Perhaps one of the most common – and normal – situations we can go through in adult life is the feeling that we are in the wrong profession.
This feeling awakens a desire for change, for new horizons and challenges. But along with these motivations comes a feeling of fear and insecurity. After all, change is never easy, especially a big and significant change like a career transition.
To ease this insecurity, it is important to seek more information about the change you want to make.
In this article, we will present to you 5 essential factors that you should take into consideration when you decide to switch to UX Design. Check them out!
Do I need a background in Design to switch to UX Design?
First of all, let's make it clear that you don't need to have a background in Design or technology to switch to UX!
The UX Design area is multidisciplinary and companies value professionals who come from different areas. This is because different perspectives add more value and assertiveness to the development of projects.
In our MID program, we have examples of students who managed to transition to UX Design coming from the following fields:
- Law;
- Business Administration;
- Advertising;
- Customer Service;
- Marketing;
- Psychology;
- And others.
Some fields indeed have more similarities with UX. Graphic Design itself has some concepts and tools that intersect with UX.
However, it doesn't mean that a graphic designer won't have to learn new theories and concepts.
UX Design has several methodologies, theories, and specific tools. Therefore, those who think that just having a background in design is enough to switch to UX are mistaken.
Besides these technical skills, it is important that the UX professional also has some behavioral skills, known as Soft Skills. In other words, it is important to have empathy, communication, and teamwork skills, for example.
Reading Tip: 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Transitioning to UX Design
5 factors you should know before changing to UX Design
Having answered the background question, it is also important to point out some important matters about the process of switching to UX Design.
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, career changes are not simple decisions to make.
In this sense, it is important that you know some important factors before you decide to switch to UX.
1) Study time
Transitioning to UX design requires gaining new knowledge, and the only way to acquire that knowledge is through dedicated study.
Therefore, it is important to keep in mind that dedication to studying is essential for successfully transitioning to a career in UX Design.
"But how long do I need to study before I get my first opportunity in the field?"
The answer to this question is: it depends.
It depends on your dedication to your studies, planning, and commitment to building a portfolio, networking, and looking for jobs in the market.
However, to give you a brief idea, most of our MID program students land their first job in the field between 6 and 10 months of studies. This time is quite short if you compare it to the time it takes to go to college or to pursue a graduate degree, for example.
But it is important to reiterate that it all depends on the context of each student and the individual commitment to their studies.
To illustrate some transition cases, check out these interviews with our MID students:
- From Art Director to UX Designer – Interview With Joyce Almazan
- 4 Job Offers in Product Design in 9 Months – Interview With Thiago Alvarenga
- 3 International Job Offers in Less than 1 Year – Interview with Louise Santos
- How I Switched from Biology to UX Design – Interview with Lívia Assunção
So before you change to UX, know that there is a time frame for this to happen and you should take that into consideration.
Reading Tip: Student Testimonials: What Do They Say About MID Bootcamp?
2) In UX Design you can't stop learning
Continuing education is a theme that is common in many professions, and UX Design is one of them.
Because it is an area closely linked to technology, it is important that the UX Designer never stop learning and keeps up with market trends.
The evolution of technology is fast and we need to be aware of anything new, including new tools, methodologies, and software that can help us in our day-to-day lives.
Therefore, it is crucial that the UX Designer never stops studying!
And, of course, as a result of these studies, the professional will grow even more, improving and having better opportunities in the market.
Here are three success stories of MID students who never stopped studying and have achieved higher heights in UX Design still in the first years of their careers.
Israel Mesquita
Israel Mesquita, for example, got his first job in UX Design in Lisbon after only six