Reflection: A UX Journey Across Industries

Sometimes, it can be so weird working in UX because from job to job, you may work in completely different industries. I actually find it fun because, as a lifelong learner, I love diving into a new space and uncovering new information about it. But even still, part of it is weird because something will be reported in the news or come up in conversation, and I'll inevitably wonder about the users from a past industry that I no longer serve. Since 2019 alone, I've worked in aerospace, e-commerce, logistics, and cybersecurity.

The minute I saw the news about CrowdStrike last month, all I could think about was the primary user group from my previous job: cybersecurity professionals. I spent over a year and a half thinking about and advocating for these users. Already knowing the cognitive load of their jobs, I immediately thought about what kind of mornings the over 60 cybersecurity professionals I had interviewed might be having. 😓

Or take the launch of the last TDRS (Tracking and Data Relay Satellite) in 2017. It reminded me of my time working on the TDRSS (TDRS System) team back in 2007. In that role, I was part of a three-person team tackling the TDRSS physical library digitization project (and doing IA before I knew what IA was). We were going through literal physical files housed in a secured room, shredding the unneeded ones and scanning the important stuff so that everyone on TDRSS moving forward could have easier access to them. I like to think that someone on the TDRSS team in 2017 might have referred back to something I scanned into the system in 2007. (Fun fact: we found a 1970s candy wrapper in one of the manila folders -- luckily no moldy chocolate or bugs were involved 😅🍫.)

Reflecting on my time working in various industries reminds me how each role has shaped my perspective, even long after moving on. 🤔💭 Have you ever had a moment where current events suddenly transported you back to a past role? What industries or user groups still occupy a corner of your mind, even though you no longer work directly with them?

Crafting your Perfect Elevator Pitch: A Step-by-Step Guide

Intro

You're in a job interview and your interviewer says, "So, tell me about yourself." How do you normally answer❓ During my job search in 2022 (when I was first pivoting into tech), my mentor helped me develop an elevator pitch. 🛗 Now, it's my turn to share that advice with you!

How to craft your elevator pitch

📝 Let's write your personal elevator pitch in 5-8ish sentences:
1. 🗣️ Intro: Start with a brief introduction of yourself and your role. If you are pivoting, this should be the role you are looking to pivot into. (1 sentence)
2. 🗣️ Education: Mention relevant educational background or qualifications. You can skip this if this doesn't apply to you. You can also switch this with experience if your education is less recent. (1 sentence)
3. 🗣️ Experience: This is where you would highlight your most recent relevant work experiences and achievements, including any role-relevant methodologies and skills. (1-3ish sentences)
4. 🗣️ Other Relevant Methodologies/Skills: Discuss other specific methodologies, skills, or areas of expertise relevant to your role that you haven't mentioned yet. (1-2 sentences)
5. 🗣️ Additional Skillsets: Optionally, transition into any additional skills or experiences that complement your current role. This is especially relevant if you pivoted but have transferrable skills. Always tie it back to the role you're applying to. (1 sentence)

Example of an elevator pitch

🌱 My elevator pitch from 2022:
I’m a UX Researcher with a foundation in Service Design. I have a master’s in UX from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), where I focused on mixed methods UX research. In my current position as a Service Designer & Researcher at a NASA contractor, I have overhauled all corporate processes and procedures by building a scalable infrastructure to support future company growth. Throughout this project, I have employed various UX research methodologies such as journey mapping, user interviews, contextual inquiries, focus groups, user surveys, and usability testing. Prior to pivoting into UX, I had over a decade of experience as a visual designer, which has served me well in my UX career as I can take projects from planning and problem-scoping through generative research to ideation, sketching, and wireframing.

Further thoughts

💡 Use your resume to help you write steps 3 and 4.
💡 The longer your career, the more you *could* add to steps 3 and 4 but try to keep your elevator pitch to ~1-1.5 minutes. There will be plenty of time to get into the nitty gritty throughout a job interview. Your pitch should be a good high-level intro of who you are and your skills.
💡 Practice saying your elevator pitch out loud to make sure it sounds and feels natural!
💡 Use this elevator pitch for the "No-Ask" policy (if you're unfamiliar, learn more: https://lnkd.in/ewrcGTqP).

Outro

As you write your elevator pitch, remember: your story is your superpower. 🦸 I hope this guide helps you as you network and job search!

Navigating Layoffs: Advice That Helped Me in November 2023

I was laid off at the beginning of November 2023. It wasn’t my first time being laid off (the last one was January 2015), but it was still a huge shock. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised, given the tech landscape in 2023. But, to be honest, it really affected me on a deep emotional level. I had so many thoughts swirling through my head: Who am I outside of my job? Why does this feeling of not having control feel so triggering? What does “productive member of society” mean in late-stage capitalism?

About a month after my layoff, I put together a list of advice that were helpful for me in navigating life post-layoff and now I’m going to share that here with you all:

✨ TAKE BREAKS: Don't spend all day every day on LinkedIn. Get up and do things that feed your soul. Exercise, read a good book, watch TV, laugh with friends, cook dinner, play with your dog, make art. I made it a point to take Sundays off of job hunting, even though it was hard. But this helped my brain get some rest from the endless scrolling on LinkedIn and job boards.

✨ REMEMBER THE BASICS: Drink water and feed yourself. My former manager said this to me one day after my layoff and I was like 🤯 whoa. It might seem obvious but sometimes you get caught up and forget the simple things!

✨ FIND COMMUNITY: Despite the stress that comes from being laid off, there were silver linings. The outpouring of support was incredible. I got to spend time with + meet so many awesome, generous people during my job hunt after the layoff. ❤️

✨ CELEBRATE YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS: In prepping for interviews, I got to reflect on all of the awesome work I've done in the past few years. Acknowledge your skills and remind yourself, "I'm great at what I do." It's more important now than ever to reflect on that.

✨ FEEL THE FEELINGS: This might be the most important one. It's okay to be angry, sad, disappointed, nervous, and upset. That's normal and totally warranted. It's also okay to feel optimistic, excited, and refreshed. That's also normal and totally warranted. Every emotion is valid. And you will likely feel completely different day to day. That’s also normal and totally warranted.

If you're navigating a layoff right now, know that you're not alone, you're awesome, and you've got this 💪 I hope these small reminders can help during this time.