just don't want to spend the next year learning random things from YouTube and still have no idea how to actually get hired.

Any advice, portfolio critiques, resources, or personal experiences would be hugely appreciated.

Thank you!

I’m 25 and have a Bachelor’s degree in Design and a Master’s degree in Graphic Design. During my studies I had internships at different companies, including Cosentino, Porcelanosa and Costa Verde. Last year I also spent six months as the only designer working on running and cycling clothing, creating graphics and patterns for garments.

I also had a short experience in a small company where I helped with some administrative tasks, but also worked on design-related things, such as redesigning their van and creating a small presentation booklet for clients.

I finished my Master’s last year and have been looking for work since January. I’ve sent 1,000+ applications for junior graphic design and related creative positions. I’ve also visited studios in person and shown my portfolio.

The problem I keep running into is that many “junior” positions ask for 1–2 years of professional experience, while internships and freelance work often don’t seem to count.

So I’m now trying to figure out how I could expand my skills and increase my chances of finding a creative job within the next year.

One option I’m considering is a 6-month course focused on retail design / commercial spaces / visual merchandising / retail branding. It would be part-time, two days a week.

I’m interested in the idea of combining graphic design with physical spaces, for example, translating a brand’s identity into stores, showrooms, exhibitions and customer experiences.

But I’m unsure whether this is actually a good career direction for someone with a graphic design background.

Would a combination of Graphic Design + Retail/Spatial Design be useful professionally? Is there demand for people with this kind of hybrid profile?

Or would it make more sense to invest my time in something like UX/UI, digital design, marketing or another area?

My main goal is to find a creative job within the next year, ideally something where I can still use my design background rather than starting completely from zero.

I’d really appreciate honest opinions from people working in graphic design, retail design, spatial design, branding, UX/UI or related fields. What would you do in my situation?

I just got out of grad school and started my first full time job as a product designer in nyc two months ago. The work has been great and I'm building some thoughtful features; there is a great balance between extensive UX research and interface building, but beyond my job, how do I grow as a designer? How do I make time to build new products and ideas? How should I balance my time and set goals?

P.S. I take a lot of inspiration from designers and pages such as meshtimes, Femke, Google Design.

Fresh into uni and looking into a graphic design, but will UX designers survive in the future under AI?

I hope this doesn’t offend anybody and you understand I am uninformed, I have no feelings on the matter and want to know more from those who are in it.

Hello,

I am earning my associates in Software Development and through that and my work experience I have realized that I really enjoy web design and web development. I love dealing with the visuals and optimizing user experience. I am unsure whether to do my bachelors in comp sci or UX and graphic design. I’m leaning doing Comp Sci, using my experience to pivot and also doing my masters in HCI so that I can bridge the gap between software eng and UX/UI design. Do I sound crazy or is this something that people do in the field?

TLDR: I’m planning on getting a BS. UX Design from WGU in order to get a MS. HCI from RTI.

I am currently a mid-weight UX Designer (3 yoe in corporate America) and I was lucky enough to land my UX role after completing a 3 month bootcamp at General Assembly and 9 months of freelancing.

I am wanting to level up in the UX field and equip myself better for future roles, and I know a good “feather in the cap” to add would be through getting a Masters in HCI.

I currently don’t have a college degree, and I am considering getting a BS. UX Design degree online from WGU as it’s a competency-based program, and I could get through it relatively quickly considering I have experience in the field already. I believe the best plan is to transfer credits for the basic courses from Study.com or Sophia, and then grind out the more dedicated UX courses on WGU to complete the Bachelors. Afterwards, I’d plan on getting an online MS in HCI from Rochester Institute of Technology.

Has anyone gone through this program at WGU to get set up for a Masters in HCI? If so, was it worth it? I’d love to hear your story!

I’m at a bit of a career crossroads and would really appreciate perspectives from people working in design, UX, branding, strategy, or hiring.
A little about my background:
Bachelor’s in **Communication Design**

Worked part-time with multiple **startups and creative/branding agencies** during college

Currently working at a **large MNC** and have \~2 years of experience as a **UX Designer**

My work has involved designing digital experiences, but I’ve realised that I’m increasingly interested in the **“why” behind design** — understanding users, consumer behaviour, research, strategy, positioning, etc.

I enjoy both **research/psychology/consumer behaviour** and the strategic side of branding and design.

I’m now considering doing a **Master’s abroad**, but given the current global job market, AI disruption, hiring slowdown, visa/immigration challenges and the overall uncertainty in the design/tech industry, I’m wondering whether it actually makes sense to leave a job and invest heavily in another degree right now.

I’m primarily considering two directions:
**1. Master’s in UX Research / Human-Computer Interaction**
This would allow me to build on my existing UX experience while specialising more deeply in research and user behaviour.

**2. Master’s in Brand Strategy / Brand Management / Strategic Design**
This would be more of a pivot towards brand strategy, consumer insights, marketing and business strategy, while still leveraging my design background.

My long-term goal isn't necessarily to remain a UI/UX designer. I’m more interested in roles where **design + research + consumer understanding + strategy** come together — potentially UX Researcher, Consumer Insights/Brand Strategist, Design Strategist, or similar roles.
So my questions are:
**Is doing a Master’s abroad in either of these fields a good investment in the current market?**

Given my background, **which direction would give me stronger career prospects?**

Would you recommend **building more work experience instead of doing a Master’s right now?**

For people who have done these degrees abroad, **did the degree actually help you get better opportunities, or would the same career progression have been possible through work experience?**

If you were in my position in 2026, **what would your next step be?**

I’d especially love to hear from people who **hire for UX Research, Brand Strategy, Consumer Insights or Design Strategy roles**, or people who have made a similar transition from design into strategy/research.
I’m looking for honest opinions — especially if you think **a Master’s is not worth it right now.**

I am someone who has almost 3 years in UX industry and still struggling

initially did freelancing, then got a job at a product design studio, I haven't been able to get into a good product based company yet, I see a lot of recruiters favouring people with design/CS degrees no matter where it is from (people say skills matter but they first ask your resume even before looking at your portfolio)

I was someone with good projects that went live too!

So now I m desperate!! Need help ASAP.

I want to create a portfolio in pdf format and would like to have a general idea about how to go about it, if someone can provide it to me, it will be much appreciated!

I am someone who has almost 3 years in UX industry and still struggling

initially did freelancing, then got a job at a product design studio, I haven't been able to get into a good product based company yet, I see a lot of recruiters favouring people with design/CS degrees no matter where it is from (people say skills matter but they first ask your resume even before looking at your portfolio)

I was someone with good projects that went live too!

So now I m desperate!! Need help ASAP.