Today, users expect high focus to be made on making user-friendly apps and websites. At the core of all of that sits UX – and the in-demand designers of it.
The UX job market is rapidly growing and the underrated career path is rapidly growing! Call it UI or Product Designer – people that can design approachable and hooking user experiences are in-demand and well-paid.
In 2020, a career entering UX designer can receive a starting salary anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 with a lot of room to grow, making it one of the most well-paid creative jobs on the market.
And yet, UX design is also competitive! Having the right preparation, portfolio and mentor can give you the competitive edge.
A well-written and thorough book can be an amazing path to build
deeper understanding and also act as
a handbook as you discover the internet's vast resources.
These are our and our experts
top picks to
get
started building career-relevant skills.
Lean UX
Inspired by Lean and Agile development theories, Lean UX lets you focus on the actual experience being designed, rather than deliverables. This book shows you how to collaborate closely with other members of your Agile product team, and gather feedback early and often.
Universal Principles of Design is the first cross-disciplinary reference of design. Richly illustrated and easy to navigate, this book pairs clear explanations of the design concepts featured with visual examples of those concepts applied in practice.
Designing good application interfaces isn’t easy now that companies need to create compelling, seamless user experiences across an exploding number of channels, screens, and contexts. In this updated third edition, you’ll learn how to navigate through the maze of design options. By capturing UI best practices as design patterns, this best-selling book provides solutions to common design problems.
Hundreds of thousands of Web designers and developers have relied on usability guru Steve Krug's guide to help them understand the principles of intuitive navigation and information design. Witty, commonsensical, and eminently practical, it's one of the best-loved and most recommended books on the subject.
As Product Manager, user engagement is always at the top of your mind. The best way to have engaged users is to create habit-forming products. Nir Eyal walks us through the inner workings of almost addicting social apps and boils down how you can use the same mechanisms for good.
These days, courses are no longer a sequence of videos. They are
usually accompanied by projects and
a
learning community, keeping you accountable and on the path.
Our
experts recommend these
courses, from
free
selections to paid programs.
Hackdesign
An easy to follow design course for people who do amazing things. Receive a design lesson in your inbox each week, hand crafted by a design pro. Learn at your own pace, and apply it to your real life work.
Learn by doing. Play with design puzzles and challenging games as you learn. Test your skills and explore possibilities.
With 96,264 graduates, the Interaction Design Foundation is the biggest online design school globally. They are market leaders in online design education because the world’s leading experts create their content and because they are specialized in design. Their courses cover the entire spectrum of UX design from beginner to advanced.
Get the guidance you need on the UX Designer career path
There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a
personal mentor.
What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!
Senior UX Designer
at BBC
👋🏻 I am a super friendly and easy to talk to full-stack designer with 10+ years of industry experience!
5.0 stars
5.0(20 reviews)
Chat
2
x Calls
Tasks
Hands-on
👋🏻 Currently sculpting experiences for millions of weekly users as part of BBC's UX design team! 📱I specialise in digital products to achieve data-driven results, approaching my work with a user-centric mindset I enjoy solving complex problems through wireframing, design sprints, usability studies, prototyping, and design systems. My past roles …
Staff Conversational UX Designer
at Home Depot
Passionate design leader with a love for empowering others to design and grow their career
4.8 stars
4.8(4 reviews)
Chat
1
x Call
Tasks
Hands-on
Yes, you can design your own career. I've designed my career and helped over 300 mentees design and grow theirs. I mostly coach early and mid-career professionals across product/UX design, UX research, digital accessibility, and product management. Frequent topics I cover with my mentees are "how to stand out from …
UX Designer & Founder
at Dezignovate, Ex-Barclays
8+ years design experience
5.0 stars
5.0(11 reviews)
Chat
1
x Call
Hi, I'm Cat Achieng, A UX Designer specialising in Digital Product Design, Web Design, and User Interface/Experience Design. Previously, I was freelancing full–time as a Web Designer / Developer for 8+ years, creating websites that are simple, beautiful, and easy to use. I am happiest when working on a UX …
Principal UX Designer
at Autodesk
10+ years of experience in UX design
5.0 stars
5.0(1 review)
Chat
2
x Calls
Tasks
Hands-on
Hey there! I'm Jessie, a passionate Principal UX Designer at Autodesk, and I love sharing my insights through writing on Medium, where I cover topics like user-centered design and career development. As a first-generation Chinese immigrant, working mom, and tech professional, I've overcome language barriers and embraced inclusivity and empathy …
Lead UX Designer
at Price Waterhouse Coopers. Optum, Shopify and PayPal Alum
20+ years as a design leader for companies like PayPal, Shopify and Optum
5.0 stars
5.0(6 reviews)
Chat
2
x Calls
Tasks
Hands-on
As a dynamic UX leader and architect, I'm driven by innovation and a passion for design. With extensive experience in digital projects for a diverse range of clients, from startups to industry giants like Amazon and Disney, my expertise lies in creating optimal solutions through iterative design and a deep …
Senior UX Designer
at The Home Depot
10+ Years in UX Design | B2B, B2C, E-Commerce
5.0 stars
5.0(3 reviews)
Chat
2
x Calls
👋🏻 Hello & welcome! I am a seasoned UX designer with 10+ years of experience, currently working at The Home Depot on the top-of-funnel team. My career began at a small design agency where I worked primarily on branding. As my career progressed, I pivoted into UX and worked for …
Key articles and posts of industry experts can help you get a better picture of what you are getting
into.
In our opinion, these are some must-reads you really shouldn't miss.
Master the basics of visual
Recently, quite often many people asked me the similar questions: what’s your design process ? How did you start? What skills are required to become UI/UX designer? What tools do you use? By this article I’ve decided to answer all of these questions and describe how I started and become and UI/UX designer.
Want to get started in UX design? Make products? Thrive in a company of like minded designers? Well you’ve come to the right place. We’re ready to spill the beans on our best ways to become a UX designer and solidify a space for yourself at the designers’ table.
Lessons on how to make an impact beyond our products, how to collaborate beyond Zoom calls, how to organize ourselves beyond our bubbles, and how to improve our craft beyond artboards. Lessons from voices we still don’t hear as often in the design mainstream — but we should.
Opportunities and projects in the UX Design
space.
In the end, advancing your career is all about getting the right opportunities at the right time and
a
good portion of luck.
These are some interesting things going on in the UX Design space and you
probably don't want to miss them.
IndieHackers: Build your own product
Building your very own product puts you on the radar of any product-focused organization hiring managers, designers and engineers. Going from nothing to something requires and builds top-notch prioritization skills, the ability to stay scrappy and shows that you can get things done.
Not much into coding? The rise of no-code tools like Zapier, Webflow and Carrd has enabled creators of all backgrounds to build sustainable businesses, without the need to hire upfront.
Sounds weird? Businesses like Makerpad and Lambda School built entirely or mostly out of no-code tools are making and raising millions of dollars!
Growing into a Senior UX Designer role pays off –
$25,000 up to per year.
Not only is the progression from individual UX Designer to a Senior role a natural
progression, it
also makes all the difference in your average salary.
On a global average, Senior UX Designer receive a
$25,000
salary hike over entry-level UX Designers when they go from individual contributor to
senior personnel.
