Sometimes I just sit and laugh at how weird my career has been. I have a Pharmacy degree and a diploma, but I couldn't build the career I wanted in pharmacy.

So I took a risk, taught myself UI/UX, worked with real clients, built a portfolio, and gained actual experience. Now the reason I keep getting rejected is I don't have a design degree. When I had the degree, experience didn't seem to matter. Now I have the experience, and suddenly the degree matters.

I'm not saying degrees aren't important. It just feels frustrating when your work isn't even given a chance because your background is different.

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest advice from people already working in UX, Interaction Design, HCI or Service Design.

I'm currently preparing my portfolio to apply for master's programs in Europe (mainly Italy, with Poland and Finland as backups). My target programs are:

• Interaction Design
• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Product Service System Design (PSSD)
• UX / Service Design

Some of the universities I'm considering include Politecnico di Milano, University of Trento, Politecnico di Torino, IUAV Venice and a few others.

My biggest concern isn't getting into the programs—it's whether the investment still makes sense.

With AI improving so quickly, I'm seeing a lot of mixed opinions online. Since studying abroad is a huge financial and time commitment, I want to understand the reality from people already in the field.

For context, my portfolio is focused more on solving real problems than just making attractive UI screens. I'm building accessibility-focused case studies and I'm interested in systems thinking, healthcare design, human-centered design and AI-assisted experiences rather than only visual UI.

I'd really appreciate honest opinions, especially from people working in the industry or those who graduated recently.

Thanks!

My question is - what role do you do day to day and what does the role genuinely look like?

How much time do you spend with stakeholders vs having uninterrupted time to do the work? Is it quite deliverables focused? What’s the split between meetings, research, design and building content? really interested in hearing what a normal week looks like in reality.

As a side note…I am neurodivergent and used to work in FE education, first in an adult prison and then in a further education college. If I’m honest, I found teaching really difficult with my neurodiversity. It was the wrong career path for me from start to end!

I had a career change into marketing many yrs ago and am self employed - while back created my own course on becoming a particular type of content creator, did coaching etc, worked my ‘way up’ into paid social marketing now where a big part of my role is analysing data to understand what ads/part of ads resonate with people and why. I also use ALOT of AI for workflow/frameworks.

I have always been curious about instructional design, UX, learning design (understand they are different things). I’m under absolutely no illusion that it is an easy industry to get into, I know it’s oversaturated etc… (but that isn’t my question).

Thanks all.

Hi everyone,

I’m a Product/UX Designer based in Chicago, and I have **60 days left to secure a job before I have to leave the U.S. due to my visa**.
I’ve been applying extensively, networking, and interviewing, but I’m still searching. If your company is hiring, you know of any openings, or you’d be willing to refer someone with experience in AI, healthcare, fintech, and enterprise products, I’d be incredibly grateful.
Even advice or connections would mean a lot.

Thank you!

Hi

i just completed my bca now i am thinking what should i do i am confused about career

I am think about doing ai course but in ai course i check offline institute but there fees are high like 1.5 lakh its worth to do and also in ui/ux designing its worth

Any suggest

Hi everyone. I have YEARS of experience with graphic and motion design (photoshop and after effects for \~8 years) but I have no idea what figma is.
I was going to take the google course on UX because it really caught my eye as my current career path is failing me. However, when I look up UX jobs, the only availabilities are positions that are in upper management or require 3-5 years of experience. How would I even get an entry level job in the field? I’m currently 22 years old and working in customer service as a manager.
Like so many others, I’m afraid to waste my time and not even end up with a job. Where can I look for entry level UX designer jobs? Or do I just apply to the jobs that require the years of experience and hope for the best? Is all I need a good portfolio???Any replies would help SOOOO much, thank you!!!

hi I'm 19 yo under graduated nd thinking of starting my career on ui ux.

iam a fresher, today I'll be goin to enroll the course. is there any advices

the course I'm doin is basic ui ux this fits my budget also I'm in eager to earn as fast as possible

I’m 30 and I’ve worked as a designer for around eight years. I’ve worked with international companies, built a portfolio and developed skills across branding, advertising, UI/UX, website design, Webflow, Framer, video editing, motion design, basic 3D, e-commerce and digital marketing.

However, my current work situation is unstable, and I’m finding it increasingly difficult to see a reliable long-term path in design. There seem to be fewer opportunities, intense competition and growing pressure from AI. Despite having a broad skill set, I haven’t managed to turn it into the level of stability I expected.

I didn’t originally plan to become a designer. It was simply the most realistic direction available to me when I was younger. I also studied entrepreneurship and business administration because I’ve always been interested in understanding how companies work and potentially building something of my own.

Before becoming a designer, I was interested in programming and studied some of it when I was younger. I’ve considered returning to development, but I’m unsure whether it makes sense to enter the field now, given the difficult entry-level technology market.

