Oh my god, this is the single best hiring advice/insight I have ever come across. Thanks to Hang who was able to explain it so eloquently from a UX designer's and recruiter's perspective!

This was an eye-opening talk, thanks UXRS and Hang for having this conversation publicly. As a pandemic bootcamp grad with experience in Marketing field prior to switch: I can relate to what Hang went thru i.e. daily research & reading atop of applying for positions and networking online and real-life and it can get exhausting so save yourself time and space for self-care and fun activities. Then and now, I get feedback from folx hiring that they're looking for someone "more senior" including hidden job market/unlisted positions I've been referred to by friends/my network which is sometimes disheartening. I believe i have both hard/technical and soft skills (from my coaching and counselling background) and I'm still doing freelance/contracts since grad. I get interviews (up to round 3, and presentation pitch opportunities from productizing myself as a DAAS), I do just think sometimes it's not a culture fit so these organizations use the "more senior" line above. I would love to be in a FT design position this year; this video helped me with the valuable perspective that some things are just outside of my control. Thank you!

Excellent points; having a unique value proposition and creating content and connections - good strategy

First of all, this was a great talk and great discussion. "When bootcamps tell you... - _there's an incentive to make it sound like this is doable..._" -- we can only speak for _ourselves_, but we tell everyone the truth. We spend the time trying to talk them out of it. It's going to be a lot of work. You're going to have to be _clever_ and _make your own luck_. Most people fail. (even though we'll bust our asses doing everything we can for you). At the same time, "Designer" might be the only job there in the not-so-distant future. :shrug

I believe that stay out of the market for too long will make more difficult for you to get hired so I think that even you have a financial runway for a year and a half doesn't mean you should stay out of the market for that long

Agreed - While I have been into same org, I was considered as someone with 3 years of experience and even was getting promotion (at 1 yr experience), then i changed, but during the interview they thought i didn't have experience, but then while working they thought I had 4 years approx. I am good at getting the job done and creating value, but not good with interviews it seems. While I saw designers who were really bad, but getting good interviews. Did Adobe and google interview till last round. Working on myself now.

Hey I'm a self trained UX Researcher, Concepter & Facilitator looking for an entry-level role in Berlin, Germany. Please hit me up, if you have an opening available.