5 Tips for Bootcamp Grads Looking For UX Work (Notes to Self)

In the past 9 months that I have been looking for a full-time UX position, I have had the privilege of having many amazing conversations and connections with others, who share the common goal of pursuing a career in UX. Here are the top 5 most present topics that have come up in these conversations. Thank you to everyone I have shared camaraderie with, I appreciate your vulnerability.

everywhere we looked, we saw reflections.

1. Remember that you’re a really capable human being. There is tremendous potential in all of us. Chasing after a goal is a lofty mission. Life likes to prove us wrong. Remember that you are fully capable of doing the work you strive to do. You may have to convince others of that more than you’d prefer, but you must not forget your worth.
2. Get critical. I know that after months of applying to positions with no traction, it feels necessary to cast a wider net and take whatever you get. But if you know you’re worth and value, which is hard after months of rejections, I know…but if you can hold space for that, you will be able to find and apply to the positions which would be more appropriate for your goals. Decide what you like and don’t like about a companies structure, hiring process, and implementation of values. Redirect your attention towards those that align with what you admire. There are enough options out there and every industry has a growing need for UX folks right now.
3. Connect with others. If I have learned one thing in this time of exhausting myself looking for work, it is that it is incredibly refreshing to share your story with others and hear about theirs. Through platforms like Slack and Lunchclub.ai, I have connected with over 20 complete strangers and had deep, authentic conversations. It actually amazed me at how well I could connect with someone, meeting them for the first time in a virtual setting. Listen to others; you are not alone and sharing ourselves can help us to be vulnerable and with that, helps us heal. Practice vulnerability! It will help you in all that you do, professionally and personally.
4. Keep the dream alive. Whatever it takes, whether it's painting in your underwear, or dancing with your hips, arms and legs, or drinking a bottle of wine with a close friend…do what makes you happy. It’s a hard task… to be constantly reaching. Capitalism kind of drills it into our minds. It's ubiquitous in society and everywhere we look. Go, Get, Gain. Power works in funny ways. Bring mindfulness to how we've been told to act and think and for what purpose besides keeping the cogs turning. This is all to say, give yourself the space to be a human. Play. Laugh. Let go of the predisposed notions we all had to swallow when we became “adults”. I’m not telling you to give up responsibility, I am rather advising you to take on the responsibility of nurturing yourself. The more we are able to engage in activities that bring us joy, or even, peace, the more present we will be able to be with others, and this, in turn, affects our entire reality. Try it 🥳
5. Persist. I believe this one ought to come after thoroughly considering the prior points, because yes, at the end of the day, we can do all we need to align our own psyches to simply feel OK in the moment, and we will still not get a job. So, once you have created the space to respect your process, determine your scope, expand your community, and leverage your happiness…then maybe you send out a few applications or follow some leads on connections. It’s a precious balance, letting go and trusting the process and all the while still putting in the work it takes to make things happen.

As much as I like to think that the universe has some magical way of existing (that humans have always desperately tried to understand) where the more I can get out of my own way (hello inner judgments, doubts, and demons), the more I can be a conduit for the energies of love (ie, god, universe, magick) to move through me, bringing me exactly to where I need to be in this moment, ie: present. It seems a little at odds with chasing a capitalist dream of finding a career, but I also like to think that no matter what you do, there you are, and what an opportunity that can be. With that being said, we must PERSIST. Unless you’re a monk on a mountaintop, you can’t just sit back and let the universe move through you, sweet as it sounds…in this version of reality we all find ourselves glued to, you gotta hustle. By hustle, I mean practice…so keep trying.

Keep reaching, but remember that which we attain will never quell the voice inside asking for love.

Good luck fellow human.