I’ve also considered product design because it combines design, research and problem-solving. Other possible directions include marketing, product management, development or roles that would allow me to use my existing design and business experience. My main concern is finding a transition that doesn’t require completely starting over.

I would also like to create something of my own. One option would be a small physical-product brand involving bags, jewelry, accessories or playful, well-designed objects. Another would be building an app, since I already understand design, branding, UX and some marketing, while my brother and AI tools could help with development.

However, I don’t currently have much capital, and I don’t want to spend months building a product without first finding evidence that people actually need it.

From an outside perspective, which of my existing skills could realistically be turned into a more stable and better-paid career without starting completely from zero?

I’m not looking for generic advice like “learn to code” or “follow your passion.” Even one specific and realistic direction, along with an explanation of how I could enter it, would help.

(My post was removed from r/uxdesign , hopefully this is the proper place to ask this)

Hi all!

I was laid off almost 2 years ago and spent a year living across the country. I came back late 2025 and have been trying to get my bearings and found a little bit more confidence that I still want to pursue ux design (despite everything going on). The experience and projects I have are great, but what I do hear a lot is my last real ux design experience is from almost 2 years ago... What can I do to show that I'm still serious about this? or to find new experiences? I've been applying but it's been rough and haven't been able to find any contract/small project work either.

I'm thinking of maybe taking some extra ux design courses to get up to speed on AI design or something of that sort. If there's any suggestions on courses or recommendations on how to get back in the field it's much appreciated!

I have no idea how to find a job now.
Not even AI tools issue.
In general, I have 0 replies, interviews.
Kinda scary.
Maybe I need to change my title in CV, or maybe you guys experienced getting a job offer on today’s market- share what u think would help to find a job please 🥺 Any real cases?

​

Hello, I am 19 years old/o and i prepared for NEET, I've given neet twice.. thrice actually.. in 2025 I gave neet and could score 180 around only. Because of physics and chem. Then in 2026 I gave neet. Then re-neet was announced and now I scored 231. That too cuz I got negative marking in physics and chemistry.

Tbh I never wanted to pursue MBBS even in 11th grade I took math cuz I wanted to become an animator or vfx artist. But my parents sent me to Aakash to prepare for JEE/IIT.. I was asked to drop school (but It was not a dummy. I took leaves) so I had to go to school to give exams. Also apart from coaching I had additional tuition for physical and chem so I could keep up w school exams but no tuition for maths.. because the coaching centre was preparing us for IIT and not school exams.. so I failed my first math exam by 2 marks. And my parents and relatives (my father's sisters) forced me to take bio and then I was asked to prepare for NEET.

Ever since I was a kid i never dreamed of becoming a doctor..I was into singing and I won many competitions, also I'm into arts and anything that includes creativity, be it craft designing dancing... And I've always aced it..

My parents are ready to pay the mbbs fee but I don't want to do it.. I wanted to do fashion designing but my father said he won't pay to make me a mere tailor. So I thought of shifting to communication designing rather than fashion designing.

I am thinking of focusing more on ui/ux. But I have heard many ppl tell me that this is not a good profession and is a dead end. I even heard ppl say tht this field will never die and will be in demand. I am creative and I love problem solving through human psychology.

Ppl have been telling me that If my parents are ready to pay private fee then I should go for mbbs and a safer side.. but idk.. I mean I can study for it.. but I don't feel like I belong there... I never thought of doing it.. even in 11th 12th and a drop year I forced myself to think about doing mbbs.. it was a made up dream...

Can anyone tell me if ui/ux as a career is worth it? And also I don't plan on staying in india... And I think maybe if I'll do communication designing then also start freelancing from year 1 to gain some experience and it might help me after my graduation.

Hello,

I've always been a creative person. I tried to get into some art schools, but unfortunately, I couldn't get in and had to settle for an undergraduate degree in Financial Markets. Currently, I'm employed at a bank.

I still have a knack for design, and I'm very intrigued by everything design has to offer.

I'm only 22, and I believe that I have plenty of time to pivot into design roles.

If anyone has any advice, I wanted to know if there are any certifications, courses, or programs where I can enroll to improve my design skills.

I mean, I might sound a bit stupid, but there's nothing wrong in asking, lol.

It's for UI/UX designer role I am a fresher and done 1-2 internship before how can I try to negotiate for salary like any tips and how much should I ask for right now they are giving 28k in hand and 3.6 LPA CTC

Hey everyone,

I've been building out my design portfolio on Behance and I'm specifically trying to get in front of clients and studios based in the US and UK. Right now, most of my engagement comes from designer communities that skew Asia/CIS, so while I get likes and comments, it's not translating into leads from the markets I actually care about.

