As a graphic designer, Priyanka always felt that her job was too one-dimensional. She struggled to focus on just one aspect of design, so when the chance came up to incorporate some user experience principles into her work, she grabbed it with both hands. What started with a bit of wireframing and sketching soon developed into a burning curiosity — and so began her journey into UX design.
“My work as a graphic designer didn’t include as much research as UX; it was a lot more of a creative art, something I got pretty bored with. When I started discovering UX, I realised I enjoyed the research, information architecture, the design bit and the wireframing all together as a combo. It keeps me interested and keeps me focused; it’s hard to get bored with something like that!”
With her interest in UX well and truly piqued, Priyanka took the bold decision to leave her job as a Production Specialist and pursue the freelance route instead. While freelancing in graphic design, she studied UX design on the side.
Despite extensive self-study and the completion of her first solo UX design project, Priyanka realized that something was missing: She felt in no way ready to interview for UX design roles. If she really wanted to make the professional transition, she would need a more structured approach. That’s when she came across the CareerFoundry UX Design Program.
With its hands-on, learning-by-doing approach, and particular emphasis on getting students job-ready, the course turned out to be a perfect fit for Priyanka. Reflecting back on her time as a CareerFoundry student, she especially enjoyed the practical tasks and exercises. One of these projects was to design a responsive web app, aimed at helping first-time buyers find the perfect property.
Another memorable aspect for Priyanka was the one-to-one mentorship she received throughout the course. All CareerFoundry students are assigned an expert mentor from day one, and this regular support and interaction really helped Priyanka push her learning curve to new heights. In fact, even after she graduated, Priyanka and her mentor stayed in touch and continued to work together on an additional portfolio piece.
“My Mentor Jeremy was really helpful. Any questions I had, he was always ready to get on a call and help me out. I think that’s really hard to get in many other courses. I don’t know how many people would take that kind of time out to help you with the course, so that was really great.”
Now, it’s clear that Priyanka enjoyed the course, but still the question remains: Did it give her that job-ready confidence she was looking for? Here’s what she had to say on the matter:
“This was a very intense and detailed course. By midway through the Immersion Course, I felt ready for an interview. The intensity of the course really prepares you for a job. Working on my portfolio and on real deliverables helped me talk more confidently about why I came to the decision to become a UX designer.”
After graduating, Priyanka refined her portfolio and threw herself into networking within the industry. Her dedication paid off: She is now working as a UX designer at Fidelity Investments in Boston, Massachusetts.
Priyanka certainly seems content with her new career path. In the not-so-distant future, she can see herself reaching a UX lead position and further developing her freelance career. So what advice would she give to anyone considering CareerFoundry’s UX Design Program?
“I would always encourage people to go through formal training. Self-study doesn’t help you get a job. And the best part about the course is that it’s very flexible!”
Priyanka’s story is testament to the power of structured, online study. While it may be possible to learn about UX design through self-study, this is unlikely to get you job-ready. An organized curriculum and a human support network made up of industry experts can mean the difference between simply learning UX and being ready to work in the field.
To wrap up, I’ll leave you with this final quote from Priyanka. I asked her to describe her CareerFoundry experience in three words, but she had a little bit more to say:
“Best decision of my life! Challenging. Exciting. I haven’t felt as confident about any field or subject in my life, and that’s thanks to CareerFoundry.”
If you’re curious about UX design and making a career change, get in touch with us today.
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About the author
Emily Stevens
Emily is a professional tech writer and content strategist. She spent over a decade in tech startups, immersed in the world of UX and design thinking. In addition to writing for The CareerFoundry Blog, Emily has been a regular contributor to several industry-leading design publications and wrote a chapter for The UX Careers Handbook. She also has an MSc in Psychology from the University of Westminster.