ixda vancouver - how to get a great ux job
DESCRIPTION
From putting together your resume, building a portfolio, to personal networking, we discuss the steps you need to go through to get in the door for that UX interview.TRANSCRIPT
Resumes and LinkedIn profiles
How to get a great UX job{
Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games @uxhow http://www.uxhow.com
Getting a great job is a lot like dating......you have to kiss a lot of frogs
before your find your prince
@usabilitycounts @uxhow
User Research - 100 Recruiters
The typical interview process
Hiring Manager Phone Screen
7-10 people
3 to 5On Site
InterviewsThe Offer} }Recruiter
Phone Screen
10-15 people}Research 20-100 people}
@usabilitycounts @uxhow
Show them your money,
baby!
• LinkedIn profile • Resume
• Side projects • Portfolio
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{ Your résume }• Format that can be parsed (Word or PDF) • Career progression that tells a story • Skills in keyword form listed for recruiters • Don’t over design
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{ A great resume }
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{ A great resume }
Solid Opening Summary
Clear and Concise Job Descriptions
Skills and Brands Listed
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Why should my résume be in Word?• It’s a standard format • Recruiters edit résumes • Concentrate on content • Creates constraints
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Responsibilities and Accomplishments• A summary about your job function • Three to five bullet points what you accomplished
• Write when you start a job as the goal • Write more of them for more recent jobs
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Résume tipsToo many positions Combine all into one position, and list each as a client
Too few positions List projects under a position
Unrelated positions Don’t list them at all, no one cares
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{ Your LinkedIn profile }• Have a great summary • Include your skills and specialities • List the results of your work • Let brands speak for themselves
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{ A great LinkedIn profile }
Great Title
Solid Summary
Accurate Job Descriptions
Exercise• A summary about your job function • Three to five bullet points what you accomplished
Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke Sr UX Design Manager, Big Fish @uxhow http://www.uxhow.com
UX Portfolios How to get a great UX job{
@usabilitycounts @uxhow
How you tell your story is as important as the story itself
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Tell stories that fit your audience • Designers • Developers • Product Managers
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Tell stories that sell • Explain visually • Light and concise • Keep them engaged
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Tell stories that have an awesomeending • ROI • Results • Outcome
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Tell big stories
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Big Story Big Fish Unlimited
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• Problem • Process • Involvement • Final Product • Press / Awards • Outcome
}Story
Big Fish Unlimited Netflix for Games
Challenge
Process
Results
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Tell small stories
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Big Story Bob The Chiropractor
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Bob The Chiropractor 5 Page Lead Generation Website
• Problem • First Version • Iteration • Improved Version}Story
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Results
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What not to do
Pet Peeves• Screen shots that are too small to read • Screen shots without explanation • Wireframes without any details • Portfolios with only wireframes and no research • Over-designed portfolio
Three Great ExamplesLaiYee Lori http://www.behance.net/gallery/Vantageous/4652595 !Simon Pan http://www.simonpan.com/ !Peter Schuszter http://uxportfolio.com
Exercise• Talk through two portfolios from audience members
Networking and Social Media
How to get a great UX job{
Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games @uxhow http://www.uxhow.com
45% of all hires
9% of all job applications
{ Agency + personal referrals }
Why social is important
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The lowest conversion rate for an application?
A job board0.41% percent of applications from job boards become hires. 11 percent of applications from referrals become hires.
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Personal networking
is the new job board
Why?
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56% percent of people who got a job got it through
someone they knew casually.
Mark Granovetter Sociologist, 1973
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{ How do I become a personal referral? }
Use Social Media
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• Follow people at companies you like on Twitter • Subscribe to updates on Facebook • Tailor your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles • Go to conferences, meetups and classes
It’s about making a lot of small bets...
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{Social Networks}LinkedIn Research, reconnaissance and your profile
Facebook Personal friends and their connections
Twitter Super connectors and people with similar interests
Stack Exchange, Git Hub, LinkedIn Groups Building street cred and engage with other users
SkillShare, Meetups Engage with super connectors and people in person
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{ What kind of people should I be looking for? }• Super connectors, because they like helping people • People who might hire you, not someone who is you • Recruiters, because they move around a lot
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• Ask about their company • Ask about what they’re doing • Ask about their interests • Ask them for advice
Get them to talk!
You want them to do the talking!
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It’s like dating... You can “play the field” to find what you want
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• Give you something to say • Create common interests • Doesn’t have to be work related • Improve your skills
{ Extra Credit }
Have a passion project
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{ Extra Credit } UX Drinking Game
{ Extra Credit } Find My Bookmarks
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{ What not to do }• Do not talk all the time • Don’t stalk and give them space • Be respectful but be engaging
Thank you!
Patrick Neeman Director of Product Design, Apptio @usabilitycounts http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games @uxhow http://www.uxhow.com