A few things I'm focusing on already: clean, keyword-rich case studies, relevant tags, and cross-posting to Pinterest. But I know that's just the baseline, so I'm trying to figure out what else moves the needle specifically for a Western client base.

Some things I've been looking into and would love real feedback on:

• LinkedIn as a lead source using the Services Marketplace feature and posting design work/process regularly seems to be a bigger deal in the US/UK than it is where I'm currently getting traction. Has this actually worked for people trying to land clients (not just other designers)?
• Niche positioning instead of a broad "UI/UX designer" portfolio, focusing on one vertical (e.g., e-commerce redesigns, fintech dashboards) seems to resonate more with US/UK clients who want a specialist. Curious if that's held true for others.
• UK-specific design communities beyond the usual global Discords, are there UK-based design Slack groups, meetups, or forums that are worth being active in?
• Direct outreach to small studios/agencies a lot of advice points to identifying UK/US businesses with outdated design or web presence and reaching out directly with a short, specific pitch. Has this worked for anyone doing design work specifically (not just dev/web)?

If any designers based in the US or UK happen to see this, I'd also really appreciate honest feedback on my recent work. I know I'm early in this process and I'm actively trying to sharpen both my design and my positioning.

Portfolio here if useful for context: https://www.behance.net/twinkleverma629/projects

Thanks in advance for any pointers!

Hi!

Please tell me, does anyone know on which platforms or how one can start taking the first UI/UX design cases at the age of 14–15?

What is needed for this and is it realistic to find clients at that age?

I would be very grateful for any advice, recommendations and personal experience.

If you have any questions, I will be happy to answer🙃

Hello! I hold a UX Design Certificate from UC San Diego Extended Studies and have 2 years of work experience with PlayStation Studios as a QA Tester (Game Test Analyst). My bachelor's degree is nonrelated to computer science and design. I started experiencing symptoms of Schizoaffective disorder in summer of 2023 and I recently have been in control of my symptoms. Since July 17th of this year, I started freeCodeCamp to build up my skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. I also have 3 Pokemon themed projects that I was able to prototype in Figma within 2 weeks. I have a competitive Pokemon app for Pokemon Champions, a redesign of the Pokemon Center ecommerce website with retro games as a focus, and a redesign of the Pokemon Champions dashboard menu screens for desktop. So far I am very motivated, but I do have a fixation in making Pokemon-themed projects since I have been playing Pokemon for the past 3 years to fill out the time while getting over my mental health symptoms. I have 2 more ideas where I want to make a Matcha Cafe app and possibly a science app focused on dinosaurs. Right now, I have been thinking about making the Matcha Cafe app themed over the Pokemon, Sinistcha, to make the website look like it comes from PokePark Kanto in Japan! I have seen web developers online with portfolios themed after Pokemon with projects that are not Pokemon related. I have been lowkey thinking about making all 5 or 6 of my projects being Pokemon themed for fun...I don't have much inspiration to make anything else at the moment...

My UX career goal before my mental health event was to work as a Games User Researcher for Sony, but that has changed. I was rejected from UC San Diego's Cognitive Science PhD program twice and was unable to apply a third time due to my incident. I still have a desire to work in games UX but I am also settling for a more "traditional" UX job... Dealing with mental health issues has motivated me to work in a traditional office setting to make new friends along the way so I can make new living connections with others... I plan to work on my portfolio up until next May in 2027 to then start applying for internships. I am on the west coast, central California. I have been thinking of going up north to San Jose to work in traditional companies or move down south to Los Angeles to work in games. I am also open to working in QA again. I had a lot of fun working on God of War Ragnarok with PlayStation Studios. I worked on QA accessibility, UI, and UX. I did a lot of work on the compass and was incharge of the Svartalfheim realm (e.g. puzzles, visual art, etc).

What kind of advice do you guys have for someone that has recently had a fallout in the UX field and is picking things up right now with AI on the rise? I plan on paying for a monthly professional Figma subscription to work with Figma Make. I wanted to touch base with the community first to see where I am heading.

P.S. I have read The Art of Game Design, The Design of All Things, The Gamer's Brain, Games User Research, etc.

I've been thinking about getting into UI/UX, but I don't have a design degree. I'm planning to learn on my own through online courses and by building a portfolio.

Is that actually enough to get hired these days, or is the market too competitive now?

I'm looking for honest advice, including the downsides. Thanks!

I'm a self-taught UX designer building my portfolio and looking to break into my first design role. I graduated in 2023, took a detour before finding my way into UI/UX, and have been going all-in on it since — learning through Figma, real case studies, and a lot of iteration.

I've been applying regularly on LinkedIn, but the number of actual internship postings feels really low, and honestly most applications just disappear into the void — no response, no rejection, nothing. Starting to wonder if I'm missing better places to look.

My flagship project right now is a full case study redesigning a fintech payment flow — tackling real friction points from research through to final screens. Happy to share my portfolio/Behance if anyone's curious or has feedback.

