International Youth Day is an opportunity to celebrate the role of young people, whilst recognising the challenges they face in society. The theme for 2020 is ‘Youth engagement for global action’, which aims to consider this at a local, national, and global level. With many young people left unsure about their futures because of Covid-19, we have pulled together some tips for those hoping to start a career in User Experience (UX), whilst considering this year’s theme.
Some of the key qualities needed to work in UX are curiosity, empathy, and communication. Look for where you currently use these skills and try to develop them further by interacting with diverse types of people (including those with disabilities) and trying to understand their needs. Volunteering to support a cause you’re passionate about can provide a great opportunity to do this, whilst also adding experience to your CV.
Join webinars, listen to podcasts and read articles when you get spare time. Try to look beyond those with ‘UX’ in the title; you may find that a specific topic interests you more, so you can begin to narrow down the field you want to work in. Using international resources can also open your eyes to cultural differences, making you more prepared to tackle global problems.
Join communitiesRemember that there are other people in a similar position to you, and that although they may be applying for similar jobs, they’re not your enemies. Platforms such as LinkedIn and Dribbble provide an opportunity for you to give and gain valuable feedback from your peers, whilst also providing a source of inspiration. Participating in discussions will also help to shape your opinion on current trends, and to respect those of others.
“We showed that we are united and that we, young people, are unstoppable.” – Greta Thurnberg
Show that you are motivated and eager to contribute to positive change. Communities like OpenIDEO allow you to get involved with tackling real-world problems, whilst creating the perfect case study for your portfolio. If you’re not feeling the challenges, then you can always create your own (based on tangible problems of course)!
All our user experience training is delivered by one of our expert user experience or accessibility consultant trainers. They use their experience ...
All our user experience training is delivered by one of our expert user experience or accessibility consultant trainers. They use their experience across different sectors and clients, sharing ...
Often, people believe that you can only feel empathy if you have been through an identical experience to someone else. Wrong! Although it can build on...
Often, people believe that you can only feel empathy if you have been through an identical experience to someone else. Wrong! Although it can build on similar circumstances, empathy can also arise ...
Les Mills is an international fitness company offering a diverse range of group classes across thousands of fitness clubs. They were looking to ...
Les Mills is an international fitness company offering a diverse range of group classes across thousands of fitness clubs. They were looking to develop a more in-depth understanding of their customers...