How I became a UX Designer (with Charlotte D'Arcy)

15 March 2022 5:00 pm Online Career Change , UX Design

Thinking about becoming a UX designer, but not exactly sure where to start?

Join our LIVE event with CareerFoundry graduate Charlotte D’Arcy who’s now a fully-fledged UX product designer.

Charlotte completed the CareerFoundry UX Design Program with a UI design specialization in 2021. She’s now completely transitioned from her former career in teaching to a new and flexible career as a product designer working at Momentum Design Lab in London.

In this LIVE interview we’ll be talking all about the UX Design Program, transferable skills, Charlotte’s path to UX design, and the importance of a UX design portfolio in your job search.

We’ll also delve into the dual mentorship support that CareerFoundry offers all students.

Interested in learning networking tips, how Charlotte effectively used LinkedIn in her job search, and how she handled the additional challenges of changing careers during a global pandemic?

Then join our LIVE interview. We’ll also be having a Q/A at the end of the interview so you can answer all your burning questions about UX design and the program we offer at CareerFoundry.

Charlotte says that:

‘UX design allows me to indulge my inquisitive nature, encourages me to be open-minded in my discoveries and interactions, and enables me to creatively solve problems.’

See how UX design can transform your career too!‍

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Regardless of your professional background, career change can be quite the journey. From picking the right UX bootcamp or training to help you re-skill for that dream job, to fending off those common career change fears, landing a job, and negotiating your first salary. As rewarding as the whole journey is, it can be a lot to take on! 

So how do you keep the right mentality as you navigate all of this? How do you overcome those fears? Here are three tips that will help you get started.

  1. Learn, learn, learn
  2. Find a UX designer mentor
  3. Connect with other career changers

Let’s look a little more closely at each of these. 

1. Learn, learn, learn

Know your stuff. Whether it’s industry standard UX tools and processes, or your transferable UX skills and what kind of salary you should ask for as a new designer—a great way to combat fear and stay positive during a career change is to train, practice, and research until you know that you know your stuff.

But it’s also to know that there’s a lot you may not know—and to cultivate a beginners’ mind, always open and ready to learn. This way, you can assure yourself that a) you mostly know what you’re doing, and that b) what you don’t know, you will learn—and you’ll be even better at your job for it! 

2. Find a UX mentor

A mentor is someone who is ahead of you on that career path. They’ve been where you are, and they’ve navigated their way to a place where you could see yourself sometime in the future. 

Among other things, a mentor can offer you:

  • Seasoned career advice
  • Empowerment and support
  • Expert feedback on your work
  • Knowledge of industry tools and shortcuts
  • Insights and resources for further learning
  • Networking opportunities
  • A seasoned, professional reference

To learn more about the benefits of mentorship and how to make the most of having a mentor, check out this guide: The Importance of Mentorship for Aspiring UX Designers. The focus is on UX design, but the concepts apply across disciplines.

5. Connect with other career changers

When we say that you should connect with other career changers, we don’t mean networking in the traditional sense (of making professional connections to enhance your career down the road)—though it may result in that. 

What we mean is that you should meet and talk to others who are also in the middle of a career change—and hear the stories of people who have done it successfully! 

And the best ways to do that? Here are a few:

  • Enroll in a UX course or bootcamp. The best ones will help you connect with fellow career changers and immerse you in that budding professional network. 
  • Reach out to people on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Search various hashtags and see who you encounter; follow accounts like CareerFoundry on Instagram or YouTube and see who you find engaging with the content. 
  • Read UX bootcamp graduate stories and watch interviews with successful alumni

Trust that you know what you’re doing, keep a beginners’ mind, find a mentor, and connect with other career changers—and before you know it, you’ll have your training behind you and an exciting career ahead of you.

LIVE Interview

Featured presenters

Charlotte D'Arcy

Charlotte D'Arcy

UX Product Designer

Charlotte is a deeply curious UX designer with a background in education and historical research. She brings an empathetic, analytical, person-first approach to design, as well as a large dose of enthusiasm. Currently making magic with Momentum Design Lab.