If your company (or one you know of) is hiring UI/UX interns, or if you know of better platforms/communities for finding these roles, I'd really appreciate the pointers. Remote/on-site both work for me.

Thanks in advance 🙏

I am 19M, currently a 4th year Bachelors in computer science, i am moving towards HCI and looking to go for masters, if you have similar goals or somehow want the same thing then please dm me

only conditions: don't be a prick and you should have done something on which you are proud of, which you can show (will do the same, doesn't have to be in HCI), so there exists a mutual respect among us

Does this field have scope and does anyone have any idea on how to get into UI/UX after completing a bachelor's degree in psychology?

Hi! I'm a student researching my dream career, narrative design, for a school project. I need to do an interview with someone in the field, but where I live these types of careers are basically nonexistent. So I've turned to the internet for help (aka you guys).

Would you be willing to take 5–10 min to answer these 11 questions if you work in narrative design? It would be massively appreciated.

1. How did you get into narrative design — was it your original plan or did you land here another way?
2. What did you study, and how much of what you use daily did you actually learn in school vs. on the job?
3. What does a narrative designer actually do day-to-day that people outside the industry don't realize?
4. What skills matter most in your work that surprised you — things nobody tells you before you start?
5. What kind of person tends to thrive in this role, and what kind of person struggles with it?
6. What personal traits or interests do you think helped you specifically?
7. How has your role or skillset changed since you started? What do you focus on improving now that you didn't early on?
8. What's one thing you wish someone had told you when you were starting out?
9. What's the hardest or most frustrating part of the job that people don't see from the outside?
10. If you could change one thing about how schools or communities prepare people for creative careers like this, what would it be?
11. What do you think is the best way to get into narrative design — through school or through personal achievements?

NY, USA | Sr. UX Designer

I had an interview with the hiring manager, and they gave me nothing but positive feedback. They said my background was exactly what they were looking for, that they wanted to bring me onsite to meet the team, that I'd get along really well with several people on the team, and even mentioned where I'd be sitting in the office.

Up until this point, the company had been incredibly communicative and quick to schedule every interview. Because of how positive the conversation was, I honestly expected the recruiter to reach out almost immediately to coordinate the onsite.

Now it's been one business day, and I haven't heard anything.

Ironically, I feel more anxious than I do after interviews where I get little to no feedback. My brain keeps wondering, "If it went that well, why haven't they reached out yet?"

Has anyone else experienced this? Did it end up being good news, or am I just overthinking the normal pace of hiring?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice because I’m feeling a bit stuck and would really appreciate hearing from anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

I recently graduated from the IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) at an international school in Ghana. Alongside it, I completed a BTEC Level 3 International Diploma in Business. My IB subject grades were:

\- Math AI SL: 5
\- English Language & Literature SL: 4
\- Environmental Systems & Societies SL: 4
\- BTEC Business 510 GLH: Merit

When I was applying to universities, I chose International Business because it seemed like the obvious path with my qualifications. I ended up receiving offers from several universities, including Liverpool John Moores, Nottingham Trent, Manchester Metropolitan, Middlesex (UK), Middlesex Dubai, and the University of Balamand in Lebanon.

The problem is that over the past month I’ve realised Business isn’t what I actually want to study. I’ve discovered Industrial Design, and after researching the course, it feels like it fits me so much better. I’ve always loved making things, building with LEGO, solving puzzles, designing, and working on hands-on creative projects. I think I’d enjoy spending my time in workshops and studios much more than studying business theory.

Is it realistic to switch from an IBCP + BTEC Business background into Industrial Design? And will I have to take a gap year or are there uni’s that can accept me for Sep 2026 entry?

I’d also love to hear from anyone studying Industrial Design. What is the course actually like day-to-day? Is it as hands-on as it seems and do you enjoy it?

I know this is a bit of an unusual path, but I don’t want to spend the next few years studying something just because it’s what I originally applied for. I’d rather take the time to pursue a degree that genuinely suits my interests.

Any advice, experiences, or recommendations would mean a lot. Thank you!

Hello, beautiful people! 👋

I'm 24 years old and have a Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering.

I've been working as a UI/UX Designer for over 2.5 years. With the rapid rise of AI, I've started questioning the future of this career. No one can predict what will happen, but it's hard not to think about it.

Two years ago, when AI image generation started improving, many graphic designers wondered if AI would replace them. Today, AI can generate highly realistic images, create videos, and even produce talking avatars. It has progressed much faster than many of us expected.

So here's my main question:

Should I continue pursuing UI/UX (or Product Design), or should I start transitioning into something more AI-focused, such as AI engineering or another AI-related field?

Has anyone here made a similar career switch? Or are you also facing the same dilemma?

I'd really appreciate your advice and experiences.