Vol. 027 - Why do I like to work for startups?

Hi designers,

Welcome to Vol. 027 of the UX Jetpack Newsletter, where I share job searching tips weekly. This week we are talking about:

1. Why do I like to work for startups?
2. Do you need to stay on trend?
3. Different way of networking
4. There's a gallery for everything

If you enjoy those tips, please consider sharing them with your friends. They can sign up at https://uxjetpack.com/newsletter

Why do I like to work for startups?

Being in startup can be hella stressful for designers,

but it's also where growth happens.

At the start of my career in startups, I thought I was a bad designer. I couldn’t follow any of the established processes I was taught. I thought, how can I design the product without following the double diamond?

But there simply was no time and resources to do it.

The least I could do was produce the design I thought was acceptable and try to get that in front of people to get feedback and improve. It sounded easy until I realized I had to do this while fulfilling other design requests and dabbling a bit in coding. It's a must for designers to learn how to wear multiple hats.

A few years later, I learned how to design and iterate fast,

how to make an impact without a formal process,

how to juggle multiple projects,

how to prioritize tasks in my workflow,

how to be a startup designer.

So, if you are working for startups and you don't feel like you are doing a good job,

just hang on tight, be more patient,

I'm sure you will grow into a much better designer.

Do you need to stay on trend?

A question I get asked a lot is, "Should I learn this new tool or adopt this new trend to land a design job?"

Yes and no.

Product design is an ever-changing industry, requiring perpetual learning.

However, knowing the hottest app or the latest UI trends isn't your golden ticket to a fulfilling job.

Instead, focusing on the fundamentals can give you an unfair advantage.

✅ Improving your storytelling skills to craft an engaging narrative

✅ Building your network to create genuine connections and uncover hidden opportunities

✅ Learning how to show your strength, and show others you are fun to work with at interviews.

These are the keys to landing a job and laying a solid foundation for long-term success in your career.

Different way of networking.

Networking is not just about reaching out to people;

you can also network by helping others.

During the pandemic,

I noticed many designers wanted to meet others,

but they didn't know where to go.

So I spent my weekend creating designerslack.community.

It listed all the online communities I could find.

It started with 15 communities,

and with two years of crowdsourcing,

it now has over 150 communities.

During this process, I also met so many new people

and joined so many communities.

It never directly helped me get a job,

but it did help me open many doors and start many new connections.

So, designers, if talking to strangers seems daunting to you,

launch a side project that can help others,

even if it's as simple as a resources list.

There's a gallery for everything

I wouldn't have ever thought someone would make a gallery for website footers, but here we are. If you want to see how creative a website footer can be, this is the place.

Check out footer.design

If you enjoy my newsletter, please leave a testimonial. It would help me a lot to grow my audience.

Ryan Yao

Say hi 👋🏼 on LinkedIn and ☎️ Book a 1:1 with me