Look before you leap into your next UX job
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
A starry-eyed UX designer can’t wait for her first day at a new job, virtually overflowing with optimism. Fast forward a few months, and the luster has already worn off a bit as her attempts to integrate basic UX methodologies meet with barrier after barrier. After eight months she has labored through so many pointless meetings and “intuitive” decisions that she spends half her day scrolling through job postings, preferring to work ANYWHERE ELSE.
A starry-eyed UX designer…
Yup, that was me. It may be you right now.
Every scenario is different, but nothing is more frustrating than a collision between reality and carefully crafted expectations. So how can this mind-numbing cycle be avoided?
Search your feelings (then write them down)
Get out a notebook along with the badass writing utensil of your choice, and answer these two questions:
- What are your non-negotiables? In other words, what are you unwilling to endure in your next job? For me, the thought of jumping into another slow-moving corporate environment was enough to get me fantasizing about a career change.
- What needs to happen for you to be satisfied with your choice six months from now? Perhaps flexibility and work-life balance are essential to you, or maybe you are looking to contribute to a meaningful mission. Whatever it is you need, write it down and prepare to be uncompromising about it.
Stop obsessing over the job description
As tempting as it may be to think of the job description as a giant checklist of must-have attributes, the answers you seek are likely not there. This document can tell you what the company thinks they want. Put on your researcher hat and figure out what they truly need.
Every business is different; Some are sprinting toward a launch date, while others are more focused on steady incremental progress. Some need specialists, while others prefer a jack of all trades. Try to anticipate their gnarliest challenges. Does the thought of solving them make your fingers itch to rip the plastic packaging off a new Moleskine like a rabid wolverine?
Get a little help from your friends
Now’s your chance to get some payback for all the extensive venting sessions your friends have put you through. Review what you know about the company and your personal goals with others you trust. Let them help you find the blind spots in your plan over coffee or tea.
Don’t forget to lean on your professional network for valuable intel as well. Do you know anyone who has worked for this company or who can connect you with someone who has?
Get the most out of your interview
Take the opportunity to reverse roles and do some interviewing of your own. Ask tough questions and tie your conversation back to the priorities and non-negotiables you laid out earlier. How do they hold up?
Afterward make sure to write down what you heard, both exciting and terrifying. This activity comes with a bonus. If you do take the job, you can refer back to your notes and hold the company accountable for what they promised during the interview.
Freelance for the full story
Contracting is the best way to see beyond a company’s fluffy facade and learn what it is really like to work there. If you’re still feeling uncertain after the interview, offer to take on a small paid project to test out overall fit on both sides.
Not only do you get paid, but you’ll also be able to spot show-stopping red flags immediately. You will even get to know the people you’d be working with, their expectations of your role, and their workflow.
Congratulations, you’ve got an offer! How do you feel?
Be honest with yourself, do you think you’ll be satisfied working for this company in 6 months? (or as satisfied as a perpetually restless human can be, anyway) Did you learn something that violated one of your non-negotiables? If so, you either need to have the strength to pass on the offer or take the job knowing that there will be significant hurdles to overcome.
I took a big risk and turned down two objectively great opportunities, one at a Fortune 50 company. Closing the door on these possibilities freed me up to pursue the one that was right for me.
So whether you end up signing on the dotted line or continuing your search, you have my permission to proceed with confidence!
